Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
London ahead of schedule for 2012 Games
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Asia Pacific
World
London ahead of schedule for 2012 Games
AFP - Wednesday, July 28
Send
IM Story
Print
London ahead of schedule for 2012 Games
LONDON (AFP) - – London will be ready a year ahead of schedule to stage the 2012 Olympics, officials said on Tuesday, as Olympic greats prepared to give the capital's stadiums a test run.
Former Olympic champion Sebastian Coe, who heads the Olympic organising committee, told reporters he was "really pleased" with how things were going.
"We have a stadium that is structurally pretty complete. The seats are going in and it will be finished by next year," he said.
London Mayor Boris Johnson joked that the organisers were so far ahead of schedule that "the really smart thing for us to do as a nation would be to hold a snap Olympics which would catch our rivals napping." Related article: Britain may cut finding for sports
Rather than the regular attempt to outdo the previous Games, the 2012 chiefs are set on building a lasting sporting legacy for Britain and regenerating one of the most deprived parts of the capital.
So while the venues may be less spectacular than Beijing 2008, and the fireworks fewer, London 2012 hopes to leave lasting urban infrastructure and housing rarely created by sports events.
"In the long term, what we want is to turn this area of east London into a place where people are going to want to come and live and make their careers in for generations," Johnson said.
Organisers feel they are on track to produce a well-run Games on a strict budget, in keeping with the tough economic times.
So they are keen to show off how the project is running to schedule as they hit the two-year milestone.
US athletics hero Michael Johnson, who boasts four sprint gold medals from three Games, was later Tuesday to test out a temporary track in the 80,000-capacity Olympic Stadium.
Its distinctive white crossed-girder architecture is well on the way to completion and the seats are already being fitted.
British cyclist Chris Hoy, who won three golds in Beijing, was to become the first to test out the new Velopark, which he helped design.
"It's only two years since the Beijing Olympics and it has passed in a flash so I'm sure the next two years are going to pass really quickly too," he told the BBC.
"The Olympics are always there at the back of your mind. It's the main reason why you train every day."
Meanwhile John Amaechi, the British former NBA star with Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz, was to demonstrate some of his skills at the Basketball Arena, a temporary venue built with giant steel arches.
Construction is currently well within the event's budget of 9.3 billion pounds (11 billion euros, 14.2 billion dollars). The figure includes 1.2 billion pounds of a contingency fund, which has yet to be used.
Away from the Olympic Park on Tuesday, thousands of people were expected at London's main Trafalgar Square for a day of 2012-themed interactive games and celebrity appearances, plus a "3D Future Zone" with six special pods allowing people to watch Olympic footage in high definition.
The square was the scene of wild celebrations in July 2005, when London edged out Paris for the right to host the Games.
London Mayor Johnson was using the two-year milestone to launch an appeal for 70,000 people to volunteer at the Games as everything from city guides to press officers.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It is the great people of this country, with their warm welcome and 'can-do' attitude, on whom the success of our Games will depend," he said.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
Spain's Catalonia on verge of banning bullfighting AFP - 2 hours 45 minutes ago
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary Reuters - Wednesday, July 28
Disney sets Wednesday deadline on Miramax Reuters - Wednesday, July 28
Amy Walter to join ABC News Reuters - Tuesday, July 27
James Bond producers worried by indefinite delay Reuters - Tuesday, July 27
News Search
Top Stories
Europe clears huge US airline merger
Dutch court gives go ahead for teen sailing attempt
Deutsche Bank raises quarterly profits despite crisis
UBS posts forecast-beating second quarter profit
Oracle's Ellison highest paid CEO of the decade
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
World's first full face transplant man appears on TV
Quark by quark, atom smasher closing in on 'God particle'
Oracle's Ellison highest paid CEO of the decade
Central bankers agree on new bank standards
With no state aid, 9 Spanish banks 'would fail tests'
More Most Viewed »
Parachuting donkey shocks Russian beachgoers
Paris Hilton caught with cannabis in handbag
World's first full face transplant man appears on TV
Germany's 'Octopus oracle' keeps perfect record
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo!
