CEREMONY STAR’S ELEVENTH HEAVEN
BIRTHDAY presents don’t come much bigger or better than this.
Mermaid Beach Surf Club nipper Georgie Holyman turns 11 tomorrow and will celebrate with a starring role in the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony at Carrara Stadium.
A beaming Georgie was yesterday unveiled as one of several hundred lifesavers who will play a key role in the three-hour spectacular.
The nippers will all be clad in fluoro pink and carry matching pink rescue boards printed with the name of the nation they are escorting.
“It’s really exciting, especially on my birthday,” Georgie said.
“We had to do a couple of auditions and then we got the news we were in the ceremony. We’ve done a couple of rehearsals and they do go quite late, which is a little bit tiring sometimes – but it’s worth it.”
Georgie’s father, James, who will be among the 35,000 strong crowd watching the ceremony.
“I’ve got three children and Georgie’s our beautiful little daughter,” he said.
“Her birthday’s on the opening ceremony and she’s in it, so we couldn’t be more proud.”
Commonwealth Games Federation president Louise Martin said “wee Scotty dogs (scottish terriers)” had led the athletes into the stadium during the last Games in Glasgow – “and this time we’ve got wee nippers”.
Minister Kate Jones said having nippers in the opening ceremony was “quintessentially Queensland”.
“We wanted to make sure that surf life saving had a prominent position,” she said.