olympics opening ceremony london 2012
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Britain fires up the world: London gets the 2012 Games under waywith the Greatest Show On Earth (rounded off by Macca, of course)
Sir Steve Redgrave carries the Olympic torch into the Stadium, after David Beckham accompanied it into Stratfordon a speedboatSeven young athletes then light the cauldronBreathtaking firework display lights up the sky above east LondonSir Paul McCartney brings the show to a close, singing Beatles classic Hey JudeQueen makes spectacular appearance in simulated helicopter arrival with James Bond star Daniel CraigMonarch tells the world: 'I declare open the Games of London, celebrating the 30th Olympiad of the modern era'Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins started the Opening Ceremony by ringing the giant Olympic BellRowan Atkinson joins the orchestra as Mr Bean for a comedy skitSir Kenneth Branagh reads from Shakespeare's The TempestDizzee Rascal and Emeli Sande performThe audience have been handed 3D glasses and every seat has a magic wand with itRed Arrows fly past the stadium leaving trail of red, white and blue vapour at 20:12 exactly
Danny Boyle tweets 'Proud to be British'By Rick Dewsbury and Ian Garland
PUBLISHED: 11:36 EST, 27 July 2012 | UPDATED: 19:28 EST, 27 July 2012
Seven talented young athletes lit the Olympic cauldron tonight after being nominated by British sporting greats.
The teenagers were passed the flame by five-times gold medal winner Sir Steve Redgrave after it was carried to the Stadium in a speedboat by DavidBeckham.
It marked the end of a spectacular Opening Ceremony, which started with Danny Boyle's stunning Isles of Wonder extravaganza, ended with aperformance by Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney and even included cameo appearance from the Queen, who 'parachuted' into the OlympicStadium.
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The Olympic flame, formed from dozens of torches, burns bright in the centre of the stadium
David Beckham accompanies the Olympic Torch towards the Stadium on a speedboat
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The flame is passed to five times gold medal winner Sir Steve Redgrave
Former British rower and five times Olympic gold medalist, Steve Redgrave, passes the Torch to seven children, nominated to light the flame
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Young athletes carry the Olympic flame around the stadium, a symbol of the Games' legacy
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The athletes then lit copper metals, one to represent each nation taking part
The petals then rose, converging to create a burning cauldron
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THE YOUNG ATHLETES CHOSEN TO LIGHT THE OLYMPIC CAULDRON
Callum Airlie, 17, was nominated by gold medal-winning sailor Shirley Robertson. He has been sailing since the age of four, and is a two-timeOptimist UK national champion who aims to be entered into the 2013 ISAF (International Sailing Association & Federation) Open.
Jordan Duckitt, 18, was chairman of the London 2012 Young Ambassador Steering Group for two years, and was nominated by Duncan Goodhew.
Athletics talent Desiree Henry was put forward by Daley Thomson.The 16-year-old was the youngest member of the Great Britain youth team to gain a world 200m title at the IAAF World Youth Championships in 2011,and competes this year at the World Junior Championships in Barcelona.
Runner Katie Kirk was nominated by Dame Mary Peters, who won gold in the women`s Pentathlon at the 1972 Munich games.Katie, 18, was selected to run at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, in the 400m and 4x400m relay.
She was also part of the gold medal-winning team in the 4x400m relay at the European Junior championships in Tallinn, Estonia.
Sir Steve nominated young rower Cameron MacRitchie, 19.The teenager finished fifth with his partner James Edwards in the men`s pair at the 2012 GB rowing team under 23 trials in April.He was selected in the men`s eight to race at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Lithuania.
Aidan Reynolds, 18, was put forward by Lynn Davies, who captained Team GB at Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984.Aidan gave up a promising basketball career to focus on the javelin, winning three medals at national level at the English Schools, UK School Gamesand English Championships.
Adelle Tracey was nominated by Dame Kelly Holmes.The 19-year-old has collected county, regional and national junior and senior titles in 400m and 800m, and has been in the top five UK rankings for thelast six years.She won 800m silver for Great Britain in the European Youth Olympic Festival in Finland.
A mass of torches converge, to create a huge ball of fire
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An incredible burst of fireworks exploded into life above the stadium
A huge torch burns bright in the centre of the arena, as the athletes look on
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Fireworks light up the entire Olympic Park as the ceremony closes and the Games begins
Fireworks lit up the night sky as the Stadium anxiously awaited the arrival of the Olympic Flame
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Fireworks created a spectacular display above east London
Living legend: Sir Paul McCartney brings the Opening Ceremony to a close with a rousing performance of Beatles Classic Hey Jude
Sir Paul McCartney brought the Olympic Opening Ceremony to a rousing an emotional finale tonight with a performance of Beatles legend Hey Jude.
Earlier, Sir Chris Hoy looked delighted as he led the British athletes into the Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremony of the 30th Games thisevening.
