In 1948, when London last hosted the Olympic Games, this English physiotherapist from Notting Hill Gate played a surprising part: she acted as physio for the then unified Korean team, making its very first appearance at the Olympics.

More than 60 years later, Powell (pictured above) was guest-of-honour today at the opening of Korea House in London's swish Knightsbridge district.

In a brief opening ceremony, the avuncular Y S Park, President of the South Korean Olympic Committee, recalled how that journey to London by the pioneering Korean athletes "took them 21 days by plane, by ship and train".

"At that time Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world," Park added.

When I interviewed her later, Powell turned out to retain vivid memories of those austerity Games and the role she played.

"London was in ruins after the war," she told me.

"There was still food rationing.

"I think people brought their own food because the calories allocated to the athletes were not enough.

"Things were very bad."

She told me how she had been working at Willesden General Hospital at the time and volunteered her services, whereupon she was allocated the Korean physiotherapist's role.

The Korean basketball team at the 1948 Olympics in London

"I remember especially the one woman in the team, who was a discus thrower," she says.

"I also remember the hurdlers and the marathon runners."

Facilities, of course, were a far cry from today's ever more sophisticated athlete support operations.

When occasionally people got hurt, she remembered, "The only thing you could do for them was give them a rub because there was no equipment.

"That and get some ice.

"If possible."

Communication was another challenge; she and her charges used a lot of sign language.

She says that the Koreans were billeted all over the place and were "very supportive of each other".

She regained contact with her former Olympic team after she contacted the Embassy to ask if she could meet the 2012 South Korean athletes.

When I ask how long she practiced as a physiotherapist, she shoots back, "I haven't really stopped yet.

"I fell over last week.

"The ambulance driver was asking me questions about his bad back."

Afghan Taekwondo player Rohullah Nikpai

For good measure she advises me at the end of the interview how to get back up from the kneeling posture I had adopted.

More than fittingly, Powell tells me that her nephew's son, Patrick Walton, is tonight taking part in the Opening Ceremony.

As we speak, two International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-presidents, Sir Craig Reedie and Thomas Bach, are rubbing shoulders with their South Korean hosts just metres away.

Others present in the room include Rohullah Nikpai, an Afghan taekwondo competitor, thanks to whom I will now watch the progress of the 68kg men's competition with particular interest.

It is encounters like this, in my view, that constitute the true magic of the Olympics.

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