Cheering on our Olympic heroes (From Bournemouth Echo)

Cheering on our Olympic heroes

9:00am Monday 16th July 2012 in Opinion

IT looked as though somebody up there liked Dorset.

Contrary to the weather forecasts, the sun shone on the Torch Relay for much of its trip through the county. Then the heavens opened almost as soon as it reached Hampshire.

But something even more miraculous happened en route. Many thousands of people cast off any grumpiness and cynicism and celebrated.

Not that some didn’t still have grumbles about the Olympics – the costs, the security, the commercialism – but for a few hours, almost everyone was happy to set them aside.

It was hard not to join in with the cheering as we saw those beaming torchbearers. These were mostly ordinary people – young sports people, teachers, charity fundraisers – who put an enormous amount of enthusiasm and dedication into what they do.

In that respect, they have a lot in common with Olympic athletes. And they all deserve gold medals.