Vienna, Preliminary Round Day 4: Tuesday 30 March 2010

The final preliminary round on Tuesday, 30 March, was as Respondent against Tsinghua University at 16.00. Bhavna and Olly pleaded for the second time.

Bhavna and Olly with the Tribunal and the Tsinghua University team.

The pleading finished at 17.45, which left very little time for the team to get to the Austria Center for the announcements for the Round of 64! These are the elimination rounds that determine who proceeds to the next phase of the competition.

By the time we arrived at the Austria Center, the excitement was overwhelming. Most of the teams were already there, and Professor Jeff Waincymer was entertaining the crowd with songs before Professor Bergsten was ready to announce the Finalists.

Then...after what seemed forever, Professor Bergsten came up on stage and started making the announcements...we were nervous as this was it...

Team after team was called...with cries of jubilation around the huge hall...and we were getting more and more tense as all the teams for that evening's round of 64 had been announced. We heard our friends from two other UK teams, College of Law and LSE, being called, but nothing yet for KCL...

And then...we heard our name...it would be University of Warsaw v KCL in the morning!!!

In the metro ride back, we could hardly contain our joy.

Back in the hotel...a happy team.