Blog archive

Travelling around the site and seeing where the Velodrome will be, then the Aquatics Centre, then over there the Olympic Stadium, it all became very real and exciting to think that in just over three years time this is where our sports men and women will venture out from the Olympic Village and realise their dream of competing in the Olympic Games in their own country.

The site was a hive of activity and it was great to hear of the way bridges will be constructed for access, waterways cleaned, and the earth decontaminated, every environmental issue carefully considered. Also how much thought has gone into making everything as athlete friendly as possible such as the close proximity of the athletes warm up track to the Olympic Stadium.

Also great to hear was how the five Host Boroughs are being engaged in the process from employment of local people on the site itself to Olympic art competitions with the work being displayed on perimeter walls around the site.

I had the feeling that this will be a unique Olympic Park. I have been to eight Olympic Games and I cannot think of any city which had the facilities in such close proximity and pleasant surroundings as London will. Also unique is the legacy it will leave of wonderful sporting and leisure facilities and all within minutes of central London! It seems to me that the Games really are acting as a great catalyst in regenerating this part of London.

It was also great to meet the staff and sports managers back at the LOCOG head quarters. Chatting to them I sensed their commitment and excitement in being involved and responsible for the huge challenge of staging and organising the Games. Truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

As I travelled home from my visit I felt very positive and optimistic about our Games. Now I have a much stronger vision of the Olympic Park and how much it will be enjoyed by the many sports men and women who will stay there. Also, having met many of the people involved, I feel very confident we can deliver the best Games ever.

My thanks once again to your Chair Seb Coe for giving up their valuable time. It is now almost 30 years since I was team manager at the Moscow Olympics when Seb won the first of his Olympic golds and to travel around the Olympic Park site in London with him and share some memories of those days was a great pleasure.