Prime Minister David Cameron’s wish came true Wednesday as host nation Great Britain won a first gold medal — at last — at the London Olympics.
Britain had to wait till day five of the Olympics to strike gold, with rowers Helen Glover and Heather Stanning taking the women’s pair title at Eton Dorney, west of London. Cameron was visiting the Giant’s Causeway, the spectacular coastal rock formation in Northern Ireland, when he heard the news.
“Can I first of all say how delighted I am about Heather and Helen’s gold medal in the rowing — an absolutely fantastic effort,” he said. One of the stones at the causeway, worn away by visitors who sit in it for good luck, is known as the wishing chair. “I was sitting in the wishing chair, I was told I could make my wish. I won’t say what it was, but as soon as I got back to my mobile phone I had the good news,” he said. “Fantastic news. Well done to them, a great success for the United Kingdom team.”
The British press had joked on Wednesday that Cameron had “cursed” the team because when he attended the men’s road race cycling and the pair’s diving event featuring teenage star Tom Daley, Britain had failed to win a medal.
Members of the Great Britain squad hoped the medal would prove an inspiration.
