One year to go to Beijing

Preparations are well on track, with three of the new venues already complete and ready for test events and all competition venues apart from the main National Stadium due to be ready by the end of the year.

Team GB has already secured a number of its quota places for the Games, with Archery and Sailing first to qualify the full quota allowed per National Olympic Committee.

They can now concentrate on which athletes they will nominate to the British Olympic Association (BOA) for selection into Team GB.

The Beijing Games have attracted 500,000 people interested in volunteering and 700,000 tickets have been sold, with more soon to be available.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said: 'I am pleased to see that strong foundations are in place: the venues will be outstanding; the city will offer plenty of activities, such as live sites and many cultural events; the stadiums will be filled; and transport and environmental conditions will be closely monitored.

'Having visited the Beijing National Stadium – still under construction but due to be finished by March of next year - I can already begin to imagine the exhilarating atmosphere the crowds will create as the athletes parade into the arena on the 8th of August.'

Read more on the Beijing 2008 website

Read more about Team GB preparations on the BOA website