Millennium Olympics begins in a blaze

Millennium Olympics begins in a blaze
EMMELINE MOORE

SYDNEY, SETEMBER 15: With a thunderous `G'day' roar to the watching world, Australia launched the new millennium Olympics in a sizzling opening ceremony topped by aboriginal runner Cathy Freeman lighting the Olympic Flame.

After its 100-day journey during which it was carried by 11,000 torchbearers across the world, the Olympic Flame arrived at its final destination to light up the sky above Stadium Australia for the next 17 days. The 27-year-old Freeman -- Australia's gold medal hope in 400m and 200m -- as the final bearer, set the Olympic cauldron ablaze inside a pool of water as the 110,000 crowd roared its approval.

She then waited for several minutes -- the pageant by now had already well exceeded its allocated time span -- before the blazing cauldron slowly ascended a ramp over a fountain leading to its final position high above the stadium, unleashing a booming fireworks display which lit up the Sydney night sky.

It was an emotional finale to what had been an extraordinary night which paid tribute to the 100th anniversary of women in the Olympics and unity between races. Former Australian female Olympians -- wheelchair-bound Betty Cuthbert pushed by one-time sprinter Raelene Boyle -- brought the flame into the stadium. Cuthbert then handed over the flame to former swimmer Dawn Fraser who transferred the flame to Shirley Strickland, then to Shane Gould and Debbie Flintoff-King, who handed it to Freeman. The secret was finally out.

Even in a country that knows how to throw a party -- the Bicentennial Celebration in 1988 and the Millennium fireworks display on New Year's Eve were huge crowd-pullers -- the Olympic opening ceremony bonanza set a new standard. It was a three-hour celebration of Australian culture and history which avoided the stereotypes; there wasn't a kangaroo, koala or convict in sight.

The highlight of the night was North Korea and South Korea marching under the same flag for the first time and there was a huge cheer and standing ovation from the crowd when the united team paraded with other competing nations.

Australian Governor General Sir William Deane and International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch, along with Fraser, first lady at the Sydney Opening Ceremony, officiated. ``G'day Sydney. G'day Australia,'' said Samaranch, greeting the crowd in what has become the motto of these Games.

And there was no shortage of international celebrities and royalty to help them launch the 27th Olympiad in this sports-mad country. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was in the crowd along with the world's richest man Bill Gates, Chelsea Clinton and Belgium's Crown Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde.

Two central characters threaded the whole ceremony together -- a little girl and an aboriginal dancer Djakapurra -- symbolising unity and reconciliation.

A `Deep Sea Dreaming' sequence, a feat of technology breaking records for the largest number of people ever raised aloft in an aerial performance, initiated the creative section of the show.