Hazel Irvine's 10 golden moments of the Beijing Games

Aug 24 2008 By Hazel Irvine

The Scots BBC presenter has witnessed Team GB's heroics from Day One. She picks her highlights of the Beijing Games

1 CYCLIST Nicole Cook's road race gold medal on the first Sunday of the games. This is what started the British gold rush and she did it in the teeth of a monsoon-like storm too. She wasn't the only one who got wet. We had a leaky Ling Long Pagoda and almost got drenched in our studio on Olympic Green.

2 CHRIS HOY'S golden treble, right. When the Real McHoy won the third of them in the men's sprint, Jill Douglas and I were so chuffed that two Scots were on presentation duty to see it happen. A memorable afternoon for us.

3 MEN'S 4x100 metres freestyle relay. The best swimming relay race I have ever seen. The USA's Jason Lezak hunted down Frenchman Alain Bernard on the final leg to pip him to gold. Sensational. And it meant that Michael Phelps stayed on track for his eight golds.

4 THE opening ceremony. 2008 drummers, 15,000 performers, fireworks everywhere and gymnast Li Ning vaulting around the stadium in mid air, en route to lighting the Olympic cauldron. Magical.

5 LIGHTNING strikes not once, not twice, but three times. Usain Bolt, "the Lightning Bolt", above, stuns everyone with his three world records and sets a new standard in post-event celebrations as well. Watch everyone do the "Jamaican archer".

6 THIS should be top of my list but it kind of goes without saying: the performance of the GB team. Having worked at the last six Olympics, it's been so exciting to watch the best British team for a century.

7 OLYMPICS aren't just about British success. Afghanistan won its first ever medal at the games thanks to taekwondo fighter Rahullah Nikpai. The Afghan president is awarding him a house for his efforts. This kind of thing makes a whole nation smile.

8 THE number eight can only be associated with Michael Phelps, left. Along with Bolt, he's been the face of these games. I remember Mark Spitz's magnificent seven golds in 1972. He helped to ignite my love of sport early in my life. How many kids have been inspired by the efforts of the man with the pterodactyl-like arm span this time?

9 I PRACTISED like fury to say the name of a fancied Thai athlete. Happily, Prapawadee Jaroenrattanatarakon won weightlifting gold.

10 I'M getting a buzz thinking about the London Team taking possession of the Olympic flag at tonight's closing ceremony. Stand by, we're up next!

Read Kheredine Idessane's magic moments on www.sundaymail.co.uk