‘The best experience of my life’ says sailor Angela

‘The best experience of my life’ says sailor Angela

12 September 2012

ANGELA Gilmore has described being involved in the Olympics as the greatest experience of her life.

For three weeks the Killyleagh woman swapped the waters of Strangford Lough for Weymouth on the south coast of England, which was the stunning venue for the Olympic sailing events.

As a specialist volunteer Angela was involved with producing the 3D graphics which were extensively used in the live TV coverage of the sailing.

And because it was live, there was no room for error. “We were told that mistakes were not an option,” Angela recalls. “When the producer’s voice came through in your earpiece you had to be ready.

“The adrenaline rush was incredible. I was working with the top people in their field and the pictures and images we were creating were beamed live across the globe. It was the Olympic Games and it was absolutely the best thing I have ever done in my life.

The Olympic journey for Angela (42), a lecturer at South Eastern Regional College in Downpatrick, began early last year. “I heard someone say the Olympics organisers were looking for volunteers,” she explained. “I filled in an application form online and waited to see what they would offer me.

“Around Easter I went for an interview. After that I heard nothing. In fact, I thought they had forgotten about me. Then almost exactly a year later they told me I was in.”

Angela’s Master’s degree in computing and her extensive sailing knowledge — she is a Royal Yachting Association accredited race officer — made her the perfect candidate for a technical job behind the scenes.

She flew to Weymouth to July 26 and for the next three weeks she lived the Olympic dream and loving every minute of it, despite the 7am starts and late night finishes.

“The atmosphere was unbelievable. There were huge screens on the beach so that the spectators could see the racing close up. We watched the opening ceremony from the Olympic stadium in London and afterwards we had our own fireworks display on the beach. The place was packed out and the weather was fabulous. You couldn’t have wished to be in a better place. It was electric.”

She continued: “I was working with the most amazing people from Omega, the official Olympic timekeepers. Because of my experience in computer games programming, the job wasn’t that difficult once you got the hang of it. But you to get it spot on time and again. These people go from one big event to another around and I would love be doing what they do.”

Angela admits there were a few times when she did miss Strangford Lough and Killyleagh Yacht Club, where she is the sailing secretary and vice-commodore. “I felt a bit guilty at not being there for the club’s regatta, but I think I managed to get over it.”

Would she like to go to another Olympic Games? “I would go in the morning,” she replied. “It’s the best thing you could ever imagine.