At London’s Olympic Games last night, Britain won three gold medals. During the evening, watching became an emotional experience. I don’t know how many millions the broadcasts pulled in but I’m certain that for many of us, there were a few tears.
By the end of the night Britain had three more champions. A mixed-race woman from Sheffield won the gold medal in the
heptathlon. A red-headed athlete born in
Milton Keynes became the first British man in half a century to win
the long jump. A man of Somali origin,
who arrived here as a war refugee aged 8, fulfilled his dream of achieving gold in the
10,000 metres. It was a truly joyous occasion, the best time, unarguably, in
the long history of British athletics.
Meanwhile, the Games' opening ceremony had been attacked by lonely Tory MP
Aidan Burley for its multicultural emphasis. Following his outburst Burley was sacked; last
night he must have been vomiting down his toilet, which is where he belongs.
As the evening drew to a close, before the presentation of medals the
huge crowd in the Olympic Stadium sang ‘All You Need Is Love’. It was an astonishing night, but perhaps
that rainbow moment was the most powerful event of all.
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