The triple cycling gold medallist had the honour of carrying the Union Flag in the parade of the 204 nations competing at the London Olympics.
The crowd gave the British team a rapturous reception as the long wait for the Olympics to start came to an end.
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Proud moment: Sir Chris Hoy acts as flag bearer for Great Britain as the team enters the Olympic Stadium
British diver Tom Daley waves at the crowd as the British delegation circle the stadium to huge cheers from the crowd
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A group of flagbearers including Muhammad Ali bring the Olympic Flag into the stadium
An extraordinary party of flagbearers brought the Olympic Flag into the stadium moments after the Queen declared the London Games open.
Muhammad Ali and Doreen Lawrence, mother of murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence, were among the nine who took part in the ceremony.
Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, Ethiopian athletics veteran Haile Gebrselassie and Shami Chakrabati, director of Liberty, were alsoflagbearers, along with Sally Becker, known as the Angel of Mostar who risked her life to deliver aid and evacuate children in the Balkan War, MarinaSilva, who has fought against the destruction of the rainforest, Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee, who has worked to try and end Liberia'scivil war, and musician Daniel Barenboim.
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Flying the flag: Usain Bolt of Jamaica and Maria Sharapova of Russia carry their nations' flags into the Stadium
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Argentina's flag bearer Luciana Aymar leads her team into the Olympic Stadium
Earlier the Queen made a seemingly spectacular entrance to the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony this evening by dropping in from a helicopter byparachute accompanied by James Bond.
The surreal sequence followed a short film featuring James Bond actor Daniel Craig soaring across the streets of London before the pair apparentlytook the plunge.
Stuntmen dressed in a tuxedo and a peach-coloured dress really made the leap using Union Jack parachutes, and the Queen accompanied by PrincePhilip then emerged and took their seat in the Royal Box.
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Australian competitors pass on messages to loved ones back home during their nation's parade
Norwegian canoe-kayaker Mira Veras Larsen carries her nation's flag into the stadium
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The Portuguese team arrive with their flag, led by judo star Telma Monteiro
Some details of the Bond stunt had emerged in advance of tonight's 27 million opening ceremony - the brainchild of Slumdog Millionaire directorDanny Boyle.
But the Queen's role - played to perfection - still left the audience awe-struck and delighted both in the stadium and around the world.
'The Queen made herself more accessible then ever before,' Boyle said earlier today.
It is the first time the Queen has 'acted' in a f ilm and she allowed two of her own corgis to star - Monty, 13, who used to belong to the Queen Motherand
Holly, nine. 'she was delighted to be asked to be involved in something so exceptional,' a Buckingham Palace spokesman said.
The segment was filmed in April. 'It's been a hell of a job keeping it secret for so long,' said a source.
Performers in the Olympics opening ceremony tonight hailed the experience as 'magical'.
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Spectacular entrance: A stuntman portraying the Queen tumbles out of a helicopter high above the Olympic Stadium before unfurling a Union Jack
In a pre-filmed sketche, Daniel Craig, in character as James Bond, prepares to leap with the Queen
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After appearing in the stadium, looking disheveled, a disgruntled-looking Queen adjusts herself and then takes her seat in the VIP area
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The Queen is applauded by other dignitaries after making her arrival in the Olympic Stadium
Around 7,500 volunteers from around the world took part in the spectacular show in front of a packed Olympic Stadium in east London and a televisionaudience of billions.
Sarah Lane, 28, danced in the climactic 'frankie and june say... Thanks Tim' section to a medley of British pop hits.
Moments after coming off stage, the scriptwriting student from Kennington in south London, said: 'It felt like the whole world came together for a goodold British knees-up.
'It was just incredible - the perfect evening. Even the sky was a perfect colour.'
Asked what the atmosphere was like with her fellow performers, she said: 'Everyone was so happy.
'The audience, the cast - it was a massive party and no-one wanted to get off the stage.'
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David Beckham appears to drive the torch up the River Thames in a Speedboat, as fireworks are set off on Tower Bridge
... but he had a little help from a crew, who were cleverly hidden from shot
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British rockers The Arctic Monkeys performed in the centre of the stadium
A spectacular firework display marked the band's performance
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Performers pay silent tribute to war dead and the victims of the 7/7 terrorist attacks
The silent tribute added a sombre touch to the ceremony#
Miss Lane started rehearsals for the modern dance section in mid-April, and has practised for more than 120 hours.
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She said: 'The whole experience has been great. Even when we were rehearsing in a car park for five hours in the rain, everyone's spirit was reallyhigh.'Danny Boyle was really approachable, which made such a difference. He made everyone feel part of the team and he thanked us all personally duringrehearsals.
'I think Danny really captured the spirit of Britain, and everyone was part of the show.
'It was truly magical."
