Young football fans Rana and Hannah, from Birmingham, said the Olympics were “a good chance for everyone to come together”. They were speaking at the opening event of the Olympics in Cardiff, two days before the opening ceremony. Fans from across the country made the journey to see Team GB women play New Zealand on a baking hot day in the Welsh capital.
With the game being played in Cardiff, naturally there were many Welsh fans in attendance, but they were people who had travelled from across the border too. Sunder Katwala said lots of people had travelled from Swindon and Bristol and “they couldn’t wait for the Olympics to start”. It was a unique sporting moment as Welsh flags were flown together with the Union Jack creating a vibrant atmosphere in the stadium. The match was part of a double header with Brazil, one of the favourites to win Gold taking on Cameroon in the second game.
Team GB got off to a great start with a well deserved 1-0 victory thanks to a wonderful goal by Stephanie Houghton and they will be hoping it sets the tone for the rest of the Olympics. If the enthusiasm of the crowd was anything to go by we could well see British football teams competing again in future Olympics under the Union Jack flag.
Read more of our articles on the Olympics and national identity:
Olympic games is not an Anglocentric affair
Humour is great part of British Olympics
The real Olympic opening ceremony?
Olympic bosses should not let mad branding rules hit Games fever
Olympic torch journey has touched many hearts
Or watch our Olympic interviews and videos:
British Future director Sunder Katwala at the very first Olympic event of 2012
British Future at the Olympics’ first day
British Future interviews crowd at first match of Olympic Games
British Future interview with football fans at Olympic Games match in Cardiff
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