Rhubarb 2024

CAMERONM AC RITCHIE (Kendall, 2006-2011) OLYMPIC torch carrier 2012 olympics

While not competing at the Olympics, Cameron MacRitchie featured in the London 2012 opening ceremony as one of seven young athletes and was the first to receive the Olympic flame from Sir Steve Redgrave at the Olympic Stadium.The cover of the 2012 Chronicle bore witness to this occasion

INTERVIEW

MIKEVINCE (Segar’s, 1972-1976) olympic Commentator

which came as a complete shock to all those that knew Cameron, including his parents, as he was required to keep his participation a complete secret beforehand. Cameron said:‘Being chosen to light the Cauldron was a huge honour and an experience that I will never forget. It was the culmination of all the hard work that I had put in with the High Performance Squad at the Leander Rowing Club where I spent my gap year.’ Having previously won silver at the Junior World Rowing Championships while at Teddies, he went on to row for the GB VIII at U23 in 2012 just missing out on a medal.

Commentating on the Olympics is just about the ultimate challenge! I have added Archery, Weightlifting and Canoe Slalom to my CV, to name but three, as this is the one time in every four years those sort of sports get any kind of exposure. For me, the challenges have included commentating when two identical twins were playing table tennis for China, but you also get to meet and work with fellow professionals from all across the globe. I guess I was luckiest to work on London 2012 and be in the stadium for the opening ceremony.There was that unforgettable moment when Sir Steve Redgrave arrived with the torch and handed the flame to the handpicked ‘next generation’.Their names were only given to us at that time and it still haunts me that one was an OSE who I had no time to research and mention. The Olympics are so different to a Cup Final or a Grand National. For those events you learn the players or horses and can do your homework. But the Olympics, although easier to cover than a World Cup because they are awarded to a city rather than to a country so the travelling is less, remain the pinnacle. My Olympic experience has stood me in good stead in the ‘whose national anthem is this?’ competition. I knew those J J McP Geography lessons at Teddies weren’t wasted!

39