Summer Olympics 2012 opening ceremonies streaming in London

It’s time to check out all the streaming live video streams we can for the kickoff of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. This is the third time that London has hosted the Olympics, with their first being all the way back in 1908 and the next just a few years after the end of World War II in 1948. Here in 2012, it’s time for a party – and without a doubt the entirety of England will be in rare form throughout the events which start off tonight with an above-average strange set of characters that’ll only be come apparent once the ceremony has begun – Voldemordt and Mary Poppins have been tipped.

What you’ll be looking for online on your desktop computer for live video is a collection of feeds from NBC. While there are other streams out there, the Olympics committee appears to be working directly with NBC for this event for all streaming content via YouTube. Of course the BBC will also be streaming all of the events, including the opening ceremonies, all via Facebook. Have a peek at BBCSport on Facebook to see what your options are right this minute!

Have a peek at the following presentation video to get connected:

For those of you looking to connect via Android, you’ll want to check out the NBC Olympics app which will be working asap starting tonight. This same app is available for iOS and made for both the iPhone and the iPad. You can check out our whole collection of iPad apps for the Olympics in iPad Olympics app set to cover from all angles.

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Posted in: London 2012,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympics,London Olympic 2012

Watch London Olympics 2012 Live Streaming Online Summer Olympics July 27 From NBC

Watch London Olympics 2012 Live Streaming Online Summer Olympics 2012 Online. Welcome to  Watch London Olympics 2012 Live Streaming 2012 Summer Olympics live stream online on your pc/laptop. Do not wait to access this HD link, when the  Olympics game is mostly over and you will get live scores and highlights. All the Events are being streaming here; just catch the game from your desktop or laptop Internet. So,London Olympics Live Streaming 2012 live streaming online coverage on NBC, sky sports4, CBS, HD4, Espn, fox sports & Fox Network. Click here to watch live London Olympics 2012 Live Streaming below this link.

The time the world has been waiting for this summer has nearly arrived, as the London Olympics Opening Ceremony 2012 schedule begins at 9 p.m. London time (3 p.m. Central Time) on Friday. U.S. viewers who want to see the event live are out of luck — they’ll have to wait until NBC’s tape-delayed coverage airs Friday evening.

The good news, however, is that NBC is live streaming the rest of the Olympics. Those who want to see events on live stream can visit here to watch live streaming online at www.nbcolympics.com.

 

“We are live streaming every sporting event, all 32 sports and 302 medals,” said Gary Zenkel, president of NBC Olympics, according to the Wall Street Journal. “It was never our intent to live stream the Opening Ceremony or Closing Ceremony.”

But there’s a trick to watching the live stream online: It’s free, but you will need to sign up before you can watch the feed. To do so, it will require having an account with a TV provider that includes MSNBC and CNBC. You will need a user ID and password to log on.

As for watching the opening ceremony, NBC will kick off coverage at 6:30 p.m. Central Time Friday. IOC executive director Gilbert Felli has said the opening ceremony should last no more than three hours.

Those who want live glimpses of the opening ceremonies before NBC’s tape-delayed coverage will have to turn to Twitter’s page that will pull in tweets from athletes, their families and fans during the opening ceremony. The Twitter page will be live during the opening ceremony, according to the Wall Street Journal, with photos and reactions from inside London’s Olympic Stadium.

The ceremony will have a cast and crew of 10,000. It will be held at the 80,000-capacity stadium in east London and be watched by a global television audience expected at 1 billion.

Already, speculation abounds as to what mega-celebrities will appear at the opening ceremonies.

What’s known is that British director Danny Boyle, known for such classic films such as “Trainspotting” and “Slumdog Millionaire,” will join fellow acclaimed director Stephen Daldry to oversee the opening ceremonies.

The ceremonies have been named “Isle of Wonder,” inspired by William Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest.” The world’s largest harmonically tuned bell will sound to start the festivities. Among the rumors are that former Beatle Paul McCartney will be on hand to close at the ceremonies, while others suggest that Muhammad Ali will be at the opening ceremony.

