Olympic moment arrives for one seasoned jogger

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Since first pulling on a pair of running shoes more than 37 years ago I have run or jogged something over 200,000km.

The 400m run into Devonport last night with an Olympic torch was a short run, but it ranks near my most memorable.

The invitation for a jogging journalist to run with the Olympic flame was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a chance to be part of Sydney Olympics 2000.

On a dark, blowy Victoria St there was little of the hype usually associated with big time sport.

Among those on our leg from Takapuna to the edge of the Waitemata Harbour at Devonport were All Black great Buck Shelford, tennis star Brett Steven, paralympian Ben Lucas and Olympic champion Bruce Kendall.

Our group also included Air New Zealand public affairs manager David Beatson, who drew the short straw - the 500m uphill slog up Lake Rd. At Devonport, Olympic yachtie Leslie Egnot - in much colder conditions than we on the road had experienced - took the flame safely across the water.

There was much talk before and afterwards of our all-too-brief flirt with Olympic glory.

I've seen the opening ceremonies in Seoul, Barcelona and Atlanta and for me the focal point of these events remains the entrance of the flame.

My first Olympic recollections were the photographs of a young Ron Clarke - who later ran against my brother Rex in the 5000m and 10,000m finals in Mexico - carrying the flame at Melbourne in 1956.

Other memorable moments include the flaming arrow in Barcelona and Muhammad Ali's shuffle in Atlanta.

When whoever (many Australians are tipping swim star Dawn Fraser) lights the flame in Sydney, I'll look back at the few minutes I had with my replica of that torch.

I'll reflect on the part I and 299 other New Zealanders played in getting the flame from Olympia in Greece to Sydney.

The Olympics – a Herald series

Official Sydney 2000 web site