Olympic exhibition set for Swansea launch

June 10, 2011 - PRLog -- AN EXHIBITION that outlines the contributions Welsh athletes have made to the Olympic and Paralympic Games is opening in Swansea this weekend.

Following the Flame is shaped in tribute to the famous Olympic rings and includes words, pictures and voices telling the stories of Welsh Olympians and Paralympians like Lynn Davies, Colin Jackson and Tanni Grey-Thompson.

It’s being launched at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall on Sunday June 12 and runs everyday from 10am to 4.30pm until July 10.

Two Olympic torches, Tanni Grey-Thompson’s winning wheelchair and a selection of Olympic medals are among the memorabilia included in the free exhibition.

Following the Flame also documents the stories of athletes including Huw ‘Jumbo’ Edwards, a Welsh rower who won two Olympic gold medals in an hour at 1932 Games, and Irene Steer, a swimmer who became the first Welsh woman to win an Olympic medal in 1912.

Cllr Graham Thomas, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation and Tourism, said: “This is a fantastic exhibition that includes over 80 interviews with Welsh athletes and a huge variety of stories and memorabilia that will captivate people of all ages.

“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are the biggest sporting events on the planet and this exhibition should help build excitement as we move towards London 2012.

“I also hope the exhibition will encourage as many young people as possible to take up sport and realise what can be achieved in all walks of life with the right levels of passion and commitment.”

Following the Flame has been delivered under the co-ordination of Phil Cope and the team who brought together the highly successful exhibition about the life of John Charles. It’s one of five unique projects delivered under the banner of The Power of the Flame - a £2.85million programme funded by Legacy Trust UK and administered through the Arts Council of Wales. It has been designed to use the London 2012 Games as a catalyst to inspire young people to achieve their very best in their chosen field and is part of the Welsh contribution to the Cultural Olympiad - a series of events to give everyone a chance to be part of London 2012.

The exhibition also looks at Welsh medal hopes for 2012 such as Dai Greene and David Roberts and offers information on key moments in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This includes American sprinter Jesse Owens winning four gold medals and defying Hitler at the 1936 Nazi Games.

Have a look at www.swansea.gov.uk/followingtheflame for more information.

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