To Watch London Olympics 2012 Live Streaming Summer Olympics 2012 live stream online click on the links on this page for your membership where you’ll get access to Summer Olympics live in high quality live streaming video.London Olympics 2012 Live Streaming Rugby League, Catch Every moment of Summer Olympics on web broadcast TV. Watch interview,highlights,Live Result,result,Game Preview. Don’t miss any other Summer Olympics match to enjoy.Join Now and enjoy Live telecast of London Olympics Live Streaming 2012 TV on your PC.Live Stream London Olympics 2012.

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Posted in: London 2012,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympic Coins,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Stadium,London 2012 Tickets

London 2012 Olympics: How to pick the best Olympic squad

Rather than hold trials for its 10,000m men's team at home, Kenya will select its squad at a bespoke race at the Diamond League meeting in Eugene on Saturday.

Kenya is world famous for its long distance runners but no Kenyan man has won an Olympic 10,000m gold medal since Naftali Temu in 1968.

A total of 44 Kenyan men ran the 10,000m Olympic qualification time for this summer's Games and a series of selection events whittled that field down to 15 although only three can be chosen for London.

Use accessible player and disable flyout menus

Why Kenyan runners are so successful.

The Kenyan athletics federation asked to hold its own selection race at the Eugene Diamond League.

The usual selection criteria of two across the line and third wild card choice will be used.

"I don't think there is any problem," Athletics Kenya Olympic team manager Joseph Kinyua said of the decision to move the trial to America.

"If you're doing one thing again and again and it doesn't give you the result you expect, it is only fair that you try a different method."

How does qualifying work?

To qualify, athletes in whatever event they compete in must first meet the Olympic standard time in their event and must also be selected for their national team.

The ideal team selection process should have several criteria.

It should recognise athletes who have proven performances at international level whilst also taking into account new, young rising stars and should be fair and transparent while it should also seek to recreate environmental conditions in London and match the pressure of an Olympic Games.

When should you select your chosen Olympic representative?

The two ends of the scale are selection almost 12 months in advance or as close to the Games as possible. By selecting a year in advance, athletes can maximise the time they spend preparing and adapting to the environmental conditions - this often happens in the Olympic sailing events for example.

On the whole, athletics selectors believe that peaking for a trial event three to four weeks before the Olympics, ensures that athletes remain in top physical condition.

How should national teams select their squad?

You could take the top three athletes, as ranked by the sport's world rankings at a set date.

This certainly rewards long-term international consistency, but may miss a fast, new athlete surging up the ranking lists or someone in spectacular form.

It also does not consider environmental conditions for the Games nor does it replicate the intense pressure of peak performance at a single event.

How about a single trial race scheduled at a carefully chosen date?

Surely, if an athlete can perform under the heavy pressure of a trials event, then they can certainly perform at the Games. Plus, the location of the venue can also be used to test athletes' response to environmental conditions. According to Ricky Simms, manager of seven of the 15 Kenyan trialists, "The Olympic Games in London will take place at sea level and therefore it makes sense to select the best team for a sea level race.

"Nairobi is at altitude and some runners perform differently at altitude compared to sea level. Having the trial in Eugene should select the best team for London."

A single trial, with all its pressure, sounds good on the surface, but there are still three questions.

What if a top athlete is ill? Carl Lewis's sinus infection during the US trials in 1992 prevented him from qualifying for the 100m in Barcelona.

Similarly, Sebastian Coe missed the 1988 Olympics because he was suffering from a chest infection during Britain's 1,500m Olympic trial. Given his Indian heritage, Coe was offered the chance to compete for India but he declined.

What if a mechanical breakdown occurs in equipment? Or, for conspiracy theorists, what about collusion and sabotage?

These factors all represent a risk to selectors. If they try to retrospectively mitigate this risk after the event by citing how 'exceptional circumstances' influenced a result, it can often end in the law courts.

