Who should light the Olympic Flame?

tailwindhome

Well, who would you give the honour of lighting the flame and why?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18983272

Personally I think I'd go for Bannister.

mb5

Bannister would be fitting, but i don't think he is recognisable enough (his face today, not his name).

Steve Redgrave, or dare i say it Beckham are more what i expect.

TheEnglishman

Redgrave. No one else will ever come close. Well, Bradley *might* but that's some way off yet....

rick_chasey

Me.








Redgrave's the obvious choice. Would be happy with Pinsent too.

Would be disappointed if it was a footballer. S'not very olympic is it? He can open the World cup.

greg66_tri_v2.0

It need not be one person. In Vancouver four people (in fact three, due to a malfunction) were supposed to light the cauldron, each via a mechanically lowered arm.

For gold medals, Redgrave has 5, Pinsent has 4 (but is an IOC member) as does Hoy, and Ainsle and Wiggins (who will be in bed) have 3. In comparison, the 2 of Coe, Holmes and Thompson look a bit meagre. Hell, Adlington has 2, from a much harder starting point of less focussed training and development, and who has mentioned her? Of the three track and field, Coe arguably has the best record outside the Olympics, but I can't see him doing it.

Bannister's achievement outside the Olympics stands tall (and is quite simply one of the greatest athletic achievements ever), but you could then argue for Geoff Hurst, Ranulph Fiennes or Martin Johnson.

So I will say one person: it has to be Redgrave.

Three: Regdrave, Hoy, Ainsle.

Five: those three plus wildcards, such as Mary Peters.

PedalPedant

I quite liked the sound of this:

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/jack-the-ripper-to-light-olympic-flame-2012072435439

PP

DonDaddyD

Everyone knows that Athletics (track and field) are synonymous with the Olympics.

Daley Thompson.

End of.


(My Dad, a very competitive high jumper in his own right, once competed alongside Daley Thompson. Both won joint silver and they only had one trophy so gave it to both of them. Daley looked at it and said 'here you can have this' as though to say its just one trophy I've got more to come. My Dad was so happy to go home with anything).

PBo

Redgrave. I don't see how there is even a debate tbh

rubertoe

Where can I get some stain repellent?

Wiggo (who will be in Bed) and Sir Steve both have 6 Olympic medals - I don't think any Brit has more than that.

Sir Steve has 5 gold's from 5 Different Olympics in what is a proper sport; where there is proper physical exertion. I don't think it can be anyone else.

DonDaddyD

Deciding who should light the torch based on the number of Olympic medals they've won is a short sighted IMO.

(Track and Field) Athletes have what? Two, three Olympics (three- at a push and even then I had to go to Carl Lewis, arguably the greatest atrack and field technician that ever lived, to find a guy who competed and won medals at 4 Olympic track and field events) where they are realistically competitive.

The physical curve (growth, peak, decline) is steep a one so no one really expects a track and field athlete (especially sports that require fast twitch muscles) to be competitive (competing for medals) for more than an 8 year period, 12 would be unheard of and that would be three Olympics.

So I think that judging the person who should light the torch on the number of Olympic medals they've won is terribly flawed.

rick_chasey

Redgrave is basically Mr Olympics in Britain, and rightly so.

5 golds, one in each consecutive Olympics, in a particularly competitive and physically demanding sport, is just beyond ridiculously good.

CiB

I'd go Redgrave as he's the Greatest Living Olympian apparently, acc to all newspapers over the last few years.

Isn't this like arguing who's got the best bike? Just give it to someone and be done with it; it's not that important beyond the symbolism of it all. I want the real sport to start in earnest, which excludes the women's football.

mudcow007

fatima whitbread



you know a bit of eye candy for all the dads watching

rubertoe

CiB wrote:

I'd go Redgrave as he's the Greatest Living Olympian apparently, acc to all newspapers over the last few years.

Isn't this like arguing who's got the best bike? Just give it to someone and be done with it; it's not that important beyond the symbolism of it all. I want the real sport to start in earnest, which excludes the women's football.

And men's football! As someone rightly said, if the olympics isnt the panicle of your sport then it shouldn't be in the olympics (Golf in 2016 anyone?).

PBo

DonDaddyD wrote:

Deciding who should light the torch based on the number of Olympic medals they've won is a short sighted IMO.

(Track and Field) Athletes have what? Two, three Olympics (three- at a push and even then I had to go to Carl Lewis, arguably the greatest atrack and field technician that ever lived, to find a guy who competed and won medals at 4 Olympic track and field events) where they are realistically competitive.

The physical curve (growth, peak, decline) is steep a one so no one really expects a track and field athlete (especially sports that require fast twitch muscles) to be dominant for more than an 8 year period, 12 would be unheard of and that would be three Olympics.

So I think that judging the person who should light the torch on the number of Olympic medals they've won is terribly flawed.

2012, 2016, 2020, 2024.

12 years, 4 Olympics! (I understand your point, just being pedantic) :P

I think that Redgrave still wins. 6 medals over 5 Olympics is unlikely to be achieved ever again. Serious, hard sport too. I agree It's not purely the numbers of medals. If we had a really good swimmer they could win 6 in one go. (however, I think medal inflation devalues swimming or gymnastics - but that's a different debate). I think sir Steve outdoes wiggo on that too - wiggo has "doubled up" with the individual/team pursuit medals. Not that I''m meaning to diss anyone's medal efforts-it's just that we are trying to somehow compare apples and oranges....

PBo

rubertoe wrote:

CiB wrote:

I'd go Redgrave as he's the Greatest Living Olympian apparently, acc to all newspapers over the last few years.

Isn't this like arguing who's got the best bike? Just give it to someone and be done with it; it's not that important beyond the symbolism of it all. I want the real sport to start in earnest, which excludes the women's football.

And men's football! As someone rightly said, if the olympics isnt the panicle of your sport then it shouldn't be in the olympics (Golf in 2016 anyone?).

The panicle? Is that when everyone plays your sport in a wild and unstructured way, afraid that they will die if they lose?

Don't start me on tennis btw...

SteppenHerring

Phil "the power" Taylor. A consummate athlete.

PBo

SteppenHerring wrote:

Phil "the power" Taylor. A consummate athlete.

I thought he came across as a lovely bloke on SPOTY the other year...

cje

Kerry Katona

gtvlusso

DonDaddyD wrote:

Everyone knows that Athletics (track and field) are synonymous with the Olympics.

Daley Thompson.

End of.


(My Dad, a very competitive high jumper in his own right, once competed alongside Daley Thompson. Both won joint silver and they only had one trophy so gave it to both of them. Daley looked at it and said 'here you can have this' as though to say its just one trophy I've got more to come. My Dad was so happy to go home with anything).

+1 for Daley.

Although, in keeping with the 2012 ethic, it will be the CEO of McDonalds.....

Ben6899

Well that just made my year!