London Olympics Games 2012

London Olympics 2012: 10,000 audition for Olympic Games ceremony

2011-12-05T00:41:00.001-08:00

More than 10,000 people haveauditioned to take part in the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2012Olympic and Paralympic Games, organisers have said.

The London organisingcommittee (Locog) said the ceremonies would feature 20,000 volunteerperformers.it is urging more volunteers,particularly men, to come forward.

The ceremonies will have a TVaudience of around four billion - the advertising industry estimates this isworth up to £5bn in airtime exposure.

'Enthusiasm and talent'

London 2012 organisers arelooking for dancers, actors, percussionists and general all-round performers tohave a role in the ceremonies.

Further auditions will takeplace in the new year, and the London 2012 website said: "We need more men- particularly if you have rhythm!Locog chairman Lord Sebastian Coe said:"I would like to thank the thousands of people who have come to theauditions.

"The enthusiasm, energyand talent has been amazing and the team are looking forward to restartingauditions in January.

"So, if you have hugeamounts of energy and a willingness to perform in front of a stadium audienceand billions of people around the world, then sign up to be part of the castthat will deliver great ceremonies to make the country proud and wow the worldnext summer."

Locog has hired a creativeteam of British talent to oversee the events, including Oscar-winning filmdirector Danny Boyle as artistic director for the opening ceremony of theOlympic Games.

Take That's creative directorKim Gavin has been appointed artistic director for the closing ceremonies ofboth the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Beach Volleyball test event sand to be used across London

2011-09-28T04:09:00.000-07:00

The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) has donated 2,274 tonnes of sand from the recent London Prepares series Beach Volleyball test event to sports venues across London.

The sand, originally from a quarry in Godstone, Surrey, was used at Horse Guards Parade for the Visa FIVB Beach Volleyball International and will now be redistributed to three sites around the capital in a bid to increase interest and participation in the sport.

The sand will be donated to Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, the Score Sports Centre in Waltham Forest and Westminster Academy Sports Centre, helping create a total of seven new courts.

It is hoped the new courts will be used by an influx of new players inspired by the London 2012 test event and Volleyball England’s new Go Spike campaign, aimed at getting more people into the sport.

LOCOG Director of Sport Debbie Jevans said: 'We want to leave a legacy for sport after the Games in a variety of ways so it is great that the sand from our test event can be distributed to venues in this way, so legacy can start to happen before the Games have even begun.

'We hope that having these courts at different locations in London will inspire more young people to get involved in an exciting sport.

London 2012 Olympic Games - celebrates one year to go

2011-07-27T02:27:00.000-07:00

The Olympic Stadium lights up to mark the one year to go milestone

The Games next year will mark the end of a decade-long project, after London won the bid in 2005 based on a vision to stage Games that would have athletes at its heart, inspire young people and be a catalyst for lasting change.

London is on track to deliver on these promises and lay the foundations for significant social, sporting and economic legacies.

LOCOG Chair Seb Coe said: 'With a year to go we are inviting the athletes, spectators and visitors from around the world to come to the UK next summer – it’s ‘London Calling’. Waiting for them will be a spectacular festival of sport and culture in the world’s greatest city, which will be more magical and vibrant than ever.

'There is much to do in the next 12 months, but we can take huge comfort in the progress that has been made so far. We are absolutely on track and determined to stage Olympic and Paralympic Games which will deliver on the promises we made in Singapore, inspire the athletes and make the nation proud.'

A total of 15,000 athletes from over 200 countries will compete in the Olympic and Parlaympic Games next summer, and preparations are on track to ensure London 2012 is one of the most spectacular Games ever.

The President of the International OIympic Committee Jacques Rogge will today formally invite the athletes of the world to the Games next summer. He will also unveil the Olympic medals at an event in London’s Trafalgar Square.

Rogge said: 'London 2012 is now ideally placed not just to deliver top level Olympic competition but also to leave a great legacy to the British people. I wish London well as it enters its final year of preparations and testing and I am confident that next summer this great city will once again do the Olympic Movement proud.’

On track for 2012

A number of significant milestones have been achieved:

More than 3.5 million tickets have been sold so far, setting the scene for full venues at Games time and a sensational atmosphere for competing athletes

A quarter of a million people have applied to volunteer and interviews are now taking place to fill up to 70,000 roles

The initial route for the Olympic Torch Relay has been announced, with details of the Torch design also unveiled

International Inspiration has delivered on its promise of reaching 12 million children worldwide with one year to go to the Games.

LOCOG is also set to award more than £700m worth of contracts, including purchasing more than 900,000 pieces of sporting equipment.

Development and regeneration

Construction of the Olympic Park, undertaken by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), is now 88% complete. The Park is a spectacular showcase for the very best in British design, engineering, creativity and security. Electricity pylons have been replaced by iconic sporting arena and a housing development, which will house the world’s athletes during the Games.