Mixing it up

Most often, a selection panel uses a set of published criteria including world ranking, times, performance in major events and potential for the future.

They also use a series of selection events which allows athletes to overcome a single disappointing race but it can complicate matters when there is no clear-cut winner.

For example, which is better, a fourth place in a World Championship event or a first place in the European Championships?

Ultimately selection is a compromise with no perfect solution.

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Posted in: London 2012,London 2012 Olympics

London 2012 Olympics: Frankie Fredericks urges Team GB athletes to boycott Games if Dwain Chambers cleared

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will deliver a ruling next week after the British Olympic Association challenged the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) for declaring the ban "non-compliant".

Although the BOA have had no indication from the court, senior officials have confirmed they are preparing for defeat. It means that Chambers and cyclist David Millar, who have both previously served bans for doping, now look set to be part of Team GB for the Olympics.

"I really respect the bylaws of the BOA. They have taken a stand to say we don't want a cheat. For the athletes to vote for that bylaw is something incredible," said Fredericks, now an International Olympic Committee member.

"It would be nice if the athletes can come out and say: 'OK even if CAS decides, Dwain Chambers and (cyclist) David Millar go to the Olympic Games, then we're not going to go. This is our bylaw. These are the values that we believe in.'

"Then the country can decide: either we have these two cheats or we have athletes who are clean.

"This is where the British athletes will be challenged - because they will have to make principled decisions.

"This is going to be an Olympic Games watched by many youths and we don't want these cheats to have an opportunity to tarnish them."

Fredericks's comments to the Daily Mail came after Sir Chris Hoy led expressions of disappointment after learning that the BOA are resigned to losing a court battle to keep their lifetime ban for drugs cheats.

Hoy, the four-times Olympic cycling champion, said: "It will be sad if we have to fall in line with the rest of the world.

"I don't see anything wrong with having more stringent rules. I think it should be the rest of the world that's falling in line with our rules."

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Posted in: London 2012,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympic Coins,London 2012 Olympic Games,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympics Tickets,London 2012 Stadium

London 2012 Olympics: torch relay police officers 'to get counselling'

The Metropolitan Police admitted the group would receive support from “Occupational health specialists” before and after the 70-day relay.

Britain’s biggest police force also admitted disclosed that they would be given psychological training on how to prepare themselves for being away from home.

Officials also admitted the group would also have access to career advisers to help them settle back into their day jobs after their two-month assignment was finished and would be offered counselling to help them “reintegrate”.

It is thought that taxpayers will fund the plans, which officials said was to ensure the “welfare” of 36 officers was “considered at every stage”.

^{Jasmine Vanmali and Samuel Rowbotham carry the torch from the National Space Centre during the dress rehearsal (PA)}

In total, 52 officers will protect the Olympic torch as fears heighten that the relay around Britain and the Republic of Ireland will be targeted by radicalised protest groups.

The Met Police's torch relay protection will comprise five teams of seven officers running alongside and around the torch flame bearer to prevent any chaotic scenes that accompanied the Beijing Olympic torch relay four years ago.

The additional police numbers are made up of planners and command and control. During the Games the security threat is rated as severe and the torch relay team has been training as if the likelihood of an attack is imminent.

The officers chosen for the security team are said to be “among the fittest” in the force. The cost of the operation has not been disclosed.

On Friday a full dress rehearsal of the torch relay was enacted for 80 miles between Leicester and Peterborough.

It involved 14 cars and trucks in the convoy and up to a further 90 vehicles, such as sponsor vehicles and the BBC accompanying the relay.

Seven Met runners flanked the torchbearers for a gentle jog through the streets and the group were also escorted by a police cyclist, named only as “Cyclist One”.

Torch bearers will run or walk nearly 1000 feet with the torch, which was not lit for the rehearsal.

Local roads were also closed to traffic on a rolling basis for 15 minutes in advance of the torch arrival and reopen 30 minutes later.

While various anti-sponsor protests have escalated in recent weeks with more being organised in the lead-up to the Games, experts on the IRA are warning the torch relay is vulnerable to attack.

