The 2012 Summer Olympics torch relay, which has now come to its end, was run from 19 May until 27 July, before the upcoming London 2012 Summer Olympics. The traditional lighting ceremony took place on 10 May at the Temple of Hera, Olympia, home of the Ancient Olympic Games and has travelled around Greece, arriving Athens on 17 May for the handover ceremony.
The UK torch relay has lasted 70 days and about 8,000 people carried the torch a total distance of about 8,000 miles, starting from Land’s End in Cornwall, with the route designed to ensure that the Torch came within 10 miles of 95% of the UK population. A wide range of people carried the torch around the country, mostly sports men and women, military figures and other local heroes from towns and cities across the UK and I’m delighted to say that I was commissioned by Coca-Cola Enterprises to capture the handover in Uxbridge, under the borough of Hillingdon, where their head-offices are based.
The torch was escorted by a team of trained officers from the Metropolitan Police Service, known as the Torch Security Team, chosen from 644 initial applications, and their primary role was to protect the Olympic and Paralympic Flames, as well as ensuring the safety of the torchbearer.
My role on the day was to capture the fantastic positive event in all it’s glory, as well as show the actual torch bearers as the flames was handed across. It really was a superb afternoon and, as you can see, the crowds were just a little bit happy!
