Page 44 - link magazine

London 2012 – A year on

This time last year Olympics Games Maker Claire Purnell from North Swindon had just completed two weeks of an amazing journey. She
was one of thousands of volunteers who ensured the games was an incredible experience for visitors and a brilliant showcase for Britain.
The Swindon College student services manager wrote of her immediate reaction in the October 2012 Link. Here she takes a long look back.
Reflection aquatics centre and in the Olympic Olympic track, and making
A year on from the London Olympic Stadium was a great joy; we showed some gorgeous new friends for
Games and the euphoria and spirit Britain’s best face to the world and I life - where to after all of that?
that brought the nation to an amazing was privileged to be part of it. Moving on….
fortnight of success is still so fresh in Highlights for me are still so To say I hit a little lull af-
my mind. The moments of tension, vivid - from attending the opening terwards would be a fair
emotion and insane excitement for ceremony rehearsal, watching the GB comment, though having an
me as a games maker within the welcoming ceremony, meeting over insight into new opportuni-
Olympic Park was special, I loved 50 Olympic athletes and spending ties career-wise was food for
every minute. To have witnessed time with gold, silver and bronze thought. Facebook believe it or
world class performances in the medallists, to running a lap of the not has been amazing for keep-
ing in touch with fellow games
makers. We had a reunion in
FIAT & ALFA ROMEO London in April when 15 of Claire and gold medal swimmer Ye Shiwen
us did the ‘Park in Progress’ who she looked after in the media maelstrom
✶ All cars welcome tour which involved a trip up that followed her victory
✶ cam belt replacement the Orbit once again to get a bird’s of clothes for the children as there is
✶ engine & gearbox repairs & eye view of the infrastructure being wet fun to be had.
rebuilds transported or demolished. What was the athletes village will
Three iconic landmarks remain, reopen as ‘E20’ East Village, though
✶ electrical fault code reading with the Lee Valley Velo Park ready now looking void of colour from all
✶ MOT repairs for action at the beginning of 2014 the countries’ banners and flags that
✶ vehicle sales along with the new hockey and ten- were draped by the athletes from the
✶ servicing to light commercials Open 8.30am - 5.30pm nis centre. balconies.
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U turn by red Corsa on West Swindon road causes 4 car pile up
A major road traffic accident at around 5pm on Monday 1 July caused
major delays at Mannington roundabout and Tewkesbury Way.
Four cars crashed into each other on the west bound side of Tewkesbury
Way, beyond the slip road to Toothill, almost under the Toothill to Westlea
footbridge where a crowd of onlookers gathered to watch emergency crews
attend to the drivers. Claire in the aquatics centre where she spent a lot of time during the games as
The concertina shunt was caused by the female driver of a red old style a member of the anti-doping team
Vauxhall Corsa who decided to do a u-turn at the point where Tewkesbury The great wave of Zaha Hadid’s Inspiring a generation
Way is wider, where there is bus stop on the Westlea (north) side of the road. aquatic centre roof has now been Locally our school ran a poem compe-
The driver of a black Peugeot had to be cut from the vehicle by a Wiltshire revealed. It will reopen to the public tition on Your Hero and my nine year
Fire & Rescue crew from nearby Westlea fire station, top. in Spring 2014, with its spectator old daughter wrote a poem based on
One driver, possibly the person extracted from the Peugeot, required stabi- capacity having been reduced from her inspiring Paralympian hero Ellie
lising treatment by paramedics at the scene before being taken by ambulance 17,500 to 2,500. Simmonds who I tweeted so that she
to Great Western Hospital. The Olympic Stadium was recently could read it.
A white Fiesta, a blue Accord and a silver BMW were also involved in featured in the anniversary games and For me, the memories and friend-
the accident. The car closest to the red Corsa turning in the middle of the will be in use for the rugby world cup ships will always be there and, as a
road stopped to allow the u-turn, but the three following vehicles smashed in 2015 and perhaps be rebuilt for competitive swimmer in my youth, I
into each other. football after that. am now being badgered to get back
The road was closed for a time whilst police established the exact cause of The north side of the park near into my cossie to start training for
the accident and cleared up the damaged vehicles. the velodrome is now open and it is the Masters World Championships
The U-turning road sign pictured on the left is seen by drivers going east free to enter, with a great play area for in 2016 to be held at the London
along Tewkesbury Way towards the town centre, not by the driver of the children. We were lucky enough to be Aquatics Centre. Watch this space.
Corsa heading out from the town. there for the official opening on 27 Read Claire’s account from October
Photos: Calyxpix July. Be advised adults, take a change 2012: www.bit.ly/gmclaire
44 swindonlink.com • September 2013

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