The actual torch relay will start from Land's End in Cornwall next month after the arrival of the Olympic flame in the UK on May 18.

On its journey to the opening ceremony on July 27, the torch will be carried by about 7,300 nominated members of the public, athletes and celebrities.

Each will carry the flame for about 300 yards and about 110 people will take part each day. On Friday night, a Met police spokesman defended the plans, reported in the Daily Mail.

“We recognise that this is unique role never performed within British policing,” he said.

“Mindful of the fact that officers will be taken away from their homes for 70 days and encouraged to live as part of a team, their reintegration back into the Met after the event is already being carefully planned.

“Occupational health specialists within the Met are already developing plans to ensure that the welfare of this team is considered at every stage and the best possible support provided.”

The spokesman said that preparations included “talking to them about their career aspirations and encouraging them to plan ahead for when they are away from home”.

Paul Deighton, the London organising committee (Locog) chief executive, has pleaded that the torch relay be allowed to showcase "ordinary people who have done extraordinary things for the community".

"It would be absolutely terrible to ruin that moment for these people, I don't know why anyone would want to do that (protest or interrupt the relay),” he said.

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Posted in: London 2012,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympic Coins,London 2012 Olympic Games,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympics Online,London 2012 Olympics Tickets

London Olympic 2012 Ticket Prices

Below is a full summary of the actual prices of London Olympic tickets for all sports.

Opening & Closing Ceremonies:

• Opening Ceremony Olympic Park: Olympic Stadium £2,012 £1,600 £995 £150 £20.12
• Closing Ceremony Olympic Park: Olympic Stadium £1,500 £995 £655 £150 £20.12

Archery - Lord's Cricket Ground

• Preliminary M/W £65 £45 £30 £20
• Final M/W £95 £65 £45 £30

Athletics - Olympic Park - Olympic Stadium

• Preliminary M/W £150 £95 £65 £40 £20
• Final M/W £450 £295 £150 £95 £50
• Super final M/W £725 £420 £295 £125 £50

Athletics - Marathon London

• Final M/W £50 £30 £20

Athletics - Race Walk London

• Final M/W £30 £20

Badminton - Wembley Arena Preliminary M/W £75 £50 £35 £20
Quarter-final M/W £95 £65 £45 £30
Semi-final M/W £95 £65 £45 £30
Final M/W £150 £95 £65 £45

Basketball - Olympic Park - Basketball Arena Preliminary M £95 £65 £40 £20
M £115 £75 £45 £30
W Yes £75 £50 £35 £20
Quarter-final W £95 £65 £40 £20
North Greenwich Arena Quarter-final M £125 £85 £55 £45 £35
Semi-final M £150 £110 £95 £65 £45
W £125 £85 £55 £45 £35
Bronze M £325 £225 £150 £95 £50
W £150 £110 £95 £65 £45
Final M £425 £295 £185 £125 £95
W £325 £225 £150 £95 £50

Beach Volleyball - Horse Guards Parade Preliminary M/W £95 £65 £50 £40 £20
Round of 16 M/W £110 £75 £55 £45 £30
Quarter-final M/W £125 £95 £75 £65 £45
Semi-final M/W £225 £150 £110 £95 £65
Final M/W £450 £295 £185 £125 £95

Boxing - ExCeL Preliminary M/W £95 £75 £50 £30 £20
Quarter-final M/W £110 £75 £55 £45 £30
Semi-final M £150 £95 £75 £50 £30
W £110 £75 £55 £45 £30
Final M £395 £295 £185 £125 £95
W £275 £185 £125 £95 £50

Canoe Slalom - Lee Valley White Water Centre Preliminary M/W £60 £45 £30 £20
Final M/W £150 £95 £55 £35

Canoe Sprint - Eton Dorney Preliminary M/W Yes £60 £40 £20
Final M/W £95 £55 £35

Cycling - BMX Olympic Park - BMX Circuit Preliminary M/W £95 £65 £55 £40 £20
Final M/W £125 £75 £55 £45 £20

