AS the opening ceremony of Beijing's Olympic games is screened tonight a Downham family will have more cause than most to be interested.
Among the runners who had the honour of carrying the Olympic torch during the latter stages of its journey through China was former Downham man, Ian Rogers.
He was invited to join the relay because he is managing director in Asia for the company w
hich is supplying generators to provide power for the Games and will be among spectators at today’s opening ceremony.
Watching as Mr Rogers (44) ran one of the 50-metre legs in the relay was his father Brian Rogers, who still lives at Downham, his wife and his two children.
“Ian was one of the team who managed to secure the contract for his firm Agreco which is why he was invited to carry the torch,” said Mr Rogers, who had travelled out to join his son and family in Singapore last month.
They all went to Beijing to see the Olympic site, including the new “birds’ nest” stadium, and managed to travel to Dalian, on the coast, to see Ian accept the torch. “He was the only European involved at that stage and it was really rather emotional for us all,” he said.
Mr Rogers, who lives at Sandfields Road, Downham, said his son was educated at Downham Grammar School before attending Loughborough University and worked in Dubai until he moved to his present base in Singapore.
l RIGHT: After completing his relay stint, Ian Rogers was pictured with his wife Lissa, daughter Lana (10), son Hamilton (7) and his father Brian.
The full article contains 278 words and appears in Lynn News Friday newspaper.
