The London Olympics was one of those rare occurrences where the line between sports reporter and sports fan was blurred beyond recognition. For just over two weeks, even those hovering over laptops, cynics by trade if not by incilination, were as in thrall to the heroics on the track and the lake, in the velodrome and boxing ring as the tens of thousands cheering on the athletes’ every move.
Here, we ask some of our writers and editors to choose their favourite moments from London 2012, a sporting carnival that might never be topped.
Eddie Taylor
Overall, though, it has to be Kenya’s David Rudisha’s phenomenal run in the 800 metres. To break a world record in a race usually dominated by tactics, to lead from the front, to put together back-to-back 50-second laps and to set a pace that ensured the entire field set national records, personal bests or season’s bests is quite simply unprecedented.
Paul McDaid
My highlight has to be Bradley Wiggins winning the time trail. A little over a week after winning the Tour de France, the first ever by a Brit, Wiggins cemented his place as a cycling legend by winning gold on the road – adding to three he had already picked up on the track in Beijing and Athens. After crossing the line, Wiggins took his place on a purple-cushioned throne outside Hampton Court Palace, a fitting finish for the man who’d just become Britain’s most decorated Olympian.
Chris McHardy
Picking a single highlight from the numerous heroic and truly inspirational acts witnessed over the past 16 days is a near impossible task. Mine have to include Michael Phelps kicking his way to 22 Olympic medals in the pool, poster girl Jessica Ennis living up to four years of hype to win heptathlon gold and Andy Murray exorcising his Wimbledon demons to deny the greatest, Roger Federer, from completing his life’s masterpiece.
However, you can’t look beyond Usain Bolt. He electrified the London Games and became the first man to win the 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m relay golds in back-to-back Olympics. A living legend and quite simply the best sprinter of all time.
Kenny Laurie
Obvious though it is, I have to go for Super Saturday. The hosts had gone several days without a gold medal at the start of the games and there were still a few lingering questions about London’s ability to put on a decent show. Britain’s gold rush over the previous days, however, built to a crescendo on that first Saturday inside the Olympic stadium when Mo Farah crossed the line at the end of the 10,000 metres to send a packed stadium wild. Farah and Jessica Ennis were the faces of the Games and their success seemed to validate the whole event – and light the touch-paper for the record success that followed.
Joy Chakravarty
Tempted as I am to name Usain Bolt, Mo Farah, Michael Phelps or Bradley Wiggins, I’d resist it and go with young British bronze medalist Tom Daley’s efforts on the final day of London 2012. That’s because there was immense pressure of expectation on the 18-year-old, and he did deliver with Britain’s first individual diving medal in over half a century.
To come back from a horrible qualifying, and then almost win the gold ahead of more fancied names was inspirational. But more than anything else, it was the unbridled joy on his face even as David Boudia and Qui Bo surpassed him with their last effort. It really was Olympic spirit at its very best.
* For breaking news, follow us on @Sport_360 or find us on Facebook.
