Running the gauntlet in a brief blaze of Olympic glory

By JO-MARIE BROWN and STACEY BODGER

A giant silver fern flag fluttered high above the Auckland Harbour Bridge yesterday as the Olympic flame was passed to athletics champion Toni Hodgkinson.

"It's heavy," she exclaimed, as she forged her way across the bridge to the North Shore, spurred on by a chorus of horns from commuters caught up in the relay action.

The flame stood out against Auckland's steel-grey skyline as Hodgkinson was guided through the heavy afternoon traffic by a motorcade normally reserved for top-level political visitors.

But the Olympic torch was an important visitor in its own right and earlier in the day, Rotorua provided a spectacular start to its final day in New Zealand.

Sarah Phillips was freezing-cold and shrouded in steam but she could not hide her grin as the flame appeared through the spray of Rotorua's famous Pohutu Geyser.

"Gosh, I'm so cold but the goosebumps are from excitement - this is awesome," said the 17-year-old sprinter and long-jumper as the flame was transferred to her torch from its holding lantern.

A fearsome haka erupted around her as she set off through the early-morning fog at Whakarewarewa thermal reserve, followed by the Ranga Maro performers and a handful of police on mountain bikes.

Phillips stopped briefly at the Aronui-a-Rua meeting house at Whakarewarewa, where Te Arawa kuia Pene Ngamihi tied a red scarf bearing the tribe's emblem around her neck.

Then the flame began its 4km journey down Fenton St, welcomed by the biggest crowd torch relay organisers had seen.

In Auckland, the flame went on a lengthy tour of the city, winding in and out of the city's streets and landmarks and covering nearly 50km in just under seven hours.


It was welcomed at Auckland Airport with cultural performances from local schoolchildren and then sent on its way with former world discus champion Beatrice Faumuina.

The cows in Mangere's paddocks were not interested but the crowds sure were and swelled steadily as the relay entered Onehunga and moved towards the city.

Schoolchildren especially enjoyed the chance to get out of the classroom and cheer on the Olympic torch as it passed.

It was clear the class project in many schools this week had been to make their own brightly coloured Olympic torches, all of which were waved furiously as the real thing went by.

Streamers, confetti, flags and banners with "Go Kiwi" and "Bring Back Gold" painted on them greeted the torch bearers.

Weightlifting gold medallist Darren Liddell received some of the biggest cheers of the day as he carried the flame into One Tree Hill Domain, where hundreds of people had gathered.

In keeping with the flame's bumpy tour of New Zealand, it went out twice while in the domain.

The Mad Butcher, Peter Leitch, was so eager to get going he ran off before his torch had properly ignited and athletics coach Bernard Fitzgerald's torch failed also.

But after a quick relight, the relay hit the road again and was greeted with loud applause throughout its central city journey.

The Harbour Bridge provided spectacular scenes that could be matched only by the flame's later journey back from the North Shore on board the Spirit of New Zealand sailing ship.

Fixed to the bow of the vessel, the flame slowly made its way through the rain towards the lights of the city to reach its final destination at Auckland Museum.

Olympic gold medallist John Walker had the honour of running the flame up the museum's steps and igniting a large silver cauldron for the crowd to see.

Thousands of people waited patiently in the rain to farewell the flame as it was whisked away by helicopter back to Auckland Airport after a colourful cultural dance display from 130 Auckland youngsters.

With the Oceania leg of the relay now complete, the flame will tour Australia for 100 days before arriving at Olympic Stadium in Sydney on September 15.

* A school trip to see the Olympic torch relay ended in a visit to hospital for one Mangere schoolgirl when she was run over by the bus carrying Faumuina, her hero.

The 17-year-old was taken to Middlemore Hospital with heavy bruising to her right foot, but was sent home when x-rays revealed no further damage.

Faumuina said she was shocked when the girl fell under the bus.

"I ran out of the bus straight away. She was talking, but deep in shock of course. I'm just thankful she's okay."

Auckland Seventh-Day Adventist High School principal Jack Ryan said the girl, one of his students, was more embarrassed than anything else.

She admitted she had acted rashly in running onto the road.

"She saw Beatrice Faumuina and just bolted, reaching out trying to shake hands.

"It all happened so quickly none of the teachers had time to stop her.

"I couldn't believe it when I heard what had happened."

Mr Ryan said all 250 of the school's students and 20 teachers had gone on the trip and staff had highlighted safety at a special assembly yesterday morning.

"Supervision was very tight - it was just a case of her getting a little too excited."

He said Faumuina was distraught after the accident and had refused to get back on the bus until she was sure the girl was all right.

"Beatrice felt a little responsible because the student had been trying to shake hands with her when the accident happened," he said.

"We don't hold Beatrice responsible though."

Stagecoach operations manager Warren Fowler said the bus driver, who was a supervisor with the company, had not been stood down.

"There was a police car following directly behind the bus at the time of the accident.

"We won't be taking any action against the driver unless the police instigate it."

- Additional reporting by Gregg Wycherley

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