Sydney 2000: The Bid and Opening Ceremonies

Welcome to our look back at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Paralympics! We asked which historical Games should get a deep dive, and your response was to take another look at arguably one of the best Olympics of all time.

On this episode, Jill delves into how Sydney won the right to host the Games against a crowded field that included Beijing, Berlin, Manchester (UK) and Istanbul. Would Sydney win on merit, or was there something fishy going on with their bid?

Then Alison looks at the Opening Ceremonies for the Olympics and Paralympics, with its grand walk through Australian history, big star performances and the epic cauldron lightings.

Especially fun to watch: 

• Sydney 2000 bid song: https://youtu.be/J8FIw5Ra-aU?si=9juBaYlBr15NP8H6
• Opening Ceremonies song "Under the Southern Skies": https://youtu.be/zC3qm3If8Z8?si=JHOT8DYaAELGSvyI
• Olympics Opening Ceremonies: https://youtu.be/qsLLzL27hYA?si=nUO_UDpajeD8SPLx
• Paralympics Opening Ceremonies: https://youtu.be/rkZ9LtoMaNg?si=4synpfUbPqqGf2bs

For a full list of sources and a transcript, please visit our website: http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

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Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

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