Transport links have been improved, waterways cleaned and communities reconnected and renewed. More than six billion pounds' worth of contracts have been awarded to improve transport links and clean waterways, with 98% of these going to UK-based firms.

ODA Chairman John Armitt said: ‘A project of this scale and complexity has not been seen in the UK for generations. With the main Olympic Park venues ready a year before the Games as planned, we are ready to handover to Seb Coe’s Organising Committee who are on track to stage a great Games in 2012.’

The next 12 months

LOCOG will now begin a sustained period of construction of its own. The 17,000-seat Hockey Centre will be constructed on the Olympic Park, while temporary venues around London – including Horse Guards Parade and Greenwich Park – must be also be built.

The process of testing venues and Games-time operations under the London Prepares series banner will continue, while over 80 agreements have been signed between teams from around the world and facilities across the UK confirming Pre-Games Training Camps.

LOCOG is committed to making sure that the London 2012 Games will be the most accessible possible and that everyone has the opportunity to be involved with the Games.

London will be left with world class sporting facilities and significant investment by both the Government and Mayor of London will see more young people participating in sport, more coaches and a better sporting infrastructure

Olympics Committee Issues Social Media Guidelines For London 2012, Including Domains

2011-06-29T05:01:00.001-07:00

There are not many organisations in the world that are as vociferous in their control of their trademarks as the International Olympic Committee. With the London Olympics scheduled for 2012, the IOC has issued social media guidelines for participants and other accredited persons.

The guidelines also refer to domain names that include "the word 'Olympic' or 'Olympics' or any similar words related thereto (or any foreign language equivalents thereof) are not allowed unless approved by the IOC beforehand."

The IOC gives the example of[myname]olympic.com which would not be permitted while [myname].com/olympic would be allowed, but only during the period of the Olympic Games during which these Guidelines are applicable. The guidelines also note that "participants and other accredited persons may not create stand-alone Olympic-themed websites, application or any other feature to host coverage of the Olympic Games."

On social media such as Twitter and Facebook, the control continues. The guidelines state "the IOC encourages participants and other accredited persons to post comments on social media platforms or websites and tweet during the Olympic Games, and it is entirely acceptable for a participant or any other accredited person to do a personal posting, blog or tweet. However, any such postings, blogs or tweets should be in a first-person, diarytype format and should not be in the role of a journalist - i.e. they must not report on competition or comment on the activities of other participants or accredited persons, or disclose any information which is confidential or private in relation to any other person or organisation. A tweet is regarded in this respect as a short blog and the same guidelines are in effect, again, in first-person, diary-type format.

"Postings, blogs and tweets should at all times conform to the Olympic spirit and fundamental principles of Olympism as contained in the Olympic Charter, be dignified and in good taste, and not contain vulgar or obscene words or images."

Olympics Tourch Pictures

2011-06-07T02:08:00.000-07:00

The first Olympic torch relay was organised by the Nazis for the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. The regime used fire to connect symbolically the Third Reich with ancient Greece, which saw light as a emblem of purity.

After the Second World War, the concept of an Olympic torch relay was reprised for the 1948 Games in London. During what was known as the 'relay of peace', the Olympic flame was carried by an Italian marksman through the streets of Bari on its way to London.

Yoshinori Sakai, nicknamed the 'Hiroshima baby', was born in the city on the day the atomic bomb was dropped. He was chosen to light the cauldron at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.

The Olympic Flame, Torch and Relay History

2011-05-18T02:57:00.000-07:00

The Olympic Flame, Torch and Relay draw on a history going back to the ancient Olympic Games in Greece.

The ancient Games

The Torch and Relay were important elements of the cultural festivals surrounding the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece.

During the Games, a sacred flame burned continually on the altar of the goddess, Hera. In addition, heralds were summoned to travel throughout Greece to announce the Games, declaring a sacred truce for the duration.

Spreading the light from Greece: the modern Games

A very precise ritual for the lighting of the Flame is followed at every Games. It is lit from the sun's rays at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, in a traditional ceremony among the ruins of the home of the Ancient Games.

After a short relay around Greece, the Flame is handed over to the new Host City at another ceremony in the Panathenaiko stadium in Athens.

The Flame is then delivered to the Host Country, where it is transferred from one Torchbearer to another, spreading the message of peace, unity and friendship. It ends its journey as the last Torchbearer lights the cauldron at the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in the Olympic Stadium, marking the official start of the Games.The Flame is extinguished on the final day of the Games, at the Closing Ceremony.

The Olympic Torch Relay will start at Land's End on Saturday 19 May 2012

2011-05-18T02:50:00.000-07:00

Located in the entrancing surroundings of Cornwall, Land's End will provide a spectacular backdrop for the start of the Olympic Torch Relay.

Situated at the extreme south-westerly point of the British mainland, Land's End is approximately eight miles west-southwest of Penzance.

