Our Olympic Dream Lives On – Interview with Tom Lam

My name is Tom. I’ve been in the UK for several decades. I worked in Stratford for a number of years in the 2000s. I worked in Beckton for the past few years, too.

I heard about the London 2012 Olympics in 2007. I remember when London was awarded the right to host the 2012 Olympics & Paralympics, the voting was taking place in Singapore. As soon as the decision was announced, there were frantic scenes in the British delegation, everyone was absolutely thrilled. Princess Anne and Sebastian Cole were there, too.

I remember after the announcement, in the months and years that followed, the atmosphere in London wasn’t the same as before. It seemed everyone was looking forward to the Olympics. The London 2012 Organising Committee held a series of meetings with local community organisations across London to inform people of its Olympic preparation. Along with my colleagues I attended two of the meetings, one of which was held on the top floor of the Canary Wharf Tower. We were given information on how to apply to become a volunteer and so on. A Chinese student attending university in London was invited to talk at the meeting. She was a TV presenter in Beijing and had been a volunteer for the Beijing 2008 Olympics. But for some reason she didn’t make the presentation everyone anticipated.

New buildings were springing up in London after London won the right to host the Olympics, noticeably the Shard. Roads were either widened or re-routed. Billboards came up everywhere. More shops and restaurants opened for business, parks were redecorated or given a facelift. A bowl shaped structure was built in Stratford. The Bowl looked interesting yet different from the Birds Nest built for the Beijing Games four years earlier.

I couldn’t get a ticket to go in the Olympic venues to watch the events in person. I watched the Open Ceremony on TV and found it fantastic. Fireworks brightened the sky above east London. I remember David Beckham entering the stadium on a speedboat, holding the Olympic torch in his hand. Professor Stephen Hawking also appeared on centre stage that night. To me, the show that captured my mind most was the NHS dance. Not every country in the world has a national service like the NHS so I think showcasing the NHS at the opening ceremony was a brilliant idea.

Before London 2012, I had watched some events of the Beijing 2008 games on TV. I think the opening ceremony in Beijing 2008 was great. But it received a lot of criticism for faking the little girl’s singing. On the other hand, initially not everyone welcomed the idea of hosting the games in London. Voices were raised about the possible impacts on the local environment, like unwanted noise and traffic problems.

However, things actually haven’t been so bad. Ten years on, the changes brought about by London 2012 to Newham are rather obvious. Before 2012, many areas in Newham were actually rural. There were bushes, rubbish tips and wastelands in this part of London. The building of the stadium changed the landscape there. What’s more, the stadium has now been remodelled for use by the West Ham United Football club. This is an obvious legacy for Newham. Besides, many new apartments and houses have been built since the Olympics. Stratford town itself has seen a substantial facelift. The tube station, the footbridge over the railways, the overground network, DLR, suburban trains and so on together form a transport hub here. In the Royal Docks, even more office blocks and residential apartments have been built there, facing the cable car river crossing, below which is a big swimming pool rebuilt from an industrial reservoir. There’s even an artificial beach for children. Were it not for the London 2012 Olympics, I don’t think you’d expect so many changes in Newham.

On the other hand, I think London 2012 Olympics also helped to create jobs, helping to raise people’s income and living standards. Compared with things 10 years ago, I think there has been changes in the population, too. More people have come to live in Newham. More new migrants from overseas have settled in Newham. Newham is increasingly more culturally diverse. There are more ethnic minority people and refugees and asylum seekers living in the borough. Newham even hosts a Confucius Institute, which I’m told is the biggest of its kind outside China. I hear also that a Chinese consortium is planning to invest heavily in the Royal Docks area, too, near the City Airport. I wouldn’t be surprised if something big happens there one day in the future.

To sum up, I think the legacy of London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for London is rich. The overall performance of Team GB was outstanding. Team GB won many gold and silver medals, ranking third on the medal tally. Every time I saw the Union Jack being raised at a medal award ceremony, my heart would beat faster. It’s really a special moment that would make every British citizen feel proud. Ten years on, such memories haven’t faded. Nonetheless, I must say I remember the terrorist attack on the tube, too. This is the negative part of my Olympic memories.

Whatever happens, 2012 is unforgettable year for me. You may recall that the slogan of London 2012 was “Inspire A Generation”. I think it has done the job.