The closing chapter

I hardly slept last night as I was very excited about today. Since my first rehearsal for Closing I knew it wouldn't be a patch on the Opening Ceremony but I'm so glad to be taking part in it. Opening was all about the volunteers and their passion shone through but Closing is all about the 'talent'!

I packed my bag and headed straight to the Park. I wanted to try again to see if I could find a pin badge for Andrew so dashed to the Megastore. They didn't have any and sent me the store on the other side of the Stadium where they said would have some. They didn't and said they wouldn't have any until 4pm so I was rather frustrated. Next stop was cast check-in and then backstage to the dressing area.

I was being a Flag Escort in the Closing Ceremony so we had over 200 girls all getting ready at the same time. Isobel and I decided to sneak off and find somewhere different to get ready and ended up in some random area we probably weren't supposed to be in. After having such a bad migraine having my hair done last time I decided to see if I could just get away with using a hair band rather than having a fake ponytail. Im not saying it looked much better but if hurt a lot less.

We were due to start a rehearsals around 2pm but due to all the work setting up the staging it was nearer to 4pm before we went to the Stadium. This was the only chance we had to practice and see the set in situ. After waiting around for ages we finally got given our flags and could hear the music before us. As we waited in the Vom we suddenly got a view of One Direction whizzing about on the lorry. It was so funny all the girls screaming as they went past. We were then walking on and into our lines across the ramp.

It was strange to think how much had happened since the last time I'd been in the Stadium. I had seen Team GB on the night of the Opening Ceremony and then to think of everything they had achieved over the last two weeks. They had lifted the nation with their hopes and dreams and encouraged me to watch more sport than I thought possible!

As we walked off the FOP after finishing our rehearsal I spotted Victoria Beckham and Baby Spice. I almost caused a Flag Escort pile-up as I stopped to grab my camera. I managed to get a picture and then we were told we had to go back to our room to get dressed ready for show. Isobel and I decided we had loads of time to get ready and snuck back into the Stadium. When the Spice Girls got out of the Taxi cabs to rehearse I was jumping around and singing my head off. I was transported back to my Sixth Form Common Room where I had been in the Sixth Form review with Kelly, Bryony, Louise and Kelly dancing as the Spice Girls. We then watched Jessie J and Queen, Take That and Darcey Bussell before we got caught and told to get dressed. On the way to our room we could see the huge crowds behind the barrier waiting to get in. We were only two hours away before the show started. We then realised that the stores were selling the Closing Ceremony pin badges so we dashed to get our money to buy one. You were only supposed to have one per person so we bought one from each of the six stalls! I couldn't believe they were still rehearsing right up to the line. Would they get everyone into a seat before it started?

It was then a dash to get ready and into our red leather jackets and sparkling trousers! It felt no time at all before we had our in-ear headphones and we were being called to go. Our outfits certainly caused a stir as we walked around the Stadium. Lots of people asked for photos with us and I just spotted Yoko One and managed to say hi and shake hands. Wow!

We then lined up opposite Team GB and all the other athletes. We took photos of them while they took photos of us. It was very surreal and so exciting. We were then off to get our flags and meet our flag bearers. I was carrying the Somalia flag with Zamzam Mohamed Farah who competed in the 400m race. She was so lovely and had achieved so much to be there. I also met Oscar Pistorius who was carrying the South African flag behind me.

The atmosphere was amazing as we walked into the stadium. We stood on the centre ramp watching as the thousands of the world's best athletes poured in around us as Elbow sang. Its so funny as we can hear what's going on in our ears but the audience have no idea. It you watched the show you my have noticed some songs where played twice. In our ears we had people shouting as everyone was trying to get the athletes in quicker. We were supposed to have moved off while Elbow were singing but they had to play another three songs before they got everyone in. We then took our cue to take the flags and head toward the cauldron. The only time you can spot me on the TV is when we are stood behind the medal podium just before they gave the medals out. Im on the far left of shot and three rows back.

Once our section was over we snuck back into the Stadium to watch the show. We stood out in our outfits so had to play constant cat and mouse with the security team. We watched George Michael, Kaiser Chiefs, the models parade, Annie Lennox (one of my idols), Ed Sheeran, Russell Brand, Fatboy Slim, Spice Girls, Jessie J and Queen and the Rio handover.

By that point, we had pushed our luck a lot and decided to watch the fireworks from outside the Stadium. We sat on one of the picnic benches and the sky was soon lit above us. I'd had a great day with Isobel and it was great to have been part of both the Opening and Closing Ceremony. We were asked for more photos on the way to tube and were interviewed for TV but I don't know what channel it was for.

I have had the most amazing time being involved in the Olympics and it has given me a renewed confidence to follow my dreams and only focus on doing things that make me happy. I have met friends for life and am part of a new community who have shared this experience together. Its been the stuff that dreams are made of!


Closing Ceremony, Olympic Stadium, London 2012