Land's End is a place of the first and the last, and many journeys have started from here to that other extremity on the British mainland, John O’Groats. This distance of 874 miles by road defines the length of many races, walks or charitable events.

Visitors to the area can stand on the cliff tops and experience the pounding surf of the wild Atlantic; on a clear day the Isles of Scilly might even be visible on the vast horizon.

See the Olympic Torch Relay map

Cornwall is a place with an ancient past. Standing stones still dot the landscape a few miles inland from Land’s End, and Roman seafarers came to Cornwall to trade for tin. Later, the rich mineral resources enabled Cornwall to lead the way in the industrial revolution and many of its former mining districts are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, Cornwall is transforming into a centre for innovative, knowledge-based businesses, and offers a vibrant cultural life.

Tourism forms an essential part of Cornwall’s economy. The county welcomes four million visitors annually, not just for traditional seaside holidays and the vast selection of sandy beaches but to enjoy sub-tropical gardens, adrenaline-filled sports and a marvellous array of festivals and events. On top of this, Cornwall is home to indulgent spas, sublime walks and tantalising restaurants with fresh produce.

Olympics Stadium 2012

2011-03-06T02:35:00.000-08:00

An aerial view of the Olympic Stadium, which is structurally complete with the roof and all the spectator seats installed. The lighting towers are in place and the lights have been tested

An aerial view of the Olympic Stadium, which is now structurally complete with roof and lighting towers in place. Work is progressing on the field of play and installing the seats.Nov 2010

Cricket Power:Get into the action and lead your nation to glory!

2011-02-14T04:01:00.000-08:00

Abu Dubai, February 14, 2010: Cricket Power, the official video game of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is now available to audiences worldwide, just in time for the ICC World Cup season, kicking off February 19. The game is published by Karkadann Games, a world -class gaming studio recently launched by Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC).

Tailored to a casual gaming audience, Cricket Power is a browser based simulation game developed around the tenth edition of the tournament, featuring all real-life teams and favourite players participating in the ICC Cricket World Cup 201. The game includes an offline single player, online tournament mode, statistics tracking, challenging opponents and a myriad of other features that create a compelling and authentic gameplay experience, instantly transforming gamers from couch potatoes into heroes with the swing of a bat!

"We are all huge fans of gaming and cricket. With Cricket Power we leveraged our resources to deliver the best cricket playing experience possible online: a game that captures the unique elements of the sport itself - its physicality, technicality and skill, while creating an entertaining and immersive experience for gamers and cricket fans all over the world”, said of David Ortiz, General Manager of Karkadann Games.

“Cricket Power is an important addition to the line-up of activities and events surrounding the ICC Cricket World Cup this year. It certainly gives us the opportunity to showcase this treasured game and engage a wider audience through a platform like online gaming, which is becoming more prevalent and relevant to the next generations of cricket fans”, said Campbell Jamieson, General Manager – Commercial of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“Securing this license to produce the online game based on the pinnacle event in the world of cricket is a strategic step in our positioning as a world class developer and publisher of games, and in the development of our portfolio of original and engaging titles for both Middle East and international audiences”, commented Ortiz. “We are also pleased with the partnership with Mindstorm, the Pakistan-based studio we chose to develop the game”, concluded Ortiz.

Think you've got what it takes. Can you rise and lead your country to glory?

Go to http://www.cricketpower.com to find out! The game is free to try and only $9.99 to buy.

Athletes' Village -Olympics 2012

2011-02-13T00:59:00.000-08:00

Artistic View of Olympics Village

The vibrant Athletes' Village will be situated in the Olympic Park, within walking distance of the venues - enhancing the experience of athletes and officials.

During the Games

During the Games the Athletes' Village will comprise residential apartments for around 17,000 athletes and officials, along with shops, restaurants, medical, media and leisure facilities and large areas of open space.

The Village will also include a 'Village Plaza’ where athletes can meet with friends and family. The plan retains London's tradition of building homes around communal squares and courtyards, with water features accentuating the closeness of the River Lea.

Work Progress June 2010

Work Progress 2009

Athletes will have an inspirational view over the Park. Every apartment will provide comfortable accommodation and state-of-the-art communications facilities, including internet access and wireless networking. All the apartment blocks will be fully accessible and equipped with modern lifts.

Athletes will have easy access to the travel and leisure facilities of the adjacent Stratford City complex, and the High Speed 1 Javelin® shuttle service will link the Village to central London in just seven minutes.

During the Games the Village will include ‘back of house’ operations, and services for athletes such as catering and transport. The majority of these will be accommodated in temporary structures on sites that can be cleared for development immediately after the Games.

After the Games

After the Games, the Athletes' Village will be a lasting legacy of essential new housing for east London. It will be transformed into 2,800 new homes, including 1,379 affordable homes. The communities that develop in the area after the Games will be supported by new parks, open space, transport links, and community facilities including Chobham Academy – a world-class new education campus with 1,800 places for students aged 3-19.