Cycling - Mountain Bike Hadleigh Farm, Essex Final M/W £45 £20

Cycling - Road (Road Race) London Final M/W £60 £40 £20

Cycling - Road (Time Trial) London Final M/W £60 £40 £20

Cycling - Track Olympic Park - Velodrome Preliminary M/W £150 £95 £65 £40 £20
Final M/W £325 £225 £150 £95 £50

Diving Olympic Park - Aquatics Centre Preliminary M/W £150 £95 £65 £40 £20
M/W £175 £120 £80 £50 £30
Semi-final M/W £175 £120 £80 £50 £30
M/W £225 £125 £90 £50 £30
Final M/W £225 £125 £90 £50 £30
M/W £450 £295 £185 £95 £50

Equestrian - Dressage - Greenwich Park Preliminary M/W £95 £65 £40 £20
Final M/W £150 £95 £55 £35
M/W £275 £175 £95 £65

Equestrian - Eventing
(dressage, jumping only) Greenwich Park Preliminary M/W £95 £65 £40 £20
Final M/W £150 £95 £55 £35
Equestrian - Eventing
(cross-country only) Greenwich Park Preliminary M/W £55
Equestrian - Jumping Greenwich Park Preliminary M/W £95 £65 £40 £20
Final M/W £150 £95 £55 £35
M/W £275 £175 £95 £65

Fencing - ExCeL Preliminary M/W Yes £65 £45 £30 £20
Final M/W £95 £65 £45 £30

Football - City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry Preliminary M/W £40 £30 £20
Quarter-final W £50 £40 £20
Bronze W £60 £45 £30
Hampden Park, Glasgow Preliminary M/W £40 £30 £20
Quarter-final W £50 £40 £20
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Preliminary M/W £40 £30 £20
Quarter-final M/W £50 £40 £20
Bronze M £75 £45 £30
Old Trafford, Manchester Preliminary M/W £40 £30 £20
Quarter-final M £50 £40 £20
Semi-final M £125 £75 £45 £30
W Yes £50 £40 £20
St Jamesâ?? Park, Newcastle Preliminary M/W £40 £30 £20
Quarter-final M/W £50 £40 £20
Wembley Stadium Preliminary M/W £60
£45 £30 £20
Quarter-final M £60
£45 £30 £20
Semi-final M £125 £75 £45 £30
W £60
£45 £30 £20
Final M £185 £125 £95 £65 £40
W £125 £95 £65 £45 £30

Gymnastics - Artistic - North Greenwich Arena Preliminary M/W £150 £95 £65 £40 £20
Final M/W £450 £295 £185 £95 £50

Gymnastics - Rhythmic - Wembley Arena Preliminary W £95 £65 £40 £20
Final W £175 £125 £65 £45

Gymnastics - Trampoline - North Greenwich Arena Final M/W £185 £115 £75 £40 £20

Handball - Olympic Park - Handball Arena Preliminary M/W £50 £40 £30 £20
Quarter-final W £75 £50 £35 £20
Olympic Park - Basketball Arena Quarter-final M £75 £50 £35 £20
Semi-final M/W £75 £50 £35 £20
Bronze M/W £95 £65 £45 £35
Final M/W £125 £95 £65 £45

Hockey - Olympic Park - Hockey Centre Preliminary M/W £65 £45 £35 £20
Classification M/W £65 £45 £35 £20
Semi-final M/W £95 £65 £45 £30
Bronze M/W £115 £75 £45 £35
Final M/W £150 £95 £65 £45
Judo ExCeL Preliminary M/W £85 £55 £35 £20
Final M/W £125 £95 £65 £45
Modern Pentathlon Greenwich Park Final M/W £35 £20
All venues Final M/W £75

Rowing - Eton Dorney Preliminary M/W £95 £65 £50 £40 £20
Final M/W £150 £95 £70 £50 £30
Sailing Weymouth and Portland Preliminary M/W £35 £20
Final M/W £55

