Preparations for the London Handball Cup are well under way and whilst we are understandably busy with just under two months to go until the event, it was nevertheless a great pleasure for the LOCOG Handball team – Chris Athanasiadis (Technical Operations Manager), Sue Whitehead (Handball and Goalball Services Manager) and Alex Gavrilovic (Handball Manager) – to host a visit to the Olympic Park by the President Tor Lian, Secretary-General Michael Wiederer and other members of the European Handball Federation (EHF) Executive, on Friday 23 September 2011.
The EHF are in London conducting their Executive meetings as guests of the England Handball Association and have taken time out from a busy schedule to take a look at the Handball and Basketball Arenas in particular.
Park security staff were efficient and courteous, making the process of getting our guests onto the Park a breeze. We decided early on to utilise the existing Park bus shuttle service rather than ordering a coach, for a taste of ‘real’ Park operations. This too was excellent and despite having to change buses to visit the two Arenas, we did not need to wait long at any of the bus stops.
At the Handball Arena, the handball floor currently installed on the field of play is exactly the type that is used at Euro Handball events! We couldn’t claim this to have been deliberately arranged for their visit but it was very well received and there was general agreement that the colours of the bright yellow and blue floor complemented the multi-coloured seats in the Arena. It prompted Michael Wiederer to enthuse: 'In such venues we would like to have European Championships!'
Tor Lian, The President of EHF, commented on the use of energy saving devices and the open plan of the Arena, referring to the extensive glazing and 88 light pipes which were taking full advantage of a bright and sunny day outside.
I was delighted to take advantage of a little known fact about the Handball Arena. When you stand at the spectator entrance and look out across the Park you can see every other venue in splendid panorama. This complete view is not possible from any other Arena and it makes it easy to talk about all the other sights on the Park by standing in this one central spot.
On a personal note, I was delighted to find that Andrei Lavrov is also a member of the EHF Executive. Andrei is a 'living legend' of the sport, having the distinction of being the only athlete to win Olympic gold medals for three different nations: the Soviet Union in Seoul 1988, the Unified Team in Barcelona 1992 and Russia in Sydney 2000. Four years later, at the age of 42, he won his fourth Olympic medal, another unique feat for a handball player, when his Russian team earned Bronze in Athens 2004.
Incidentally, Lavrov, a long-term captain of the Russian handball team, was honoured as the Flag Bearer for the Russian athletes at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and was subsequently voted 'Russian handball player of the century' in 2001. My particular interest in Lavrov however is that he was a goal-keeper, as I was, although my achievements fall somewhat short by comparison.
Andrei doesn’t speak English but fortunately for me speaks excellent Serbian. He said: 'I have played in many different halls at European, World and Club championships but the Olympics are always special. This is a beautiful, modern venue.'
I'm lucky to be able to host tours of the Park from time to time but this one is my first for participants from the world of Handball. Witnessing their enthusiasm and passion for the sport and for the Olympic Games brings home all the reasons why we are involved in this project. They were clearly impressed with the Olympic Park and the progress that London 2012 is making. I can’t wait for the opportunity to show them the finished product.
