Ian Thorpe Puts Out
Australia’s most successful Olympian ever, Ian Thorpe, has done what many pro-Tibet protesters have failed to do in Canberra – he’s extinguished the Olympic flame.
In a scene eerily reminiscent of the technical hiccup during the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympics that almost caused runner Cathy Freeman a lot of embarrassment, the cauldron lit by Thorpe today with the Beijing Olympic torch seemed to run out of gas just as Thorpe lowered the torch into it for the second time.
Thorpe won five Olympic gold medals in the pool and stands as Australia’s most successful Olympian. Faced with an empty cauldron, the best he could do was stand back and smile.
Channel 7’s Sunrise captured every awkward moment of discomfort. “Ah….I think Ian maybe accidentally extinguished the cauldron,” said the announcer, “I’m sure they’ll fix that very shortly.”
A few minutes later, the flame was re-lit and all was right with the world.
Well, except for that whole Tibet thing.
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pinkmountains
said on the 24th Apr, 2008