Scottish singer Emeli Sande of performs a moving rendition of 'Abide With Me'
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Rowan Atkinson in his role as Mr Bean takes part in an Opening Ceremony sketch
Atkinson cheated his way to victory in a mock up of the famous Chariots of Fire scene
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Actresses dressed as Mary Poppins float above the stadium, clinging onto umbrellas
Earlier, Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins rang the giant bell which marked the start of the opening ceremony of the London 2012 OlympicGames.
Wearing a yellow jersey Wiggins, fresh from his victory as the first British man to win the tour, was greeted with cheers at the Olympic Park.
It was the dramatic start of a breathtaking spectacular capturing the best of Britain to launch the long-awaited games as the eyes of the world turned onLondon.
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Children perform on trampolines as dancers play Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital staff
Rapper Dizzee Rascal performs live inside the stadium
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The lights dimmed inside the stadium, while a tribute to Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital glowed blue
The stadium is filled with dancers on giant beds
The 27 million opening ceremony started simply with the Olympic Stadium turned into a meadow, a green and pleasant land.
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On the real grass covering the bowl of the stadium there were hills, a cottage and people enjoying an idyllic version of British life.
The world's largest harmonically-tuned bell, weighing 23 tonnes and measuring two metres tall and three metres wide, rang inside the stadium to starta
Shakespeare-inspired spectacle featuring 900 children from the six east London host boroughs.
The bell, produced by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, is inscribed with a quote from The Tempest's Caliban: 'Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises'.
Inflatable yellow submarines float above artists during The Age of Industry scene
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The Olympic rings are illuminated with pyrotechnics as they are raised above the stadium during the Opening Ceremony
Sparks fly as the five rings are then joined to form the famous Olympic symbol
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Forged in steel mills in the centre of the stadium, the Olympic Rings rise above the crowd
The bell stood at one end of the stadium in Stratford, east London, while at the opposite end a version of Glastonbury Tor - a holy hill in south westEngland - was topped off with a giant oak.
A huge waterwheel stood parallel with the 100 metre finish line where, in just a week's time, the fastest men in the world will race to be named Olympicchampion.
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Industrial workers forge the Olympic rings in a mocked up steel mil
A spectacular aerial view of the 'Satanic Mills' in Danny Boyle's take on the Industrial Revolution
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Giant smoke stacks appeared out of the centre of the stadium, as the Green and Pleasant Land was replaced with a stark industrial landscape
Actors dressed as the Beatles' from their Sergeant Pepper album marched around the stadium
Oscar winner Boyle, the man responsible for the the remarkable transformation of the stadium where the athletics will take place, said: 'Tonight's awarm-up act for the Games.
'That's one of the things you have to keep remembering.
'You big it up for different reasons, and you hear it bigged up or slammed or whatever it is and you've got to keep remembering we're the warm-up act.'
As warm up acts go, it was hot.
A digital 10-second countdown flashed on to the crowd, with balloons popping on each number, and the ceremony began.
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They were joined by real Chelsea Pensioners
Actor Kenneth Branagh performs a speech from Shakespeare's The Tempest in character as Isambard Kingdom Brunel
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Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins opens the Olympic Opening Ceremony by ringing a giant bell
The cycling ace worse a replica of his famous Tour de France yellow jersey as he was introduced to the 70,000 strong crowd in the Olympic Stadium
The five Olympic rings, attached to four balloons, were released and floated up into the sky, set to reach the stratosphere by the end of the ceremony.
In the stadium, all was still in the idyllic countryside setting.
Children played on the meadow and sports took place on the village green, before a single child's voice sang out the words to Danny Boy.
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The Red Arrows aerobatic display team fly over the Olympic Stadium at 8:12pm prior to the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games
The Red Arrows fly past as a giant clock countdowns to the start of the Opening Ceremony
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Worldwide audience: More than a billion people around the world are expected to watch the historic event
Opening night: The organisers have promised the show will be spectacular
Sir Kenneth Branagh, dressed as Isambard Kingdom Brunel, entered the scene reciting Caliban's speech from Shakespeare's The Tempest as some
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62,000 spectators saw Boyle's spectacular Isles of Wonder unveil.
In sharp contrast, the pounding of the drums began, ushering in Britain's industrial revolution as the stadium darkened and the atmosphere changed.
Pandemonium broke out, with the peaceful countryside torn to pieces as the age of industry sprouted from the ground, with banging so loud theaudience felt their seats vibrate.
A cast of hundreds swarmed on to the centre of the arena as the darker, grimier, urban landscape emerged, with giant smoking chimneys rising upfrom the ground.
Weather-beaten fans improvise as rain begins to fall on the Olympic Stadium ahead of the Opening Ceremony
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Umbrellas appear throughout the stadium as heavy rain falls in East London
High in the sky: An aerial view of the stadium shows the presence the O lympic Park in Stratford, East London
Suddenly, everything stopped as silence descended for a moment to remember the fallen.
