I just want to let you know that one of the Sydney Olympics greatest cynics - me - was so happy the tears were pouring down her face as she watched the women from previous Olympics being honoured in last night's Olympic opening ceremony.

There has been a lot of secrecy and mystery about who was going to light the Olympic flame and I've been going around saying "Cathy Freeman, it should be Cathy Freeman, but it won't be Cathy Freeman will it? No! Because Cathy Freeman is a woman, she's Aboriginal, she caused a ruckus in previous international games (Commonwealth Games?) by doing a lap of honour around the track holding up both the Oz flag and the Aboriginal flag. Got into deep trouble from the games director over it, caused a national outcry. No, it'll be a white, Anglo-Saxon male, for sure."

Well I was wrong - yippee!! She did it, and I am so happy I am still crying when I think about it.

Helen

PS. I'm also happy that there were no kangaroos on bicycles in the opening ceremony - a bit of a worry after the Atlanta closing ceremony. Some pretty impressive stuff, I have to admit, and incorporating cultural diversity, surprisingly. But then again, my cynicism cuts in when I find it reported that the opening ceremony cost $AUD50million. God help us all - health care, education, police services, you name it all suffering severe price cuts over the last few years - and why? To pay for one big party lasting a few hours. Swings & roundabouts.