Incredible India' floors Intl media with dazzling CWG opening -Times of India

2010-10-03T23:44:00.000-07:00

" India has arrived" -- this summed up the international media comments on the dazzling opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi on Sunday.

Newspapers in two major Commonwealth countries, Australia and Great Britain, used terms like 'An ancient land opens its heart to the world', 'India opens doors to the world at opening ceremony' and 'India sweeps aside Games shame' to describe the two-hour cultural extravaganza that unfolded at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium last night.

People across Britain watched the ceremony live on BBC and were all praise for it with NRI Industrialist Lord Swraj Paul summing up the public reaction by stating, "India has done itself proud. It was a great show." 'The Guardian' newspaper said it was a moment of national pride for India, which had drawn flak for the troubled build-up to the Games.

"'India has arrived': spectacular ceremony opens Commonwealth Games," read the newspaper's headline. "Concerns of recent weeks forgotten as dazzling event launches games amid atmosphere of national pride and celebrations," it said.

"At exactly two minutes past seven tonight, a huge inflatable blimp rose slowly and smoothly into the hot air above Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to the sound of hundreds of traditional drums, pipes and conch shells, and the cheers of 65,000 people.

"This was the moment that 1.2 billion people - there are few in India who were still unaware of the event - had been waiting for," it added. 'The Daily Telegraph' marvelled at how smoothly the ceremony was conducted after all the organisational goof-ups that marred its run-up.

"No collapsing scenery or malfunctioning sound system. No fluffed lines, botched choreography or missed cues and not a single stray dog in sight. The preparations for the XIXth Commonwealth Games may have been an unmitigated disaster but India certainly knows how to put on a show," it said.

"A dazzling, colourful, high-octane opening ceremony that was part Bollywood, part cultural extravaganza, did much to dispel the nightmares of the past fortnight, thrilling a sell-out crowd in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium as well as the athletes and officials from 71 Commonwealth nations.

"It even managed to start on time, to the very second, proving there are some deadlines that Games organisers are capable of meeting," the newspaper said taking a dig at the missed venue-completion deadlines that threatened to derail the Games at one stage.

'The Daily Mail' was also effusive in its praise of the ceremony which showcased the centuries-old Indian culture to a packed crowd. "Commonwealth Games kick off in style with stunning opening ceremony... but the real test lies ahead," the newspaper said.

"The XIX Commonwealth Games crawled up off the canvas last night with a display of pageantry and technical wizardry that, finally, projected the image India craved on to two billion television sets around the world.

"And not a single tier of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium fell down. The bungling organisers promised it would be all right on the night, and so it proved with this sparkling opening ceremony.

"In the stadium - possibly 10,000 short of its 60,000 capacity - you sensed India wanted a pat on the back, and to cement their image as an emergent economic powerhouse despite the deservedly bad press they received over the last few weeks," it added.

The newspaper also made a mention of the jeers that greeted Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, who had drawn massive criticism for the floundering run-up to the Games.

"...the crowds' anger at the alleged corruption and incompetence of the politicians was clear when the chairman of the Organising Committee, Suresh Kalmadi, had part of his speech drowned out by derision," it said.

The reaction in Australia was also positive after being stinging in its criticism of the Games' preparation. "India put on its best face on Sunday night and pulled off a brilliant opening ceremony that was extraordinary in its ambition and execution. It was everything the organisers had promised and more - an energetic celebration of all India has been and all it intends to be," read 'The Daily Telegraph'.

"The kick-off to Delhi 2010 was an historic event that well and truly answered the question on everyone's lips over the past two months: "Can they get it finished on time?"

"Delhi's extravaganza more than favourably compared with the great opening ceremonies of recent times," it added. 'The Sydney Morning Herald' said the ceremony was well beyond what could have been expected after the shoddy build-up.

"Delhi's Commonwealth Games has managed yet another surprise, with the opening ceremony defying expectations last night to start on time before going off without a hitch to delight a crowd of 50,000 with a rich and exciting pageant befitting a country as vast and populous as India," the newspaper said.

"The ceremony to celebrate India's amazing cultural diversity took place behind a thick drape of security with soldiers and police outside Jawaharlal Nehru stadium matching the crowd of around 50,000 for numbers, if not for noise," it said.

'The Australian' said it was a ceremony that made India's "troubles seem so far away."

"After a lead-up plagued by terror threats, a bridge collapse, a shambolic village, the first case of dengue fever and more, India delivered a brilliant and lively opening ceremony," it said. "A vibrant celebration of 5000 years of Indian culture - with just a hint of Bollywood - was showcased in a performance involving more than 6000 artists.

"There were no visible glitches. India delivered, and all 71 nations took part in the march despite threats by some countries to pull out," it added.