A poppy field was revealed at one side of the stadium as a sense of calm prevailed while the audience stood to remember the dead.
But the scene was soon swallowed up in a hive of activity.
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Chelsea Pensioners, suffragettes, Jarrow marchers and a band wearing the brightly-coloured Beatles' Sgt Pepper's uniform joined the parade.
All the while the massive cast of drummers danced and beat out the music in unison.
Four giant rings started to hover and descend from the sky while another rose up from the ground to meet them in mid-air before all five burst intoflames.
As they enter the stadium, ticketholders are greeted by England's 'Green and Pleasant Land' the s tarting point of Danny Boyle's Opening Ceremony extravaganza
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Animals, including geese take to the stage against a backdrop of artificial clouds and a giant water wheel during the opening ceremony
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Performers in costume gather on the field with animals before before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games
The darkness inside the stadium was broken by the sound of Handel, which heralded the Queen's arrival.
A fanfare played and music harked back to the Battle of Britain, while stadium spotlights strobed across the night sky.
Then the familiar sound of the James Bond theme blasted out, while bright lights turned the banks of spectators in to panels of red, white and blue.
After the Bond coup de theatre, prime ministers, presidents, US First Lady Michelle Obama, International Olympic Committee executives andspectators stood as the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh accompanied IOC president Jacques Rogge into the stadium.
The Royal Navy, Army and Air Force raised the Union Flag, as the National Anthem rang out from Kaos, a singing choir for deaf and hard of hearingchildren.
A vigorously upbeat tone greeted hundreds of dancing nurses and their young patients on 320 luminous hospital beds in a celebration of the NationalHealth Service.
Staff and patients from the world-famous Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) were given a special cheer as the hospital's name was spelt out by thebeds.
Musician Mike Oldfield played Tubular Bells as one young girl read beneath the bedsheets in a tribute to the world of children's literature.
In a rare public appearance, Harry Potter author JK Rowling started the tale of JM Barrie's Peter Pan as Boyle's "Second to the right, and straight on ' tilmorning" segment got under way.
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Performers play cricket during the Opening Ceremony pre-show
Baddies from Britain's best-loved children's books, including Captain Hook, Cruella de Vil and Lord Voldemort, threatened the stage but were quicklybanished by a troupe of Mary Poppins-type characters who descended from the skies.
The giant wizard deflated and the nightmare was over as a lullaby swept over the scene.
Then a giant baby, nestling safely under cover, fell asleep.
The London Symphony Orchestra played a tribute to the British film industry with a performance of the Chariots of Fire theme, the 1981 Oscar-winningfilm based on the Olympic story of British athletes Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams.
A two-up two-down house was the start of the ceremony's love story featuring Frankie and June, a teenage girl getting ready for a Saturday night out.
A lost phone led to their budding romance, which was pursued through nightclubs playing music from the 1960s to today.
Some of Britain's best-loved songs, from Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody to Underworld's Born Slippy and Tinie Tempah's Pass Out, encapsulate eachera.
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The giant Olympic Bell strikes an imposing figure at the end of the stadium. The bell will ring during the show, marking the start of the Games
Clouds hover overhead as the Olympic Stadium fills with eager ticketholders
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Showcase: Three young people in the crowd try out their 3D glasses at the Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Stadium
All partygoers were invited back to the house where Tim Berners-Lee, the Briton who invented the World Wide Web, was at his keyboard.
The sentiment behind the opening ceremony appeared in giant black and white letters across the stadium audience: "This is for everyone."
A memorial wall on the stadium screens was one of the touching moments of the ceremony, showing images of spectators' loved ones who have
passed away, including the late fathers of Boyle and Olympics supremo Lord Coe.
Dancers dressed in red, representing the struggle between life and death, were picked out by a spotlight in the darkness of the stadium as the clearpowerful vocals of Emeli Sande pierced the air with Abide With Me.
Sir Chris Hoy, Britain's flagbearer, joined athletes from the 204 competing Olympic nations as they smiled and waved during their moment in thespotlight.
Representing the doves traditionally released at the Games to signal peace, 75 cyclists, complete with white wings, circled the stadium before one flewaway.
Sheffield band Arctic Monkeys played "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" before Lord Coe took to the stage with Rogge.
After brief speeches, the Queen declared the 30th Olympiad officially open.
Let the Games begin!