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
World Cup 2010
Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Community
- Intellectual Property Rights Policy
- Help
Other News on Tuesday, 27 July 2010 25 killed as Iraq car bombings target shrine city, media
Sarkozy vows revenge after Al-Qaeda kills French hostage
Wikileaks founder defends release of Afghan war files
French police question L'Oreal heiress
EU probes IBM over 'abuse' of market power
Central bankers agree on new bank standards
World's first full face transplant man appears on TV
US-TECH Summary
No evidence of civilian casualties in southern Afghanistan: NATO
Controllers' protest forces flight delays at Athens airport
With no state aid, 9 Spanish banks 'would fail tests'
Two bombs kill 20 near Iraqi Shi'ite city of Kerbala
EU opens anti-trust probe of IBM mainframe business
Cuba will not be rushed into reform, VP says
|
EU toughens sanctions on Iran as Tehran offers talks
Apple iPhone 4 spreads to more countries on Friday
Russian capital cloaked in smog amid record heat
Car bombs in Iraq shrine city kill 19: officials
AT&T to fix glitch affecting iPhone speeds
German police say Love Parade warnings not heeded
|
Russia says Ahmadinejad comments 'unacceptable'
Internet warriors hone skills at Black Hat
WTO rules against EU on hi-tech products: source
Israeli military helicopter crashes in Romania
|
Apple to expand iPhone sales on July 30
Assailants kill four police in southeast Turkey
|
Police question French heiress over scandal
|
EU tightens screw on Iran with extra sanctions
AT&T to fix data network glitch in weeks
Internet warriors hone skills at Black Hat
China gives Zambia 53 million dollars for mobile hospitals
Khmer Rouge jailer faces 19 years for 16,000 dead
US kidnap woman describes Darfur 'nightmare'
Google unveils government version of software
|
AT&T to fix glitch affecting iPhone speeds
|
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Obama to make historic visit to talk show "The View"
This wheelchair is nothing to sniff at
|
The 'tapadas:' Latin America's veil-clad women
New film over U.S. teen's disappearance on Aruba
EU opens anti-trust probe of IBM mainframe business
|
Jolie spurs Russian patriotism at "Salt" Moscow show
Snooki gets in your face in new "Jersey Shore" games
Citi iPhone app stored user data, software fixed
|
Ford wants "rapid" sales from Korea trade deal-exec
China's Zijin 'offered journalists cash amid spill'
Obama to make historic visit to talk show The View
|
Iran vows to defy new sanctions
London trumpets two years until 2012 Games begin
Chavez beefs up border troops in Colombia spat
|
Quark by quark, atom smasher closing in on 'God particle'
In Iraq, Mullen to review US troop withdrawal
Slangy Italian teenagers become YouTube hit
Iran condemns new EU sanctions on energy sector
Ask.com augments search engine with people
Yahoo Japan may adopt Google's search engine: report
'The worst thing to be is an Afghan woman'
Outrage over huge leak of Afghan war files
WikiLeaks case highlights digital security challenge
Google in bid for government software business
Citigroup fixing iPhone banking security flaw
Facebook launches Web page devoted to online safety
25 killed as Iraq car bombings target shrine city, media
US copyright officials sanction "jailbreaking" smartphones
Fidel makes latest appearance as Cuba says no rush on reform
|
Bombers hit pilgrimage, TV office in Iraq, 23 dead
Google unveils government version of software
AT&T to fix glitch affecting iPhone speeds
Afghans: 52 die in NATO attack; alliance disputes
Hong Kong plans rally to save Cantonese language
China bans shame parades of criminal suspects
|
India welcomes Myanmar junta ruler with full honours
China bans "shame parades" of criminal suspects
S.Korea eases visa rules for Chinese tourists
Landslide in China leaves 21 missing
Japan summer heat wave blamed for 66 deaths
Flooding causes China bridge to collapse, killing 37
"Mad Men" premiere ratings inch higher
EU opens anti-trust probe of IBM mainframe business
|
Japan panel moots defence policy changes: reports
Ask.com augments search engine with people
|
