OLYMPIC GAMES

Hello, we’re the official London 2012 mascots: Wenlock, the Olympic mascot and Mandeville, the Paralympic mascot.

We were created from the last two drops of British steel used for the London 2012 Olympic Stadium. That’s why we’re so shiny, reflecting the people, places and things we meet along the way as we travel around the UK. You might see yourself reflected if we meet you!

We’ll be capturing everything we learn as we go – of course, we’re especially excited to find out about all the Olympic and Paralympic sports.

We’re really focused on our final destination – the Games in London in 2012! Hope to see you there!

This draft schedule is correct as at 15 October 2010. The final sport schedule will be released in March 2011.

Click here for the London 2012- Schedule by sport : London 2012- Schedule by sport

Trinidad and Tobago to train in Cardiff before London 2012
 
08 Dec 2010

Cardiff has been chosen as the pre-London 2012 training camp by Trinidad and Tobago, whose team is expected to include sprinter Richard Thompson who is set to be one of Usain Bolt's main challengers at the Olympics.

The Caribbean country are the first Olympic team to sign-up to train in Wales and join Australia and South Africa, whose Paralympic squads have already announced that they will base themselves there before the Games.

The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) revealed that they chose Cardiff because of its cutting-edge sports science and medical services that the Welsh capital offers.

TTOC president Larry Romany said: "After considering many options for our training location in the UK, we are very pleased with our choice of Cardiff.

"We have been impressed by the range of world class facilities we will be using and by the enthusiastic support of our friends in Wales in assisting our final athlete preparations for London 2012."

Welsh Assembly Government First Minister Carwyn Jones said: "I'm delighted that the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee has chosen Wales as their location for pre-Games training ahead of London 2012.

"The decision reflects the hard work put in by the Welsh Assembly Government and its partners over the past few months and shows that Wales has the kind of facilities and infrastructure that Olympic teams are looking for. I'm sure they will receive a warm Welsh welcome during their stay."

Trinidad and Tobago sent a team of 28 athletes to Beijing in 2008, the majority of whom were track and field competitors.

They made up 23 members of the team with the rest being completed by three swimmers, a shooter and a table tennis player.

The team won two medals, both silver, thanks to Thompson, who finished second to Bolt in the 100m, and then the men's 4x100m relay team, who came second to Jamaica.

Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012, welcomed the news of the latest country to agree a deal to train in Britain.

"It's great to hear that national Olympic committees from around the world are developing strong relationships with the UK to aid their training in advance of London 2012," he said.

"And it's fantastic to know that with less than two years to go plans are being developed to maximise benefits for both nations across sporting, educational and cultural agendas.

"I wish Trinidad and Tobago and their Welsh colleagues all the very best in their preparations for London 2012."

Contact the writer of this story at duncan.mackay@insidethegames.biz

First brand new London 2012 venue completed

09 Dec 2010

The Lee Valley White Water Centre, which will host Canoe Slalom during the London 2012 Games, has been completed 18 months before the Games begin. 

The Centre, built near Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire, was unveiled today by HRH The Princess Royal.

The Lee Valley White Water Centre has a 300m competition course for Olympic Canoe Slalom events and a 160m intermediate course. The shorter course will be used by athletes for training and warm-up during the Games and help to ensure the Centre offers an inclusive and comprehensive sports facility after the Games for canoeists of all ages and abilities.

Before and after 2012, the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) will own and operate the venue as a sporting and leisure facility for canoeing and white water rafting, as well as a major competition and training venue. The Centre will open to the public for rafting and canoeing in April 2011, bringing benefits more than a year before the Games.

HRH The Princess Royal was joined by London 2012 Organising Committee Chair Seb Coe, ODA Chairman John Armitt, Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson and LVRPA Chairman Derrick Ashley. A number of Team GB canoeists also attended the event and tried out the Olympic competition course for the first time.

John Armitt said: ‘The completion of the White Water Centre – on budget and over 18 months before the Games – is a huge milestone. As the first brand new 2012 venue we have finished, it is a clear sign of the early legacy the Games are already delivering.

‘Seeing canoeists and rafters use the courses for the first time gives us a glimpse of the excitement we can expect here in 2012 and the world-class new facilities that people of all ages and abilities will be able to use for many years to come.