I have seen many things in my life, many things in war and I have cried may times in my life. But when the runner carries the flame into the stadium, and the birds are freed and all the flags in the world are flying, I cry. I must cry.

I limbered up just a little before entering the stadium, and even so I felt a twinge in my thigh, no doubt the fruit of my imagination. And I went back to the massage room so that my faithful Morizot could take the trouble off my muscles. This soothed me considerably and I thought I was back to a normal state until somebody summoned me to the starting line. It was like feeling a blade go through my flesh.

I have seen many things in my life, many things in war and I have cried may times in my life. But when the runner carries the flame into the stadium, and the birds are freed and all the flags in the world are flying, I cry. I must cry.