Yahoo Japan to switch to Google's search engine
|
China says air pollution worsening
Chavez puts pressure on Colombia ahead of polls
China cracks down on 'prostitute parades'
James Bond producers worried by indefinite delay
|
US kidnap woman describes Darfur 'nightmare'
Foxconn shuts India plant after workers hospitalised
Amy Walter to join ABC News
Seoul shares end lower, weighed by techs
Serbia opens first breast milk bank
US shows its power to NKorea with carrier drills
India hikes rates for fourth time this year
James Bond producers worried by indefinite delay
Slangy Italian teenagers become YouTube hit
|
Film tax breaks bring Scorsese, Allen back to France
Taiwan stocks fall, Formosa hits 2-mth low on closure
Mama's love makes babies grow up less stressed: study
China banks face 'serious' default risk: report
"MasterChef" off to a tasty start
Asia-Pacific stocks rise on Wall Street's lead
Tony Robbins' new NBC show a glorified infomercial
"Idol" faces big changes as former producer returns
Japan may adopt Google search engine: report
Filmmaker Oliver Stone slammed for anti-Semitism
Taiwan's Formosa expects to resume some production
PAKISTAN
South Korean firms less hopeful as outlook darkens
Daniel Craig to star in Tattoo remake
|
Idol faces big changes as former producer returns
|
Filmmaker Oliver Stone slammed for anti-Semitism
|
James Bond producers worried by indefinite delay
|
Tony Robbins' new NBC show a glorified infomercial
|
Amy Walter to join ABC News
|
MasterChef off to a tasty start
|
Mike Love says no Beach Boys reunion plans in works
|
Deutsche Bank raises quarterly profits despite crisis
Afghanistan questions U.S. silence over Pakistan's role
|
Remains of missing US sailor found in Afghanistan
Lufthansa cargo plane crashes in Riyadh
Russia says new EU sanctions on Iran "unacceptable"
UBS posts forecast-beating second quarter profit
Telecom software groups merge in app store battle
Blame game as German Love Parade death toll rises
Egyptian policemen go on trial in torture case
Oracle's Ellison highest paid CEO of the decade
Winemakers shun social media grapevine
ARM beats forecast on demand for smartphones, netbooks
Russia says new EU sanctions on Iran unacceptable
|
iPhone 'faces rising challenge' from Android handsets
Ahmadinejad says expects U.S. to attack MidEast soon
Ahmadinejad: Conditions still apply for nuclear talks
|
Iraq fights another form of violence
Iraq parliament delayed, no end to stalemate in sight
|
Gazans want "Marshall Plan"
Israeli, Jordan leaders discuss Palestinian talks
|
Qaeda's Zawahri condemns France, Yemen clerics: Web
|
British soldier killed in Afghan blast: ministry
Seven die in Israeli military helicopter crash
|
Donors agree $1.1 billion aid package for Kyrgyzstan
|
E.Timor awaits details on Australian asylum plan
PM says France at war with al Qaeda over hostage
|
Convicted K.Rouge prison chief to appeal: lawyer
Disney sets Wednesday deadline on Miramax
Japan adopts Google search engine
Philippine rebels say open to resuming peace talks
Landslide in China leaves 21 missing
One jailed, 11 fined in Malaysia over cow head protest
US, SKorean troops drop anti-sub bombs in drills
Australia's election hits gender divide
US shows its power to NKorea with carrier drills
Japan lifts foot-and-mouth state of emergency
Disney sets Wednesday deadline on Miramax
London ahead of schedule for 2012 Games
Little risk of double dip: China's central bank
Federal ruling allows iPhone users to alter software
|
Foxconn 'plans 2,000 retail stores in central China'
Telecom software groups merge in app store battle
|
Toyota: China labour cost hike 'inevitable'
Angelina Jolie says Pitt is 'wonderful father'
Pakistani stocks, o/n rates end up; rupee flat
Canon second quarter net profit soars
Lexmark profit rises sharply
|
New Zealand dollar hits 6-mth high vs U.S. dollar
Winemakers shun social media grapevine
|
ARM beats forecast on demand for smartphones, netbooks
|
Malaysia aims to triple timber trade to 17bn USD
Tokyo bourse may skip lunch to boost competition
Disney sets Wednesday deadline on Miramax
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights