Megan's Olympics triumph (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Megan's Olympics triumph

12:00pm Tuesday 19th June 2012 in News By Simon Moss

A TEENAGE dancer is jumping for joy because she will be among the performers taking part in the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics.

Megan Hill, of Magnus Drive, Hatch Warren, Basingstoke, has been selected to take part in the prestigious event to mark the end of the games, and has described it as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”.

Megan – a 16-year-old pupil at Henry Beaufort School, in Winchester – told The Gazette: “I am so excited. I was over the moon when I was told I would be taking part.”

The closing ceremony will celebrate the achievements of athletes at the games and include a handover to the next host city, Rio de Janeiro, for the 2016 Olympics.

Megan is a member of the Lisa Jane School of Dance based in Chineham and applied to take part in the closing ceremony when the minimum age level of performers was lowered from 18 to 16.

She said: “I got the email and I was in total shock. The level of dancers taking part is unbelievable – they are all outstanding.”

Details of what Megan will be doing are being kept strictly under wraps, but she expects to be among the youngest performers taking part.

She explained: “I turned 16 just two days before the application date, so I must be one of the youngest, if not the youngest, in it.”

Lisa McCarthy, from the dance school, said: “I am very pleased that Megan will be taking part. She has worked very hard and has a very outgoing personality.”