After the pomp of the opening ceremony, the competition is now on in earnest.
The Cameroon National female football team risk being eliminated from the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Their dreams were dashed last Saturday, following a 0 - 3 defeat by host country Great Britain. On Tuesday, July 31, the Lionesses will take on New Zealand at the Coventry stadium in their last encounter of the tournament. Though both teams have been eliminated from the gold race, none is eager to fly home without a point.
In table tennis, Cameroon's flag bearer, Sarah Honffou was eliminated at the second round of the competition. The Cameroonian athlete after sending her Lebanese counterpart Moujoghlian Tvin packing in the early hours of the day was stop by Xian Yifang of Frence in a tied encounter at the Excel North Arena 1.
In Rowing, Ettia Ndoumbe Paul failed to row at the Eaton Dorney Buckinghamshire playground. According to his trainer Bassi Klebert, his elimination has been due to poor follow-up in France where he has been training on scholarship. He added that for the past years, it is a different trainer that has been following him. The few working sessions they had before the competition were by phone and internet.
However, these defeats have not dent memories of last Friday's splendid opening ceremony which saw the United Kingdom hold the world spellbound. Amid unprecedented security, her Majesty the Queen of England formerly opened the 30th Olympiad. In a special message, the Queen flanked by members of the Royal family and top ranking World leaders and sports personalities said, "It is with tremendous pride that the people of London and the United Kingdom welcome the World to the London 2012 Olympic Games".
Her welcome message was followed by a jaw-dropping sequence with former film actor James Bond and her Majesty dropping from a parachute. The ringing of the bell and the extravaganza that featured Director of the event Danny Boyle and a galaxy of Briton's past and present stars like David Beckham was unprecedented.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Adoum Garoua and Head Cameroon's Delegation to the London 2012 Olympic Games has been working all round the clock to make sure the moral and physical state of the 37 athletes are in good shape. During two very important meetings held on the 23rd and 24th July, the sports boss after assessing the administrative, logistic and financial preparedness, gave orientations with a pride of place to the athletes. Flanked by Cameroon's High Commissioner to Britain, Mr. Nkwelle Ekaney, the Minister after listening to the different problems posed by athletes and mobilization strategy put in place by the staff of Cameroon Embassy in London prescribed solutions and extended government's encouragement to all the stakeholders.
