John Farnham surprises Aussie Olympic Team in London

THE Australian Olympic Team were treated to Aussie music royalty in London last night, when John Farnham made a surprise performance at their London 2012 welcoming ceremony.

The star-studded event, with the main purpose of announcing Lauren Jackson as the 2012 Australian Olympic flag bearer, was attended by the who’s who of Australia – with Frank Lowy, James Packer, Rove McManus, High Commissioner John Dauth, David Gallop, John Coates, Steve Waugh, John Eales, Layne Beachley all in attendance alongside a host of past and present Australian Olympic legends (the likes of Andrew Gaze, Kieren Perkins, Grant Hackett, Andrew Hoy, Matthew Mitcham, Leisel Jones, Geoff Huegill, and many, many more).

Eddie Macguire was the event MC – and he called on both Lowy and Coates to make inspirational speeches to the 400-500 strong crowd – before Australian chef de mission Nick Green announced Jackson as the 2012 flag bearer. A recorded video from Prime Minister Julia Gillard with her own inspirational words was played to ‘the inspirations of our nation’ (the attending Aussie Olympic hopefuls) before a Hugh Jackman-voiced very moving video montage highlighted Australia’s Olympic success through the ages.

But it was ‘The Voice’ who stole the show – with Australia’s sporting elite going crazy when Farnham was named as the headline act of the evening. He belted out a list of classics like ‘Take The Pressure Down’, ‘(That’s) Freedom’ and ‘Playing To Win’ but it was his signature tune – ‘You’re The Voice’ – that really had the room moving. After an encore of ACDC’s ‘Long Way To The Top’, Farnsey left to rapturous applause by a roomful of gold medal hopefuls.

Check out London Now’s video of the night below: