LONDON, England ● Thousands cheering for Chelsea star Didier Drogba have mobbed the Olympic torch relay route in southwest England, hoping to get a glimpse of the Ivory Coast striker as he carried the flame.
Many fans, some wearing Chelsea blue jerseys, cheered as their soccer hero ran through the center of Swindon on Wednesday. The 34-year-old waved as he trotted along with the torch.
Drogba announced on Tuesday that he was quitting Chelsea, just days after scoring the winning penalty shot in the club’s dramatic Champion’s League final win over Bayern Munich. He is pursuing a career elsewhere.
“I think winning the game was the key. Not me scoring the penalty,” he told the BBC. “Winning the game was the turning point. That’s why I have decided to say goodbye.”
The British media have reported that Drogba’s next move will take him to China, but he hasn’t confirmed that.
Didier Drogba
“I hope everyone will understand,” Drogba said. `’Everything I did was for the fans, and I hope they understand.”
Princess Anne joined a crowd of hundreds to watch her daughter Zara Phillips carry the Olympic torch on horseback through Cheltenham in preparation for London 2012.
Later, 16,500 people turned out to see princess Zara Phillips carrying the Olympic torch.
The 31-year-old was reunited with Toytown, the horse she retired last year after winning the 2006 Eventing World Championships.
Her brief ride marked the end of day five of the Olympic torch relay. Among the throng was her mother the Princess Royal who brought the flame back from Greece last week.
She watched her daughter trot by to the theme from Chariots of Fire. After dismounting, the Queen’s granddaughter stepped on stage and performed the duty reserved for the last torchbearer of each day, lighting the Olympic cauldron.
From the stage, the princess, who is married to former England rugby captain Mike Tindall, told the raucous audience: ‘It was unbelievable, I’m shaking. It was an unbelievable experience and I am massively honoured for doing it.’
Her biceps were aching at the end, she said. ‘It’s not too heavy when you pick it up but if you’re carrying it for a little while you can feel a little burn.’