But the narrow space between Underground platform and Underground carwas nothing compared with the gap that London had to mind in staging theplanet’s biggest event: essentially 26 simultaneous world championships and twolarge-scale ceremonies over 17 days in a far-flung city of more than 7 millionpeople that is already bustling with enough logistical and attitudinalchallenges in an average summer fortnight.
But the lead-up to these Olympics was fraught with an economicdownturn taking place and the rioting last summer that contributed to thefast-climbing security budget for the Games themselves.
As the preparations continued, one would not have beensurprised to see more street riots over the online Olympic ticketing process. Mindthe gap indeed, but in the end it was all water under the many new bridges thatdecorate the vast Olympic Park. So they did with plenty of help from outsiderslike the Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, the American gymnast Gabby Douglas andthe Kenyan middle-distance runner David Rudisha, who broke a world record inthe 800 meters.
London , unlike Beijing or the next Olympic host city, Riode Janeiro, lacked an overarching geopolitical theme. The Beijing Games were asymbol of China’s emergence as a global superpower. The Rio Games, the first inSouth America, should be a symbol of Brazil’s rise and a continent’spossibilities.
“I am a very grateful and happy man,” said Jacques Rogge,who was in his last Olympics as president of the International OlympicCommittee. The cost has been considerable: an estimated total expenditure of9.3 billion pounds, or $14.6 billion. But perhaps the London organizers, whohave long been hyper-focused on legacy, deserve some benefit of the doubt aftertheir bravura performance the last 17 days.
“I’ve got to tell you,” Sparks, the Chelsea resident, said,mug of beer in hand as the British bands played on at the closing ceremony. “Idon’t think it would have been quite as much fun if we only won two goldmedals.”
