Olympic spirit alive in Brunei!

It was nice to cover an early morning event this morning after being in “power-saving mode” for some time. The weather was perfect. Not too hot and not wet either.

The British HC, HE Rob Fenn said it all in his speech, “The Olympics are all about bringing people together, within countries and between countries. Our Olympic Torch Relay does both. It has brought here to Brunei the original torch from the 1948 London Olympics – and torch-bearers Sonia and Chris McGeorge. And it has given people here in Bandar an opportunity to get into the Olympic spirit. We don’t have to be elite athletes like Sonia and Chris to feel a part of the London Olympics. Young or old, British or Bruneian, fit or – like me – simply supportive of the role which sport can play in improving people’s lives – we can all be a part of London 2012.

I salute the Honourable Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports for the leadership he and his Ministry have shown in this field. I would also like to acknowledge the important role of the Brunei National Olympic Council.  For the Olympic Torch Relay, I thank Jerudong International School for inviting the torch-bearers to Brunei, RBA for flying them in, the Brunei Hotel for accommodating them and Standard Chartered Bank for supplying special tee-shirts for the occasion. Above all, however, I pay tribute to the children who have supported this event and to the people of Bandar Seri Begawan for generating the genuine ‘spirit of the Olympics’ here in Brunei.”