Shooting - The Royal Artillery Barracks Preliminary M/W Yes £20
Final M/W £30
M/W £40

Swimming - Olympic Park - Aquatics Centre Preliminary M/W £150 £95 £65 £40 £20
Final M/W £450 £295 £185 £95 £50

Swimming - Marathon Hyde Park Final M/W £60 £40 £20

Synchronised Swimming - Olympic Park - Aquatics Centre Preliminary W £95 £75 £50 £30 £20
Final W £175 £120 £80 £50 £30

Table Tennis - ExCeL Preliminary M/W £85 £55 £35 £20
Quarter-final M/W £85 £55 £35 £20
Semi-final M/W £85 £55 £35 £20
Bronze M/W £110 £75 £45 £30
Final M/W £125 £95 £65 £45

Taekwondo - ExCeL Preliminary M/W £60 £45 £30 £20
Quarter-final
Semi-final M/W £85 £55 £35 £20
Final M/W £95 £65 £45 £30

Tennis - Wimbledon - Outer Courts Preliminary M/W £20
Quarter-final M/W £20
Wimbledon - No.1 Court Preliminary M/W £55 £40 £30
Quarter-final M/W £75 £45 £35
Semi-final M/W £75 £45 £35
Bronze M/W Yes £95 £55 £35
Wimbledon - Centre Court Preliminary M/W £85 £65 £55 £40 £30
Quarter-final M/W £115 £75 £65 £45 £35
Semi-final M/W £115 £75 £65 £45 £35
Final M/W £185 £125 £110 £95 £65
M/W £225 £150 £110 £95 £65
Triathlon Hyde Park Final M/W £60 £40 £20

Volleyball - Earls Court Preliminary M/W £65 £55 £45 £30 £20
Quarter-final M/W £95 £65 £55 £45 £30
Semi-final M/W £115 £85 £75 £65 £40
Bronze M/W £115 £85 £75 £65 £40
Final M/W £185 £150 £125 £95 £65

Water Polo - Olympic Park - Water Polo Arena Preliminary M/W £65 £45 £30 £20
Classification M/W £65 £45 £30 £20
Quarter-final M/W £65 £45 £30 £20
Semi-final M/W £95 £65 £45 £30
Final M/W £185 £125 £95 £65

Weightlifting - ExCeL Preliminary M/W £65 £45 £30 £20
Final M/W £125 £95 £65 £45
M/W £175 £125 £65 £45

Wrestling - Freestyle ExCeL Preliminary M/W £65 £45 £35 £20
Final M/W £95 £55 £35 £20

Wrestling - Greco-Roman ExCeL Preliminary M £65 £45 £35 £20
Final M £95 £55 £35 £20

Index:

M: Male

W: Women

Source: www.london2012.com

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Posted in: London 2012,London 2012 Olympics,London Olympics 2012 Tickets