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Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor get into the festive spirit, while director Danny Boyle addresses the 70,000 audience members inside the stadium
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Performers in period costume as nurses pose as they arrive for the Opening Ceremony
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All creatures great and small: Performers, human and animal, get into position for the start of the Opening Ceremony
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Supporting Team GB: Spectators adorned with with the Union Jack flags pose in the Olympic Park prior to the start of the ceremony
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Ready, steady, go!: Crowds start to arrive in Stratford shortly after 5, ahead of the Opening Ceremony tonight
Buzzing: The first audience members to arrive get a glimpse of the Olympic Stadium. A thick throng of people has already assembled at the Olympic Park more than two hours beforethe Opening Ceremony is scheduled to begin
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Early birds are being allowed entry into the park, but they'll have to wait before they can take their seats for the big show
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Audience members will be joined in the Olympic Stadium by hundreds of high-profile guests including Michelle Obama, David Cameron and The Royal Family, as well as hundreds offoreign officials and celebrities
Crowds pour through the Olympic Park as audience members start to fill the stadium
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Oh look the Yanks have got there first: Ryan Musgrave of Chicago holds up a U.S. flag
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The world gathers in Stratford: Fans from Ethiopia, draped in their country's flag arrive for the Opening Ceremony
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U-S-A! U-S-A!: American visitors wear the stars spangled banner with pride on hats, t-shirts and even sunglasses as excitement builds in the Olympic Park
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Costume contest: A Brazilian and a Brit compete for the most creative Opening Ceremony costume in the Olympic Park
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An excited British fan is among the first to arrive in the stadium. Each audience member will find a Cadbury's chocolate bar and a interactive wand under their seat
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Last minute nerves?: Opening Ceremony director Danny Boyle joins Locog chairman Sebastian Coe at a press conference today
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Strict operations: A group of police officers gather together outside the Olympics stadium in Stratford, east London, and take security instructions from a senior policeman in plainclothes
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Two officers stand guard outside a bus station in Stratford where thousands of people will be arriving throughout the course of the evening while two more PCs patrol the soaked
streets around the stadium
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Officers wait on a street outside the Olympics stadium as the final preparations for the event are put in place. There are added tensions after security blunders by G4S
Rain clouds hovered worryingly close to east London at 5pm today. Guests and organisers are praying Stratford stays dry tonight as the Opening Ceremony approaches
Rain seemed certain to threaten the Olympic Ceremony and looks like disrupting the start of the Games.
MeteoGroup forecaster Aisling Creevey said there was a lot of unsettled weather on the way, with the jet stream 'flinging' weather systems towards theUK.
'Whats happening is the jet stream is moving south and theres an upper low - low pressure in the mid atmosphere - which is bringing quite a mobileweather pattern with fronts moving through and showers.'
But she said: 'I dont think its going to be as unsettled as it was.
'The last we had was very widespread, but this particular spell of unsettled weather is quite mobile, just affecting different areas at different times.'
She said Scotland and the south west were likely to see the worst of the rainy weather, with the potential for some heavy, thundery showers across
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Scotland.
But the weather would not be as disruptive as the last period of wet conditions, which saw flooding across many parts of the UK.
As Olympic sporting events get going in earnest over the next few days, the picture is mixed in London and the south, with drier weather conditions onSaturday and Monday, but the possibility of frequent showers on Sunday.
