2007 milestones

David Higgins, Chief Executive, Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA): Now we start demolitions. We need to demolish many buildings on the site, then we dig up the site, a huge earth works project, and then while that's going on an extensive stage of design is underway.

Louis Smith, gymnast: Five and a half years ago, I didn’t think about going to the Olympics, but, you know, after my results and after winning the bid here for the Olympics in 2012, it's a real hopeful, and I hope that younger people can see it too, and, if it's their dream work hard and go for it.

Daley Thomson, Olympic gold medalist: This is much more about kids being involved in sport, finding out it's a lot of fun and maybe trying to take it to the next level.

Denis Oswald, Chair of the International Olympic Committee's Coordination Commission for London 2012: This was a very positive visit, confirming all the good impressions we have from previous visits.

Seb Coe, Chair, London 2012 Organising Committee: We are delighted to be here, to welcome EDF as our Olympic partner.
David Higgins: Well, today is the date we take control of all the land, so this site here, right on the critical path, this is the stadium site - there are a lot of buildings to be demolished.
 
Ade Adepitan, Paralympian: The main thing now I think is to get the local community involved, get the people in Stratford, in Plaistow, in the East end of London to take ownership of these Olympics.

John Armitt: And if we can engage with the local people and make them feel this is not happening to them, but it is something that is happening with them.

Girl visiting the Olympic Park site during its open weekend in September: It's amazing. I'm actually quite blown away.
 
Seb Coe: The new sponsor is the global sports brand adidas.
Paul Deighton, Chief Executive, London 2012 Organising Committee: This is the third of our domestic sponsors. It demonstrates to the world that were way ahead with our commercial programme.

Seb Coe: And the target is to have all our Tier One sponsorships and partnerships in place by the Beijing Games. That would be the first time any host city has achieved that.

Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympics: Our Transport Plan for the Games is now seen as one of the great strengths of London 2012.

Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson: The accessibility will make a massive difference because for the first time it's giving disabled people a real choice about how they get round London.

Seb Coe: Sport has to be underpinned by a very broad definition of sustainability, which includes healthy living, getting more young people involved in sport, and recognising that we live on a fragile planet.

Rod Sheard, architect involved in the design of the Olympic Stadium: It is unique. It really comes from the agenda that Seb and his team laid down when they won the bid in Singapore that we wanted a building that wasn’t going to be a fixed 80,000-seat stadium forever more. What we do need is a 25,000 seat track and field venue.