... I for one am extremely proud of my country. 

A lot is published today regarding the closing of the single greatest event this nation has experienced in modern history. As an overall happening London 2012 showcased the capital and nation in way that was calm, cool and British. It made nearly all of us proud be part of Great Britain. The achievements, ability, strength and Britishness were exposed for the world see on the field, the stadium, the pool and so on. 

In a way you are only as good as your last show. The closing ceremony was not bad. It was good to see the women and men who made the last 17 days so brilliant for Britain relax. 

The 'show', the 'entertainment' was like something I might have watched on a Saturday evening if I didn't have a DVD in and just wanted an early night. 

What the closing ceremony achieved in my little mind was that the real stars were the British Olympians and the thousands of those behind the scenes. Their achievement didn't require the flash ego of a pop star or the vain watered down effort of a ‘celebrity’ to limply show the world that we are good at fashion, the arts and the rest. The sports people were and remain the stars. ‘Take That’, ‘The Who’ and the rest (all excellent in their way) were really a mere backdrop to other more superior greatness.

This morning, apart from some really cruel comments on this website, by blood boiled over during breakfast to hear my new ‘best enemy’ columnist Peter Hitchens criticise what he called a "new Britain". But the blood pressure came down when Tony Blair brought sense to a few moments of madness on the wireless.

Two people have been forgotten in all the glory of London 2012. Labour Prime Minister, Tony Blair and former Labour Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone. It was their original vision and their backing for the bid. 

Britain did good – it was the British Olympians what won it for me!


Ian Waugh