Closing Time

The last day of the Olympic Games was - like so many of the previous 17 - a whirlwind and a roller coaster.

The morning started with my last shift at the MPC: First, the Canadian Olympic Committee's final press briefing, which made me bawl when Joannie was announced as flagbearer. Then the IOC President's final press briefing, which made every journalist mad because it was scheduled for 12:15, exactly the same time that the puck was set to drop on the Gold match CAN-USA hockey game. But let's be honest: the press have been asking such jerk-ish, stupid questions for the past couple weeks I think this was Rogge's way of getting even. "Ha! take that, you grumpy curmudgeons!" It's like school detention for the bad kids.

Since no one was keen on prolonging the agony (the whole room could clearly hear the raucous cheer from outside the closed doors after the first Canadian goal) there weren't too many questions, and the press conference wrapped up posthaste. I joined my blue team buddies in the adjacent lounge while the American cameramen watched the projection screens in the press conference room: sometimes we were cheering, sometimes they were.


When it came to the sudden death overtime, I was far too overstimulated and had to give myself a time out to go sit in a quiet place. But before long, of course, the entire place had erupted into screams and cheers, as had the streets just outside.

But I couldn't linger too long because another happy surprise had arrived that morning. A random selection of volunteers received tickets to the closing ceremony and I was among them. A few short hours later, I was in BC Place to witness the culmination of the games.

The opening ceremonies were far more amazing to be at, for a number of reasons - but still, at the beginning of the closing ceremonies I was much closer to tears than I had been two weeks prior. The nervous energy that had started the games was replaced by satisfaction and even some relief at a job well done, and it felt like the end of a journey. I even remembered, for a moment, being in the same stadium as a 12-year old for the opening of Expo 86, making this latest visit feel like page-marker in my book of life.


And now, it's time for new things. Like spring, which has practically been beating down the door in Vancouver for weeks. Like the Paralympics, which arrive in 12 days and I know will be every bit as special as my experience in Beijing. So bring on the next chapter, let's see what it has in store.