Olympic torch relay
31 January 2012
On 1 December, Professor Alison McGregor (Bioengineering) attended an event held in London for higher education staff and students taking part in the Olympic flame torch relay in July. Each participant will ‘run’ the famous flame for 300 metres. Alison reports on her experiences at the event.
“The Higher Education Gala Dinner was my chance to meet the two students, Franca Hoffmann (Mathematics) and Kaushali Trivedi (Medicine), who will be joining me in representing the College in July and running with the torch for 300 metres each. The London traffic extended our journey time to the venue and gave us a chance to reflect on why we had been nominated.
Common to us all was a disbelief in why we’d been selected and a feeling that there were so many others in College who do so many wonderful things. We could only conclude that we will do our best to represent all of you.
For Kaushali, a fifth year medical student, the nomination reflected her long term and on-going commitment to running a charity called KEEN London which is a playgroup for children with a range of special needs. What is particularly touching is that she enjoys her work with the organisation as much as the children and their families. Not surprisingly she has won an outstanding student award as well for her work.
(L-R): Olympic torch-bearers Kaushali Trivedi, Franca Hoffmann and Professor Alison McGregor with Deputy Rector Professor Stephen Richardson.
Franca, who is currently living in France as part of her Mathematics degree, set up and organised a small team from the Imperial to run a mathematics camp for high school students in Accra, Ghana, as well as actively contributing to a range of College societies including two Orchestral groups, Model United Nation simulations and being involved in the International Affairs Magazine A Global Village. At first she thought the email was a joke and was worried as to whether she could run with such a large torch – she was reassured when should found out the distance!
For myself I guess it is a range of support to students from working with our Boat Club in years gone past treating and managing injuries to helping students organise and run conferences in both science and sport. I really enjoy working with the students to help them achieve their goals and do have a tendency to collect tutees along the way, many of whom stay in touch to this day despite some of them graduating over ten years ago which is wonderful.
The evening started with a champagne reception. We then sat down for dinner and our table was shared by the nominees from Goldsmith College and two hosts from Samsung. Between courses we were excited by film clips and personal experiences of previous Olympic Torch runners, and entertained by some rather elegant ballroom dancing and an inspiring talk by Sally Gunnell - an Olympic Gold Medallist from the 1992 Barcelona Games.
Since I work with many elite athletes I know the commitment and hard work that goes into sporting success and the multidisciplinary input into training, coaching, injury prevention and management all areas of my own interest. But what struck me was her focus on self belief and how she had to believe she would win and how she constantly rehearsed the final stages in her mind before she raced. Self belief is so critical to so many of us, whether it is a job interview, sitting our final exams or simply taking on a new role but one we so often downplay or simply fail to consider. Believing in the ability to achieve and knowing that you have the best training and preparation is a common message from our sporting heroes and ones I personally shall remember and will encourage my staff, mentees, and students to consider. Sally talked us through the day of her final race in 1992, assembling in the arena, preparing on the start line and how she couldn’t remember much of the race, hearing this personal side and then watching her race on screen was very emotive and topped by a change to wear and hold her gold medal!
By the end of the evening we certainly did feel part of what is going to be one of the largest worldwide celebrations. Role on the 21 July, when we get the chance to represent you all as we run with the Olympic Flame in Greenwich. For all of us carrying the Olympic flame is a great honour and an experience we will cherish for the rest of our lives.”
Tags: Bioengineering, Mathematics, Medicine, olympics
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