By Sanele Chadwick
Hundreds of people gathered at The Cloud in Auckland this morning to watch the opening ceremony of the Olympics on the big screen.
One of the onlookers was a former gold medalist who knows the feeling of walking out in front of a worldwide audience.
Hamish Carter won gold in the triathlon at the 2004 Olympics and he knows how big a deal the opening ceremony is for the athletes.
“There will be a lot of excitement,” he says. “I mean it's a real buzz marching.”
This year Carter was just another Kiwi fan who braved the cold morning to watch the ceremony on a big screen at The Cloud.
“It's fantastic that people can come together and experience the games. It has been four years since the last one and I think the excitement is really building.”
Around 200 people have come to The Cloud to watch the opening ceremony and show their support for our Olympians more than halfway around the world.
That support was clear when New Zealand made their entrance and the crowd erupted in excitement.
There will be even more excitement with the Olympic Fan Zone in Auckland's Britomart opening too, where fans can watch all the Olympic action live, as well as send messages of support to our Olympians.
But The Cloud was the place to be today, with parents bringing the whole family.
New Zealand will be hoping for a similar score when it comes to our medal haul too.
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