London Olympics 2012 Venues

The main venues for the London 2012 Olympic Games

Venue	Sports	Capacity
All England Tennis Club	Tennis	30,000
Aquatics Centre	Diving, Swimming, Synchronised Swimming, Water Polo, Paralympic Swimming, Modern Pentathlon.	17,500 for Diving and Swimming events and 5,000 for Water Polo
Basketball Arena	Basketball, Handball, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Rugby	12,000 during the Olympic games; 10,000 during the Paralympic Games
Earls Court	Indoor Volleyball	15,000
Eton Domey	Rowing, Canoe Sprint, Paralympic Rowing	30,000
Eton Manor	Wheelchair Tennis	10,500
ExCeL	Boxing, Fencing, Judo, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Weightlifting, Wrestling, Boccia, Paralympic Table Tennis, Paralympic Judo, Paralympic Powerlifting, Sitting Volleyball, Wheelchair Fencing.	ExCeL will be divided into 4 sports halls with capacities ranging from 6,000 to 10,000
Greenwich Park	Equestrian- Jumping, Dressage, Eventing and Paralympic Equestrian. Also Modern Pentathlon.	23,000
Hadleigh Park	Mountain Bike	3,000, not including standing around the course
Handball Arena	Handball, Goalball, Modern Pentathlon	7,000
Hockey Centre	Hockey, Paralympic 5-a-side Football, Paralympic 7-a-side Football	New venue, composed of two pitches, the main pitch with a capacity of 15,000 and the second pitch with a capacity of 5,000
Horse Guards Parade	Beach Volleyball	15,000
Hyde Park	Triathlon, 10k Open Water Swim	3,000
Lee Valley White Water Centre	Canoe Slalom	12,000
Lord's Cricket Ground	Archery	6,500
North Greenwich Arena	Artistic Gymnastics, Trampoline, Basketball, Wheelchair Basketball	20,000
Olympic Stadium	Athletics, Paralympic Athletics	Stadium is being built from scratch and aims to be constructed by next year. 55,000 of the 80,000 capacity is removable, which apparently has never been attempted before.
Olympic Village	All Athletes and Officials	As well as residential apartments, the village will comprise of shops, restaurants, medical, media and leisure facilities. There will also be a 'Plaza', where athletes can meet up with friends and families.
Regent's Park	Road Cycling	It will provide the location for the finish of the Road event in front of a temporary stand of 3,000 spectators
The Royal Artillery Park	Shooting, Paralympic Shooting, Paralympic Archery	7,500
Velo Park	Track Cycling, BMX, Paralympic Track Cycling	6000 in the Velodrome (permanent), 6000 at the BMX track (temporary)
Wembley Arena	Badminton, Rhythmic Gymnastics	6,000
Weymouth and Portland Harbour	Sailing, Paralympic Sailing	Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour provide some of the best natural sailing waters anywhere in the UK, along with facilities to match on land

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Posted in: 2012 London Olympic,London 2012 Olympics,London Olympics 2012 Venues

History of the Olympics in London

1908	Summer Olympics held in London The Games of the IV Olympiad) were the third to be hosted outside of Athens and were scheduled to take place in Rome, but the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on 7 April 1906 required the Italian Government to redirect funds away from the Olympics. The events took place between 27 April 1908 and 31 October 1908, with 22 nations participating in 110 events. The British team easily topped the unofficial medal count, finishing with three times as many medals as the second-place United States.
1944	1944 Summer Olympics Cancelled The Summer Olympics of 1944 were to be held in London having been awarded in 1939. However, they were cancelled due to World War II. In lieu of the Olympics, a small celebratory sporting competition was held in Lausanne, at IOC HQ.
1948	The 1948 Summer Olympics The 1948 Games were the first to be held after World War II, with the 1944 Summer Olympics having been cancelled due to the war. 59 nations (Germany and Japan had not been invited) competed in 136 events between 29 July 1948 and 14 August 1948. due to security reasons. British athletes finished 12th in the unofficial medal count with only 23 medals.
2000	The UK Bids In December 2000 a report from the British Olympic Association was shown to Government ministers. They had been working on the bid since 1997.
2005	The London 2012 Olympic bid was announced as the winner of the bidding process on 6 July 2005.
2008	2008 Summer Olympics To be held in Beijing, China between August 8, 2008 and August 24, 2008. Concerns have been raised that many events will be compromised by problems with pollution and air quality.
2012	2012 Summer Olympics The Games will take place between 27 July 2012 and 12 August 2012. 2012 Summer Paralympic Games The fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between 29 August 2012 and 9 September 2012 at the Summer Olympics venues in London.

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Posted in: 2012 London Olympic,London 2012 Olympics

London Olympic ticket rush as thousands take advantage of new window

Some of the best seats at this summer’s games will go on sale during a special 24 hour window only in mid-April to people who failed to get tickets at last year's first two sales windows.

Tickets up for grabs will include athletics, track cycling and, most prestigiously, the Danny Boyle-directed Opening Ceremony itself. 