The newspaper also lauded the sartorial sense of the 619-strong Indian contingent that walked into the stadium in traditional dresses.

"India has won the first unofficial gold medal of the Games - for best team uniform," it said.

"Indian Games officials should feel proud of the opening ceremony, classy and showy but somehow warmer and less contrived than the Beijing experience. No collapsed bridges. No slithering snakes. No collapsing roof and, blow me down, before a late blow-out she almost ran on time.

The Indian athletes looked like royalty in their smart traditional maroon tops with gold braided scarves. Slick and sensational," it added.

Nehru Planetarium in Delhi to open Friday

2010-09-29T00:03:00.000-07:00

New Delhi, Sep 29 : The Nehru Planetarium in Delhi, which was closed for renovation since April, will open for public from Friday, just two days ahead of the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games.
The planetarium, renovated at a cost of Rs. 11 crore, will be inaugurated by Nehru Memorial Museum and Library executive council chairman Karan Singh.
It will run several programmes during the Games to attract visitors.
"There are a number of interesting activities that will be made available to visitors at the planetarium during the Commonwealth Games. An exciting interactive exhibition has been installed in the planetarium foyer area by the National Council of Science Museums," Nehru Planetarium director N. Rathnasree said Wednesday.
"The planetarium will be conducting live interactive shows for the visitors at specific times during Oct 3-14. One segment of these live shows will be aimed towards astronomy education and celebrating the skies, while a second segment of the live shows will be celebrating the city of Delhi."
Several other fun-filled activities are also planned at the planetarium during the mega sporting event. An interaction session with the first Indian in space, Rakesh Sharma, is also planned at the planetarium later this month.
Explaining the new features at the planetarium, Rathnasree said: "We have put up a new Definition Optical star projector, called MEGASTAR, which can show two million stars, including a detailed Milky Way image."
"The nearby galaxies are visible with such detail that they are best viewed with binoculars. Working with the optical projector, a stunning new Definition digital projection system takes audiences on fantastic journeys to the edge of the known universe," she said.
Nehru Planetarium will run some new shows -- 'Chandra : A Stellar Life', 'Ultimate Universe', 'Dawn of Space Age' and 'Awesome Light'.
The planetarium, housed in the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) complex at Teen Murti Marg, was closed in April for a period of six months to carry out renovation work. The renovation work was carried out by the National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata.
Opened in 1984, Nehru Planetarium runs programmes aimed at astronomy education.

Shah Rukh Khan To Perform on CWG 2010 Opening Ceremony.

2010-09-27T22:44:00.000-07:00

Commonwealth Games starting from 3rd October is going through lot of controversies. To add more glamour Bollywood King Khan Shah Rukh Khan is expected to attend the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games 2010 starting on October, 3rd. Bollywood Superstar Shah Rukh Khan has been approached to perform at the opening ceremony of CWG on October 3rd, 2010.
Shah Rukh Khan is known to be a sports lover, & thus Commonwealth Organization is hoping to add some positive energy to the event after much bad controversies. King Khan has been approached to perform at the opening ceremony of CWG on October 3rd, 2010. According to some sources of the Commonwealth Games, Shah Rukh Khan will be present on the starting day of the show to encourage participants and audiences.
When asked about Shah Rukh Khan attending the opening ceremony of CWG, Viraf Sarkari, the director who is responsible for the opening and closing ceremony of Commonwealth Games said, “I am sure Shah Rukh Khan will be invited by the organizing committee and he will let us know whether he will be able to attend the ceremony in accordance to his schedule. It will be great to have him at the event.”

When enquired about the other Bollywood stars participating in the event, Sarkari says, “Presently the opening ceremony is totally cultural in setting and is not focused on Bollywood. The event will showcase programs that are at per with Indian cultural heritage and we are trying hard to make the event grand and enjoyable.”
Oscar-winning musician A R Rahman had launched the CWG theme song ‘ India bula liya’ at Sarkari’s entertainment hub, ‘Kingdom of Dreams’.Surprisingly the song which is not appreciated much costs around Rs5.55 crore.

Commonwealth Games teams arriving in New Delhi are shocked at lack of preparation

2010-09-26T22:49:00.000-07:00

THE Commonwealth Games Federation wants immediate action from India to fix what it calls a "seriously compromised" athletes' village in New Delhi.
The federation's demand of the Indian government came as New Zealand's team chief said the Games, due to run from October 3-14, were at risk of being called off because of the ill-prepared state of the athletes' village.
Commonweath Games Federation president Michael Fennell said advance parties from participating nations arriving in the Indian capital had been “shocked” at what they had seen.
“Many issues remain unresolved and as such last night I wrote to the Indian cabinet secretary, expressing my great concern with the preparedness of the athletes village ...,” he said in a statement.
“Many nations that have already sent their advanced parties to set up within the village have made it abundantly clear that, as of the afternoon of September 20, the Commonwealth Games Village is seriously compromised.”
New Zealand officials are one of the team delegations already in New Delhi, and officials said dirty and unhealthy conditions at the village were compromising the entire Games.
Chef de mission Dave Currie said large sections of the village were still not ready, with the clock ticking to its official opening on Thursday.
“The reality is that if the village is not ready and athletes can't come, the implications are that it's not going to happen,” Currie told New Zealand commercial radio, referring to the Games as a whole.
“I think they are in severe difficulties.
“In the timeframe that is left, unless there is tremendous effort and energy and problem solving ability to get it done, I think it's going to be extremely hard to get across the line.
“They've got a little bit of time but it's kind of two seconds to midnight really.”
Currie's warning came after Australian and New Zealand officials pointed to concerns about security following a gun attack in Sunday in the Indian capital.
Fennell said the village was the cornerstone of any Games and athletes deserved the best possible environment to prepare.
“The condition of the residential zone has shocked the majority of Commonwealth Games Associations that are in Delhi,” he said.
“Despite their attempts to work with the Organising Committee in a constructive manner since arriving on September 15, significant operational matters remain unaddressed.”
He said problems had arisen because deadlines for the completion of the village had consistently been missed.
“Now, the high security around the site, while vital, is slowing progress and complicating solutions,” he added.
“Security remains of the utmost importance to the CGF and our advisors continue to monitor the situation. Currently, this matter remains on track.
“However, with the village to be officially opened on September 23, timely acceptable solutions to prepare for the arrival of athletes are of paramount importance.
“The CGF has asked the cabinet secretary to immediately deploy the necessary resources to fix all the outstanding issues to an acceptable level.”
Australian Commonwealth Games Association chief executive Perry Crosswhite is staying in the village, and has told Australia's chef de mission Steve Moneghetti of problems.
“He mentioned to me about the state of the village and the New Zealanders are concerned about the state of some of the finishing and some of the IT services are not quite complete,” Moneghetti told reporters in Melbourne.
Crosswhite was not immediately available for comment but Moneghetti said Indian organisers “have got two days to do what's probably going to take about two weeks”, referring to the looming arrival of athletes.
“When I spoke to Perry yesterday he said there were some furnishings, some problems with the information technology that he was concerned about ... but he didn't seem that concerned about the overall condition of the village itself,” Moneghetti said.
“It's probably not up to western standards ... but hopefully it will be suitable for the athletes.”
Currie said the half-built nature of New Zealand's proposed initial accommodation was “extraordinarily disappointing”.
He said there was still a large amount of post-construction clean-up to be completed, along with issues surrounding cleanliness, plumbing, wiring, internet and mobile phones.
“It's pretty grim really and certainly disappointing when you consider the amount of time they've had to get the village ready for athletes to arrive,” he said.
New Zealand Olympic Committee president Mike Stanley and secretary-general Barry Maister were travelling to Delhi today.
Stanley said New Zealand was working with five other nations - Australia, England, Scotland, Wales and Canada - in assessing preparations for the Games.
He said the group had voiced their concerns “at the highest possible level”.
“What they are frustrated by is not enough action, not enough quick action, to see that, between the time we have now and the athletes coming into the village, or even the opening of the Games, things are going to be ready,” Stanley said.
“As the clock ticks down, that becomes more critical.”

Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010

2010-09-25T23:20:00.000-07:00

With the Commonwealth Games 2010 drawing close, the host city Delhi gears up its preparations for the mega event. The plans are underway for providing supporting facilities to cater to the requirements that will arise during the influx of tourists and sport buffs. The city is undergoing a major facelift to build adequate infrastructure by 2010. The Government of India is spending $17.5 billion for overall modernization of the capital city. The plans are also ahead to offer sops for hotels and resorts for commonwealth games to fill up the chasm between available accommodation and the demand during the games.
Infrastructure
New Delhi is a world class city with modern sophistications already in place. For 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, the city is undergoing a rapid facelift. Development of mass rapid transit system, construction of new highways, development of public transport system, construction of new power plants, water utility services and health care services is in the full swing. New games venues are being constructed and the old ones are being renovated. The emphasis is placed on overall city beautification, traffic management, parking space, security and health services. A modern Games Village is being built on the banks of Yamuna which will accommodate 8500 athletes and officials. Situated near the major sights of tourist attraction, the Games Village will be spread over an area of 63.5 hectares.
Transport
Transport is one of the most concerned area for the planners. Plans are underway to construct new flyovers, cloverleafs and bridges to provide connectivity to the games stadia, hospitals and Games Village. National highways are being expanded and widened. Plans are ahead to make Delhi's both ring roads signal free. For linking Ring road to Lodhi Road, a four-lane, 2.2-km-long tunnel is proposed which will link Games Village to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. High Capacity Bus Systems are planned to be operational on 9 corridors by 2010. Delhi Metro is also being expanded to accommodate more people during the 2010 games. Indira Gandhi International Airport is undergoing a major revampment. A two tier terminal will be constructed by 2010 games. The bottom area of this terminal will be used for arrivals while top level for departures. There will be 130 check-in counters, 55 aerobridges, 30 parking bays, 72 immigration counters, 15 X-ray screening areas and much more at IGI by the year 2010. The airport will be connected to the city via a 6-lane highway (NH8) and Delhi Metro.

Common wealth Games 2010 Theme Song

2010-09-25T01:23:00.000-07:00

Commonwealth Games 2010 Competition Venues

2010-09-23T05:09:00.000-07:00

Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Swimming Stadium

Dr. S. P. Mukherjee Aquatics Complex will host Diving and Swimming events for the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi. The upgraded and renovated complex has the latest state-of-the-art facilities so as to meet the international standards required to host world-class aquatic events.

The complex now has the largest cohestrand supported, breathable, elliptical shaped aluminium roof with span of 150 m x 130 m, which is first of its kind in the world. The stadium is the largest covered aquatic stadium in the country having Olympic sized swimming and diving pools and six lanes’ warm up pool.

The venue has incorporated the passive design principles such as natural ventilation, natural light and insulation wherever possible. To achieve a higher level of thermal and sound comfort and energy efficiency, an 8 m deep eaves projection supported on a radial shear wall shades the glass facade

The complex is located on the ridge forest area of Central Delhi and care has been taken so as to save a large number of trees, to maintain ecological sustainability.

Swimming and Diving

Capacity 5,178

Competition Arena One competition pool - 8 lanes; one diving pool; one warm-up pool - 6 lanes

Distance from Games Village 12 km

Competition Date Swimming: 4- 9 October 2010

Diving: 10-13 October 2010

Synchronised Swimming: 6-7 October 2010

Para Sport-Swimming: 5 -9 October 2010

Entry Gates 5 (entry through Talkatora Garden)

Nearest Metro Station - Rama Krishna Ashram Marg, Patel Chow

Talkatora Indoor Stadium

Upgraded Talkatora Indoor Stadium was inaugurated on 25 February 2010. The stadium is a unique piece of architecture with an elegant look. It will host Delhi 2010’s Boxing events.

The stadium has been connected to a tunnel which will be used by the athletes, it has multiple facilities which include acoustic ceiling of dome, scoreboard, video screens and sports lighting. A number of environment-friendly material and energy-efficient devices have been used in this block to make it a green building.

Boxing

Capacity 3,035

Competition Arena One competition ring; four warm-up areas

Distance from Games Village 11 km

Competition Date 5-13 October 2010

Entry Gates 8 and 9 (entry through Talkatora Garden)

Nearest Metro Station - Rama Krishna Ashram Marg, Patel Chowk

Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium

Built to host the first Asian Games in 1951, the stadium is often referred as “the temple of Indian Hockey”. Named after the legendary hockey player and Olympian Major Dhyan Chand, the stadium has hosted major hockey events including IX Asian Games Hockey and Hero Honda FIH Hockey World Cup 2010.

The Stadium boasts of two brand new synthetic hockey turfs and has a capacity of 20,000. The hockey pitches are equipped with floodlights and electronic and video-matrix scoreboard.

Hockey

Capacity Pitch I: 19,118; Pitch II: 2,500

Competition Arena Two competition pitches; one warm-up pitch

Distance from Games Village 10 km

Competition Date 4-14 October 2010

Entry Gates Gate Number 3 (High court Road)

Gate Number 5 (Mathura Road)

Gate Number 6 (Purana Qila Road)

Nearest Metro Station - Udyog Bhawan, Pragati Maidan, Mandi House

Commonwealth Games 2010 Venues

2010-09-23T04:51:00.000-07:00

Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex

The legendary Jawaharlal Nehru Sports (JNS) Complex, named after the first Prime Minister of India, was the main venue for the IX Asian Games in 1982. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is situated near the Central Government Offices (C.G.O.) Complex in the Lodhi Road area. It’s an all-purpose sports complex and has hosted many sports events.

Renovated for the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex is the main venue for the mega-sporting event hosting, apart from Athletics, Lawn Bowls and Weightlifting, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies will showcase India’s great civilisation, its history, cultural diversity, varied art forms, music and dance.

The unique membrane roof will shelter 60,000 spectators. The main stadium has two outer basket-like supporting columned structures carrying not only the compression rings but also the complete ramp system for access and evacuation.

