SYOG 2010

The inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) officially opened in Singapore yesterday at 2010hours, a new chapter in the Olympic movement.

i'm honored to have witnessed the opening ceremony with the world and the 27,000 audiences.

Complementary tickets from a very nice client.
Somemore they are good sector seats right smack in the middle.

Besides our stunning CBD backdrop for the Floating Platform,
i like the reflecting pool stage too.

205 countries flags formed the seats backdrop.

Since this is an global event, the audience crowd was of coz international too.

The show consisted pretty much the usual expected performance with song & dance & of coz fireworks. Very much similar to NDP except that this time, there are more international elements. YOG is afterall a global sporting event.
Even the goodies bag are sama sama like what we usually received for NDP.
Some snacks, drinks, a puncho in case it rain, rubbish bag & "various toys".
No surprise at all.
All along, i was pretty nonchalant about SYOG and the opening ceremony was just a mediocre performance to me.
But strangely when our Spore Flag was finally brought on stage, i do felt a sense of patriotism.

i guess deep in my heart i still do like my own country and support it.

The IOC president giving his delivery speech together with a clearly nervous Mr Ng.

i must say the final moment of the phoenix boat carrying one of the touch bearer, sailing from Clifford Pier towards the Marina Bay, accompanied by dragonboats was pretty spectacular.
And when the final touch bearer ran across the Floating Platform & through the shallow pool to the cauldron to light up the towering Youth Olympic Flame, the loud cheers from everyone was deafening!
So now the Youth Omlypic Flame has been lit in the heart of Singapore and will be here for 12 days.
The next sweetest thing our government can do is to declare every 14 Aug a public holiday in order to remember this honorable day.