The Olympic ticketing process, though intended to give everyone equal opportunity to get hold of tickets for the events they want, has left many people empty handed. Those who were unsuccessful in both of the two first sales windows though get priority at this exclusive 24-hour opportunity. 



Any remaining tickets will be on sale for five days to 1.2million people who missed out in the first ballot but did not apply in the second. 



An Olympics organiser Locog spokesman has said: “When tickets go back on sale in April, we always said that our priority would be the 1.2million who applied and were unsuccessful in last year’s ticketing process.  



So if you got tickets in either one of the first two ballots though, or didn’t apply at all during them, then your luck is out. 



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Posted in: London 2012 Olympics,London Olympics 2012

London 2012 Olympics: British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes follows coach in criticising Tom Daley

The head of British swimming is the latest key figure to reveal his alarm that diving star Tom Daley could blow the chance of his young life if he does not work harder on his Olympic preparations.

Under fire: Tom Daley needs to focus more on his Olympic preparations, according to the head of British Swimming Photo: PA

David Sparkes, chief executive of British Swimming, has also offered full backing to the criticisms aimed at Daley ahead of the Olympics by his diving performance director Alexei Evangulov following the teenager’s poor performance in the World Cup test event at the Olympic Aquatics Centre.

Insisting that he and other officials had been flagging up their concerns to Daley’s handlers for 18 months about the youngster failing to find the right balance between training and media commitments, Sparkes said he was still concerned that the 17 year-old was not in optimum shape.

He also hinted that Evangulov’s criticism, culminating in his suggestion that Daley was in danger of failing to fulfil his talent and of becoming diving’s answer to Anna Kournikova, stemmed only from the Russian’s increasing frustration that the youngster was not heeding his advice.

After Evangulov’s latest tirade following Daley’s seventh-place finish with Peter Waterfield in the synchro event, Sparkes admitted that “in an ideal world” the debates surrounding the poster boy’s commitment would have been thrashed out behind closed doors.

But Sparkes added pointedly: “You might come to the conclusion there’s a hint of frustration here.  "Here is a world-beating coach who sees a world-beating athlete not committing sufficient time to the task and in turn perhaps not listening as intently as he should be to what Alexei has been telling him about the need to focus on training and be away from the media circus.”

Asked if he agreed with Evangulov, Sparkes insisted: “100 per cent. The danger here is that Tom doesn’t get the work under his belt and isn’t able to perform to the degree we believe he can.

"Our prime interest has to be to make sure this incredible young man gives himself the best opportunity to achieve what could be a life-changing result in London.

“We can only admire the way Tom handles the media — he’s incredibly good at it — but it’s impossible to win medals now on just talent alone; you have to do the hard work.

“We know that when he is prepared and at his best, Tom can beat the world’s best but what is equally clear is that he has some way to go to get into tip-top condition.

"We’ve expressed concern now for about 18 months with Tom’s agents and coach about the need to get that balance right.”

On Thursday, Daley said that he could not train any harder without his body breaking down but Sparkes responded: “We fully understand that and nobody want his body to break down.

"But there are many aspects of training which don’t cause bodies to break down.

“And now it’s all about putting in sheer hard work up to London. I still believe if Tom does knuckle down, he can inspire the nation in the summer.”

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Posted in: 2012 London Olympic,London 2012 Olympics,London Olympics 2012

Duchess of Cambridge’s Wedding Dress and Olympic Torch in Design Museum Exhibition

The Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress, the Olympic Torch and the London 2012 Velodrome all feature in the longlist for Designs of the Year at the Design Museum.



A wind-propelled landmine detonator, virtual Tesco store and pop-up cinema (Folly for a Flyover in Hackney, East London) were also selected for the longlist.

The nominated products will be on show at the Design Museum from next month. The winners will be selected by a jury and announced on 24 April.

• Designs of the Year is at the Design Museum from 8 February to 15 July 2012

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Posted in: London 2012 Olympics,London Olympics 2012