Tuesday 31 July 2012

And so it starts...

The Weekend!

The weekend earned us 2 Olympic medals thanks to Lizzie Armitstead & Rebecca Adlington, who both did Britain proud!


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The Beginning of the Women's Road Race

After a disappointing men's road race, Lizzie brought it back with an unbelievable silver medal for Great Britain.
And despite being upstaged by Dutchwoman Marianne Vos, a world champion at the age of 19 who has since finished runner-up at world level five times consecutively, defeat was not bitter-sweet for the Yorkshire native.
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Russia Bronze, Great Britain Silver, Netherlands Gold


"Winning this medal in front of my family and friends is the most special thing I've ever experienced in my life; it's so crazy and so inspiring!" said Lizzie.

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Lizzie Armitstead

  
A former track rider who has won gold, silver and bronze at senior level in the world track championships, the 24-year-old Lizzie has come on leaps and bounds on the road.

After this much deserved medal was won, another in the form of bronze was also added to the GB tally.

Rebecca Adlington shocked the crowd after a glorious vistory from the eighth lane. A last minute sprint is just what she needed to secure her medal
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Rebecca Adlington
Photos Courtesy of www.london2012.com 


Monday 30 July 2012

Day 70 - The Final Day of the Torch Relay

The Final Day!



The final day of the torch relay leaves us all in anticipation over what the Opening Ceremony may bring. Danny Boyle, an award winning British director, the mastermind behind the Opening Ceremony created the performance with British culture in mind.

Maypoles, The NHS, The Industrial Revolution, The Child Catcher Man & The Queen jumping out of a helicopter are just some of the spectacles that could be seen on most television screens throughout the world. With all eyes on Great Britain, we didn't disappoint.

Earlier on in the day, the torch relay completed its final leg starting at Hampton Court, travelling down the Thames, to be picked up by none other than David Beckham who, in a comic scene was riding the torch down on a speedboat.

When the torch finally arrived at the stadium, the cauldron made out of petals brought in by each country, was lit by seven young Torchbearers nominated by a cavalcade of Britain’s past and present Olympic and sporting greats.

These included Olympic Ambassadors David Beckham who played who played an important role in bringing the Games to London and has been a big supporter ever since and Jade Bailey a young footballer tipped to become one of the sporting stars of the future who both earlier in the show also bought the flame to the Stadium by speedboat from Tower Bridge. As well as David and Jade the cauldron lighting included Olympic Torchbearers Lynn Davis, Duncan Goodhew MBE, Dame Kelly Homes DBE MBE (Mil), Mary Peters DBE, Sir Steve Redgrave CBE, Shirley Robertson and Daley Thompson.


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The torch aboard the Royal Regatta



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Tower Bridge and the Olympic Rings


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The Olympic Rings are forged above the Stadium in a Industrial Revolution Homage





Photos Courtesy of Getty Images

Day 69!

Day 69 Torch Relay!

For those lucky enough to get a glimpse of the Torch Relay, you will have felt that familiar patriotic buzz you may have sensed during the Jubilee and the Royal Wedding.
Approaching Southwark Bridge Road, a mass of people on their way to see the torch were on their way to line up and see their piece of history.

Here's my picture!

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The Torch on Southwark Bridge Road
 Highlights from the day:

6.48am – The Roundhouse: Team GB’s deputy Chef de Mission, Clive Woodward, will start the last day of the road based relay from the Roundhouse in Camden. He coached the England team from 1997 to 2004, managing them to victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is currently the British Olympic Association's Director of Elite Performance and currently helping Team GB has been an inspiration to British athletes and the sporting community. He has tasked himself with uniting Team GB so they feel a greater part of a team, especially as it will be a home Olympics.



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Clive Woodward holds the torch high


10.03am – Millennium Bridge: Ade Adepitan will carry the Flame across the bridge. Paralympic medallist Ade was selected by Lloyds TSB because of his contribution to his sport and inspiring young athletes through his support of and involvement in the Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week.


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Ade Adepitan carrying the torch across Millenium Bridge

3.33pm – BBC White City: Two Torchbearers will exchange the Flame at the site of the finishing line in the stadium of the 1908 Olympic Games. One of the two Torchbearers is Antoine de Navacelle. Antoine is the great grand-nephew of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic Games. Antoine is closely involved in the Olympic movement and has promoted the Coubertin Award student essay competition ahead of the London 2012 Games to promote wider understanding of the Olympic ideals.  As a board member of the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee, Antoine acts as an advocate for the values of respect, excellence and friendship remaining embedded in the modern Olympic Games.


Hosted by the London Borough of Westminster the finale event will take place in Hyde Park between 2pm and 10.30pm.

Coca-Cola will bring extended live performances from some of the UK's coolest bands, whilst celebrating all our inspirational Future Flames - amazing people chosen to carry the Olympic Flame.




Wednesday 18 July 2012

The Olympics! 9 days to go...

The Olympics are here!


It's come round quick, but the Games are here! As thousands enter the country and all eyes are on Great Britain, the pressure really is on to host a brilliant Games. With Olympic Lanes and whole areas of London closed off to the public, the government really is pulling out all of the stops to make sure these Games go smoothly as planned. Britain really has pulled out all the stops as we will hopefully see when the Opening Ceremony is held on Friday 27th June.

Torch Relay Update

Today the Torch Relay is travelling from Hastings, through part of the Channel Tunnel, onto a ship and then into Dover.

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Photo Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com/

The torch relay is on its 61st day on its relay around the country.

Highlights from Today:
07.45 - Visit to Battle Abbey. A Torchbearer will carry the Flame in a lantern to Battle Abbey.
08.50 – Funicular Railway, Hastings. A Torchbearer will carry the Flame on the funicular railway.
15.20 – Heather Hale will carry the Flame at the entrance of the Channel Tunnel. Heather, 33, from Ashford, motivates and inspires young people through the Explorer Group, which takes young people overseas. She is a volunteer and kayak coach for Seapoint Centre where she teaches young people and adults with learning disabilities. Her devotion and inspiration to young people is fantastic.
17.27 – A Torchbearer will carry the Flame on a Tall Ship into Dover.


The evening celebration will take place on Dover seafront and will feature a variety of entertainment staged by LOCOG and the three Presenting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay - Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.
Coca-Cola will bring to the stage music from Rizzle Kicks. There will also be a performance of a unique fusion of street performance, theatre and sport and a routine from dance duo Twist and Pulse.
Local performances on the night include children from local songs singing ‘Pass the Passion’; the Snowdown Colliery Male Choir; and local cheerleaders the Vista Twisters and CJ Dance Cheer Squad
Towards the end of the two-hour show, the last Torchbearer of the day – Graeme Faber - will light a celebration cauldron on stage at the event which will enable the Olympic Flame to be seen by the audience. Graeme, 76, from Canterbury, was present at the 1948 opening ceremony in London as a small boy. He has climbed mountains, cycled hundreds of miles across Mongolia, trekked in Nepal, run marathons and triathlons and raised funds for Water Aid and MacMillan Cancer along the way. He has also beaten his own bowel and kidney cancers with the same quiet determination, and continues at the age of 75 to run every day.