Opening
Ceremony and Marathon sparks the World’s to Life
Nick Davies for the IAAF
3 August 2001 -
Warmly
embracing athletes from every corner of the globe, the dramatic, glamorous,
exciting Opening Ceremony of the 8th IAAF World Championships
distilled the essence of the terms Edmontonian, Albertan and Canadian.
But the ceremony also offered, for the first time ever, the spectacle of a hard-fought Men’s Marathon race woven into the festivities.
And it was certainly different for the runners, used to starting on the road, but this time nervously trotting around the track to take their marks cheered on by a near full-house in the Commonwealth Stadium. Once the race was underway, the efforts of the 100 marathon runners were not ignored, but broadcast on the giant score board at regular intervals.
With the athletes loose in the city, the spotlight switched to some very special royal guests. After slowly circuiting the stadium in a black open-top Buick, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, accompanied by his wife Sophie, smiled broadly before announcing: “I would like to say that I am delighted to be here in Edmonton. I would like to pass on to you the best wishes of the Queen of Canada. I would like to wish a successful championships to the athletes and the people of this great city”
In the ceremony show, the five key production numbers - Quest, Land, Aurora, Celestial and Finale – were linked to a stage of the marathon runner’s journey. Different coloured “tribes” – symbolising the variety of races and peoples - bedecked in blue, red, gold and green reflected raw athleticism through drumming and dance movements. Original music and lyrics were by Jan Randall with 40 percussionists and 750 singers, as well as the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. A total of 1378 performers were involved in the production
Unusually divided into Geographical areas, and with impressive input from spectators waving colour-coded cards, the Athletes Parade demonstrated just why IOC President Jacques Rogge referred this morning to our sport as “the most universal”. There were 53 teams from “golden” Africa, 45 from “red” Asia, 48 from Europe, 32 from North, Central America and the Caribbean, 18 from Oceania and 13 from South America. Understandably, the biggest welcome was reserved for the host country, marching behind a proud flag-bearer, the veteran sprinter Glenroy Gilbert.
Each region was represented by a giant stilted-figure: Africa – Lion, Asia – Dragon, Europe – Moose, North America – Horse, Oceania – Dolphin, South America – Condor and Canada – Bear.
Parade ground neat in their red jackets and hats, a section of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police heralded the singing of the national anthem “Oh Canada,” as a giant flag was unfurled on the in-field.
The third part of the show – Land – aimed to showcase Edmonton as a world within a city, a place where different nations live in harmony and pays tribute to those people and cultures who travelled to this city in search of a new life. Among the most beautiful costumes were those of native American dancers. The music for this section blended indigenous and classical music, but as well as the local Hoop dance incorporated Australian Aboriginal elements.
The entry of the IAAF flag was accompanied by a number of great athletes of the past, both Canadian and of world renown. Olympic Champions, world record holders, men and women who have written the history of the sport since 1948 such as Harrison Dillard, Parry O’Brien, Al Oerter, Herb Elliott, Peter Snell, Ralph Boston, Kip Keino, Irena Szewinska, Dick Fosbury, Debbie Brill, Valeriy Borzov, Don Quarrie, Edwin Moses, Alberto Juantorena, Sebastian Coe, Sergey Bubka, Mark McKoy and Nawal El Moutawakel walked out to greet the crowd.
Jack Agrios, Chairman of the Organising Committee summed up his feelings when he said: “This is a night which makes me proud to be Canadian. The next 10 days will witness the triumph of the human spirit.”
It was then the turn of IAAF President Lamine Diack to speak of his great pleasure to witness the first World Championships in North America, before the Right Honorable Jean Chretien, Prime Minister of Canada, officially declared the Championships open.
Following the raising of the IAAF flag and the playing of the IAAF anthem, composed by Vangelis, there was a fly-over by the Snowbirds, part of the Canadian Forces Air Demonstration Team.
16 panels of wind material, 16 pairs of stilts and 37 rhythm sticks brought the section “Aurora” to life. With original music by Rene Dupere, the flowing fabrics and brilliant colours evoked the mysteries of the Aurora Borealis – the “Northern Lights” but also symbolises the grace and energy of an athlete in motion. As the music ended, Kenya’s Simon Biwott and Ethiopia’s Olympic champion Gezahegne Abera neared the stadium, shoulder-to-shoulder in a battle to see who would be crowned world champion for the marathon. After 42 kilometres of gut-wrenching effort, the spectators could not have asked for a more exciting finish, and yelled their encouragement as the two East Africans sprinted around the final lap. At the finish, last year’s Olympic champion came home first, but tonight’s other great victor was the sport. Innovation and athletic purity had fused in front of a worldwide TV audience of billions.
