What's Your Favorite Olympic Ceremony Moment?
 

This thread inspired by Dlish's post in Abaya's Olympic Opening ceremony thread.

What is your favorite Olympic Ceremony flame lighting or moment? Opening, closing, winter, summer - it doesn't matter.

I loved the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic lighting of the flame where they shot a flaming arrow over the torch and lit it. Loved it. Something so graceful, majestic and warlike really got to me. Perhaps someone else can embed the video of it here to illustrate.

My other favorite flame lighting is Muhammed Ali at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. I was deeply moved by Ali's courage and dignity when he ascended the steps, Parkinson's and all, shaking but head held high, defiant. I loved that moment. So definitively American in its act. I am actually tearing up just remembering it.

So tfp, what about you?

Barcelona Olympics Ceremony

there you go jorge

..without doubt my favourite.

Thanks for the vid D! So, why is it your favorite? Why do you like it?

this is also one of my favs.

2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.


well barcelona is my fav of all time. why? its quite easy really..

the element of the unknown. the risk you take to do something like that and when that pays off its an incredible feeling.

the wind could have taken it, the flame could have gone out, he could have choked..many reasons. but it went perfectly.

the same goes for the Doha opening ceremony..the instincts of an animal to not do something even though you practiced many times also is a big risk on a grande occasion.

what do you guys think?

I don't care for any of those I've seen. They're huge and everything, but it's the games that really interest me.

I like the arrow shot because I love archery for some reason. Plus it feels so spectacular, graceful and majestic. Very visual, symbolic and beautiful to me.

Whoa, that horse one is pretty cool too D, but a little bit too long for me.

This gives me a new idea: Opening Ceremony for the 2040 Summer Games in Ulaan Baator. A horse and rider in full Mongol battle dress carrying the Olympic flame dash into the stadium at full gallop and runs a full lap. The warrior then turns in his saddle and draws an arrow in to his composite bow and on the next pass, lights the arrow and fires a flaming shot over the torch igniting the Olympic flame.

I'm going to try and not watch any of the olympics this year as a protest of China and their oppressive Orewellian government.

Rekna theres a thread in sport called "Worst Olympics ever" for that sort of stuff.

This threads about your favourite Opening ceremony moment. whats your favourite olympic opening ceremony moment?

The archer in Barcelona tops it. I bet they had a guy on standby with a button ready to light the cauldron if the arrow missed but it was still both gutsy and classy.

The Ski Jump into Lillehammer's ceremony was cool too!

The Beijing ceremony was packed with stunning moments and the artistic portion was phenomenal and almost goes without saying.

A small moment that stuck out for me was seeing the members of Canada's Field Hockey team wearing their dress turbans. It made me really proud and does more to preach the Games' message of togetherness than any speech could.

My wife and I had the same reaction seeing their turbans. Very cool. I know it had many around the world scratching their heads...

It sure beat Atlanta's parade of Good ol' boys in Chromed pick-up trucks and flaming cauldron-sized McDonald's French Fries.