The wet weather is likely to hit northern areas first and then spread south, and by Wednesday, it will be unsettled everywhere.
But tonights opening ceremony is expected to escape the rain.
London will be most at at risk of rain during the morning and early afternoon, but experts said the showers should have cleared by 9pm.
WHO TO WATCH OUT FOR: ALL 205 FLAG-BEARERS AT TONIGHT'S OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY
104. Latvia, Martins Plavins, Volleyball, male
105. Lebanon, Andrea Paoli, Taekwondo, female
106. Lesotho, Mamorallo Tjoka, Athletics, female
107. Liberia, Phobay Kutu-Akoi, Athletics, female
108. Libya, El-Gadi Sofyan, Aquatics, male
109. Liechtenstein, Stephanie Vogt, Tennis, female
110. Lithuania, Alekna Virgilijus, Athletics, male
111. Luxembourg, Marie Muller, Judo, female
112. Madagascar, Fetra Ratsimiziva, Judo, male
113. Malawi, Mike Tebulo, Athletics, male
114. Malaysia, Pandelela Rinong Pamg, Aquatics, female
115. Maldives, Mohamed Ajfan Rasheed, Badminton, male
116. Mali, Rahamatou Drame, Athletics, female
117. Malta, William Chetcuti, Shooting, male
118. Marshall Islands, Haley Nemra, Athletics, female
119. Mauritania, Jidou El Moctar, Athletics, male
120. Mauritius, Natacha Rigobert, Volleyball, female
121. Mexico, Maria Del Rosario Espinoza, Taekwondo, female
122. Micronesia, Manuel Minginfel, Weightlifting, male
123. Moldova, Dan Olaru, Archery, male
124. Monaco, Angelique Trinquier, Aquatics, female
125. Mongolia, Ser-Od Bat-Ochir, Athletics, male
126. Montenegro, Srdjan Mrvaljevic, Judo, male
127. Morocco, Wiam Dislam, Taekwondo, female
128. Mozambique, Kurt Couto, Athletics, male
129. Myanmar, Zaw Win Thet, Athletics, male
130. Namibia, Gaby Diana Ahrens, Shooting, female
131. Nauru, Itte Detenamo, Weightlifting, male
132. Nepal, Prasiddha Jung Shah, Aquatics, male
133. Netherlands, Dorian Van Rijsselberge, Sailing, male
134. New Zealand, Nick Willis, Athletics, male
135. Nicaragua, Osmar Bravo Amador, Boxing, male
136. Niger, Hima Moustapha Abdoulaye, Boxing, male
137. Nigeria, Sinivie Boltic, Wrestling, male
138. Norway, Mira Veras Larsen, Canoe-Kayak, female
139. Oman, Ahmed Al-Hatmi, Shooting, male
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140. Pakistan, Sohail Abbas, Hockey, male
141. Palau, Rodman Teltull, Athletics, male
142. Palestine, Maher Abu Rmilah, Judo, male
143. Panama, Irving Saladino, Athletics, male
144. Papua New Guinea, Toea Wisil, Athletics, female
145. Paraguay, Benjamin Hockin Brusquetti, Aquatics, male
146. Peru, Gladys Tejeda, Athletics, female
147. Philippines, Hidilyn Diaz, Weightlifting, female
148. Poland, Agnieszka Radwanska, Tennis, female
149. Portugal, Telma Monteiro, Judo, female
150. Puerto Rico, Javier Culson, Athletics, male
151. Qatar, Bahya Mansour Al Hamad, Shooting, female
152. Romania, Horia Tecau, Tennis, male
153. Russia, Maria Sharapova, Tennis, female
154. Rwanda, Adrien Niyonshuti, Cycling, male
155. Saint Kitts and Nevis, Kim Collins, Athletics, male
156. Saint Lucia, Levern Spencer, Athletics, female
157. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Kineke Alexander, athletics, female
158. Samoa, Ele Opeloge, Weightlifting, female
159. San Marino, Alessandra Perilli, Shooting, female
160. Sao Tome and Principe, Lecabela Quaresma, Athletics, female
161. Saudi Arabia, Sultan Mubarak Al-Dawoodi, Athletics, male
162. Senegal, Hortance Diedhiou, Judo, female
163. Serbia, Novak Djokovic, Tennis, male
164. Seychelles, Dominic Dugasse, Judo, male
165. Sierra Leone, Ola Isata Sesay, Athletics, female
166. Singapore, Tianwei Feng, Table Tennis, female
167. Slovakia, Jozef Gonci, Shooting, male
168. Slovenia, Peter Kauzer, Canoe-Kayak, male
169. Solomon Islands, Jenly Tega Wini, Weightlifting, female
170. Somalia, Zamzam Mohamed Farah, Athletics, female
171. South Africa, Caster Semenya, Athletics, female
172. Spain, Pau Gasol, Basketball, male
173. Sri Lanka, Niluka Karunaratne, Badminton, male
174. Sudan, Ismail Ahmed Ismail, Athletics, male
175. Suriname, Chinyere Pigot, Aquatics, female176. Swaziland, Luke Hall, Aquatics, male
177. Sweden, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson, Equestrian, male
178. Switzerland, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, male
179. Syria, Majed Aldin Ghazal, Athletics, male
180. Taiwan, Shih-Chieh Chen, Weightlifting, male
181. Tajikistan, Mavzuna Chorieva, Boxing, female
182. Tanzania, Zakia Mrisho, Athletics, female
183. Thailand, Nuttapong Ketin, Athletics, male
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184. Timor-Leste, Augusto Soares, Athletics, male
185. Togo, Benjamin Boukpeti, Canoe-Kayak, male
186. Tonga, Amini Fonua, Aquatics, male
