Talk
Sport
After a summer of scintillating sporting success,Waterfront takes a look back at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games with Managing Director of Paparazzi PR, Mark Hayward, who at just 25 was the youngest commentator at the historical games
F
or almost three months of the summer, in a part of East London, in front of the eyes of the world, I like many others became helplessly
wrapped up in the Olympic and Paralympic bubble. From 9.01pm on Friday 27 July 2012, concerns as to how London would ever create such a stage for the greatest show on earth, were well and truly slashed. Danny Boyle’s opening ceremony was truly amazing – combining sheer genius with British greatness. Who would have thought that this was just the fi rst awe-inspiring performance we would witness in this theatre- of-dreams that was the Olympic Stadium? Taking on this mammoth task of
supporting the PR for London 2012, and also commentating on numerous sports, medal ceremonies and offi cial announcements, was something of a daunting prospect. My media team having to manage thousands of world media, deal with any impending crisis and me having to perfect French for my commentary, was something that occupied the many weeks
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leading up to the Games. T e thoughts of it going potentially wrong were outweighed by the potential of success – my fi rst Olympics and on my home ground. Any concerns quickly faded. T e electric
excitement took over. Staying in the athlete’s village, working with, dining with and partying with athletes, broadcasters and celebrities worldwide became the norm, and the contacts made will be useful for life. In terms of commentary, announcing a medal
ceremony or discussing live sport in a live venue has risks, especially when I had to announce in French as well as English. Luckily for me, it went well, and very quickly I became more aware of the greatness I was commentating on, and the British support. T e element of British pride never faded
throughout the Games, and the host nations love of sport was something that surely cannot be matched anywhere in the world. Commentating on the early morning heats in the athletics and swimming, made you realise
how much we love sport, as record crowds turned out off ering a wall of noise at every glimpse of a British athlete. T e euphoria of the crowd jumping at every chance to do the
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