187. Trinidad and Tobago, Marc Burns, Athletics, male
188. Tunisia, Heykel Megannem, Handball, male
189. Turkey, Neslihan Darnel, Volleyball, female
190. Turkmenistan, Serdar Hudayberdiyev, Boxing, male
191. Tuvalu, Tuau Lapua Lapua, Weightlifting, male
192. Uganda, Ganzi Mugula, Aquatics, male
193. Ukraine, Roman Gontiuk, Judo, male
194. United Arab Emirates, Saeed Almaktoum, Shooting, male
195. United States, Mariel Zagunis, Fencing, female
196. Uruguay, Rodolfo Collazo Tourn Rowing, male
197. Uzbekistan, Elshod Rasulov, Boxing, male
198. Vanuatu, Anolyn Lulu, Table Tennis, female
199. Venezuela, Fabiola Ramos, Table Tennis, female
200. Vietnam, Tien Nhat Nguyen, Fencing, male
201. U.S. Virgin Islands, Tabarie Henry, Athletics, male
202. Yemen, Tameem Mohammed Ahmed Al-Kubati, Taekwondo, male
203. Zambia, Prince Mumba, Athletics, male
204. Zimbabwe, Kirsty Coventry, Aquatics, female
205. Britain, Chris Hoy, Cycling, male
1. Greece, Alexandros Nikolaidis, Taekwondo, male
2. Afghanistan, Nesar Ahmad Bahawi, Taekwondo, male
3. Albania, Romela Begaj, Weightlifting, female
4. Algeria, Abdelhafid Benchabla, Boxing, male
5. American Samoa, Ching Wei, Aquatics, male
6. Andorra, Joan Tomas Roca, Shooting, male
7. Angola, Antonia Moreira, Judo, female
8. Antigua and Barbuda, Daniel Bailey, Athletics, male
9. Argentina, Luciana Aymar, Hockey, female
10. Armenia, Arman Yeremyan, Taekwondo, male
11. Aruba, Jemal Le Grand, Aquatics, male
12. Australia, Lauren Jackson, Basketball, female
13. Austria, Markus Rogan, Aquatics, male
14. Azerbaijan, Elnur Mammadli, female15. Bahamas, Chris Brown, Athletics, male
16. Bahrain, Azza Alqasimi, Shooting, female
17. Bangladesh, Rahman Md Mahfizur, Aquatics, male
18. Barbados, Ryan Brathwaite, Athletics, male
19. Belarus, Max Mirnyi, Tennis, male
20. Belgium, Tia Hellebaut, Athletics, female
21. Belize, Kenneth Medwood, Athletics, male
22. Benin, Jacob Gnahoui, Judo, male
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23. Bermuda, Alexander Kirkland, Sailing, male
24. Bhutan, Sherab Zam, Archery, female
25. Bolivia, Karen Milenka Torrez Guzman, Aquatics, female
26. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Amel Mekic, Judo, male
27. Botswana, Amantle Montsho, Athletics, female
28. Brazil, Rodrigo Pessoa, Equestrian, male
29. British Virgin Islands, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Athletics, female
30. Brunei Darussalam, Maziah Mahusin, Athletics, female
31. Bulgaria, Iordan Iovtchev, Gymnastics, male
32. Burkina Faso, Severine Nebie, Judo, female
33. Burundi, Diane Nukuri, Athletics, female
34. Cambodia, Davin Sorn, Taekwondo, female
35. Cameroon, Annabel Laure Ali, Wrestling, female
36. Canada, Simon Whitfield, Triathlon, male
37. Cape Verde, Adysangela Moniz, Judo, female
38. Cayman Islands, Kemar Hyman, Athletics, male
39. Central African Republic, Seulki Kang, Taekwondo, female
40. Chad, Carine Ngarlemdana, Judo, female
41. Chile, Denisse Van Lamoen, Archery, female
42. China, Yi Jianlian, Basketball, male
43. Colombia, Mariana Pajon, Cycling, female
44. Comoros, Feta Ahamada, Athletics, female
45. Congo, Lorene Bazolo, Athletics, female
46. Cook Islands, Helema Williams, Sailing, female
47. Costa Rica, Gabriela Trana, Athletics, female
48. Ivory Coast, Ben Youssef Meite, Athletics, male
49. Croatia, Venio Losert, Handball, male
50. Cuba, Mijain Lopez Nunez, Wrestling, male
51. Cyprus, Marcos Baghdatis, Tennis, male
52. Czech Republic, Petr Koukal, Badminton, male
53. North Korea, Pak Song-chol, Athletics, Male
54. Congo, Zatara Mande Ilunga, Athletics, male
55. Denmark, Kim Wraae, Canoe-Kayak, male
56. Djibouti, Zourah Ali, Athletics, female
57. Dominica, Erison Hurtault, Athletics, male
58. Dominican Republic, Yulis Mercedes Reyes, Taekwondo, male59. Ecuador, Cesar De Cesare, Canoe-Kayak, male
60. Egypt, Hesham Mesbah, Judo, male
61. El Salvador, Evelyn Garcia, Cycling, female
62. Equatorial Guinea, Bibiana Martina, Athletics, female
63. Eritrea, Weynay Ghebresilasie, Athletics, male
64. Estonia, Aleksander Tammert, Athletics, male
65. Ethiopia, Yanet Seyoum, Aquatics, female
66. Fiji, Josateki Naulu, Judo, male
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67. Finland, Hanna-Maria Seppala, Aquatics, female
68. Macedonia, Marko Blazhevski, Aquatics, male
69. France, Laura Flessel-Colovic, Fencing, female
70. Gabon, Rudy Zang Milama, Athletics, female
71. Gambia, Suwaibou Sanneh, Athletics, male
72. Georgia, Nino Salukvadze, Shooting, female
73. Germany, Natascha Keller, Hockey, female
74. Ghana, Maxwell Amponsah, Boxing, male
75. Grenada, Kirani James, Athletics, male
76. Guam, Maria McQueen Dunn, Wrestling, female
77. Guatemala, Juan Ignacio Maegli, Sailing, male
78. Guinea, Facinet Keita, Judo, male
79. Guinea-Bissau, Augusto Midana, Wrestling, male
80. Guyana, Winston George, Athletics, male
81. Haiti, Linouse Desravine, Judo, female
82. Honduras, Ronald Bennett, Athletics, male
83. Hong Kong, Wai Sze Lee, Cycling, female
84. Hungary, Peter Biros, Aquatics, male
85. Iceland, Asdis Hjalmsdottir, Athletics, female
86. Independent Olympic Athletes, Brooklyn Kerlin, female
87. India, Sushil Kumar, Wrestling, male
88. Indonesia, Gede Sudartawa, Aquatics, male
89. Iran, Ali Mazaheri, Boxing, male
90. Iraq, Dana Abdul Razak, Athletics, female
91. Ireland, Katie Taylor, Boxing, female
92. Israel, Shahar Zubari, Sailing, male
93. Italy, Valentina Vezzali, Fencing, female
94. Jamaica, Usain Bolt, Athletics, male
95. Japan, Saori Yoshida, Wrestling, female
96. Jordan, Nadin Dawani, Taekwondo, female
97. Kazakhstan, Nurmakhan Tinaliyev, Wrestling, male
98. Kenya, Jason Dunford, Aquatics, male
99. Kiribati, David Katoatau, Weightlifting, male
100. South Korea, Yoon Kyung-Shin, Handball, male
101. Kuwait, Fehaid Aldeehani, Shooting, male
102. Kyrgyzstan, Chingiz Mamedov, Judo, male103. Laos, Kilakone Siphonexay, Athletics, male
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Comments (1027)
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Fantastic ceremony.... Artic monkeys too long and speeches deathly..needed to keep them brief and rousing....... after brilliant lead up.... Wow.... how long did those drummers
drum...... FLAME AMAZING.... Queen and James Bond FAB
- LL, Uk, 28/7/2012 00:54
Click to rate Rating 151
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Good show. Pls stop finishing ever show with rubbish macca though!! David bowie rocket man or rolling s tones would have been something different
- squirrel83, Sheffield, 28/7/2012 00:54
Click to rate Rating 211
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It was the worst opening ceremony I have ever witnessed. I have decided that I am going to boycot all british products and never spend my tourism dollar in London. - dave, Seattle,
28/7/2012 - well i'd like to say we'd miss you dave but we get plenty o f visitors without you. if it makes you happier, i'm not planning on visiting seattle either..
- gael, hayes uk, 28/7/2012 00:54
Click to rate Rating 340
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It was announced in French first as France are apparently the founders of the modern olypmics. Have no idea why.
- littlemissblonde89, andover, uk, 28/7/2012 00:53
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Click to rate Rating 89
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HOW MUCH ????
- andy c , York Yorkshire , 28/7/2012 00:53
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The Queen's arrival with James Bond was BRILLIANT! Absolutely HILARIOUS! Definitely my favourite moment of the opening ceremony. Spectacular show London!!! Your Queen is
a legend!!!!
- Mark, Ireland, 28/7/2012 00:53
Click to rate Rating 226
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Great simply brilliant what a show..... Better than I've ever seen
- careyboy, Mornington, Co Meath, 28/7/2012 00:52
Click to rate Rating 143
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Well done Danny Boyle did Britain proud
- Cammy, UK, 28/7/2012 00:52
Click to rate Rating 174
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ALTOGETHER NOW ..... HEY JUDE!!!!!! I thought this Opening Ceremony was actually really cool esp the songs played 'We can be heroes', Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd),
Artic Monkeys on stage etc intertwined with your remarkable history shown earlier. Got to say I'm very envious at how much talent you have in just about every genre ie music,
acting, writing, literature, films, sport etc. I'd be absolutely made up if I were British. You should all be so proud of your country as you have given the world so much and s till have so
much to give. Well done guys. Loved it.
- Lesley, Christchurch, New Zealand, 28/7/2012 00:52
Click to rate Rating 254
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Why can't the bbc show a firework display? They spoiled the Jubilee fireworks at the palace by rolling the credits over them and this one by cutting to o ld Olympic footage that they
could show anytime. Otherwise pretty good coverage as one lesson was learnt from the jubilee and that was, just show the event and not try to top it with your own Z list celebs.
- Paul F, UK, 28/7/2012 00:52
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Find this story at www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2179920/Olympics-Opening-Ceremony-London-gets-2012-Games-way-Greatest-Show-On-Earth-rounded-Macca-course.html
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