Athletics

Capacity 60,000

Competition Arena 400 m 9 lane Conica Synthetic surface Athletic track with 10 lanes in Home Straight, 60 m 4 lane Conica Synthetic surface strip at Indoor hold up area and two warm up areas - 8 lane Conica synthetic surface track and for Long Throws

Distance from Games Village 12 km
Competition Date 6-12 October 2010
Entry Gates 6, 9 and 14
Lawn Bowls
Capacity 2,111
Competition Arena Four competition synthetic greens with flood lights
Distance from Games Village 12 km
Competition Date 4-13 October 2010
Entry Gates 14
Weightlifting
Capacity 2,500
Competition Arena One competition platform; 12 warm-up platforms
Distance from Games Village 12 km
Competition Date 4 -12 October 2010
Entry Gates 18
Nearest Metro Station - Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium, Jorbagh, Jungpura
Thyagaraj Sports Complex

Thyagaraj Sports Complex is built especially for Delhi 2010’s Netball competition. Inaugurated on 2 April 2010 by Mrs. Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi, the Stadium is India’s first Netball stadium and is named after the 18th century south Indian poet-composer Thyagaraj (4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847).

It is India’s first-ever model Green Venue built with the latest green building technologies. The stadium has an R.C.C. structure with steel roofing and the flooring work has been done by using granite, recycled PVC, carpets, epoxy and Kota stone. The stadium has maple wood flooring in the central arena.
Netball

Capacity 4,494
Competition Arena One match court; two warm-up courts
Distance from Games Village 15 km
Competition Date 4-14 October 2010
Entry Gates 4
Indira Gandhi Sports Complex

Indira Gandhi Sports Complex is located on the western bank of Yamuna River, in close proximity to the Delhi Secretariat (to its East) and the historical Ferozshah Kotla citadel (to its West). Built in the year 1982 to host the indoor sports events of the Asian Games, it is spread over an area of 102 acres.

The stadium, the largest indoor stadium in India, is being equipped with intricate audio and lighting systems, making it adequate for High Definition Television (HDTV) transmission.

Gymnastics

Capacity 14,348

Competition Arena One indoor stadium; two warm-up halls

Distance from Games Village 6 km

Rhythmic Gymnastics: 12 -14 October 2010

Entry Gates 7

Cycling

Capacity 4,000

Competition Arena 250 m covered Timber Track (a/c)

Distance from Games Village 6 km

Competition Date 5-8 October 2010

Entry Gates 7

Wrestling

Capacity 6,932

Competition Arena Three competition mat areas; six warm-up mat areas

Distance from Games Village 6 km

Competition Date 5-10 October 2010

Entry Gates 7

Australian swim team confident in security measures in Delhi: Huegill, Mitcham

2010-09-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI: Australia’s butterfly swimming star Geoff Huegill has said his team-mates and he were not considering pulling out of next month’s Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi. The 31-year-old said his fellow swimmers and he were confident in the security measures that would be in place for athletes.

“I'm actually quite excited to get over there to tell you the truth,” Huegill told the Australia Associated Press on Wednesday. “I haven't had a chance to go to India yet but when you speak to anyone that has been India, this is exactly what their culture and what their lifestyle is all about. It's all chaos, it's all excitement, it's all fun and it's all colourful.

Part of the Australian swim team's leadership group, Huegill said he understood world discus champion Dani Samuels' decision to withdraw from the Games due to concerns about safety.

“Obviously Dani has to look after herself and if she doesn't feel safe or secure about the situation she's going to be in then I fully understand that,” Huegill said. “But I've been speaking to a few of the other guys on the team and none of us are concerned at all. In terms of security we've all had our briefings ... we're going to be protected at the pool, we're going to be protected at the Village and we're not worried one bit at all.

“We've all got our mosquito nets and we're all going to be packing our pillows,” he said. “I think we have to remember, while we are used to staying in some pretty nice, high-rise places, India is still classed as a third-world country. So to them what might seem really adequate might not be as adequate or at the level we think so I think for us as athletes, we don't want to show any disrespect to them.

“It's hard to see a major international meet go by where there aren't little technical hiccups. But in saying that, as an athlete that's going over there to compete I'm absolutely looking forward to it,” Huegill said.

Other swimmers like Eamon Sullivan and Ashley Callus also declared they were still intent on competing in Delhi. Divers Matthew Mitcham and Alex Croak also declared they would not withdraw without a direct recommendation from the Federal Government and the Australian Commonwealth Games Association.

“I feel 100 per cent safe,” Olympic gold medallist Mitcham declared

London 2012 Olympics may pay more in security costs

2010-09-19T23:23:00.000-07:00

Extra security could see the cost of the London 2012 Olympics rise by up to £180m ($280.6m), but organisers say the event will meet its £9.3bn budget.
In its latest financial report, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said the anticipated final cost was set to rise by an extra £21m.
But a further £110m to £160m could be spent on securing the Olympic Park and venues during the Games and afterwards.
The extra cash will come from the remaining £1.25bn contingency fund.
It is also hoped to find savings elsewhere to help pay for the extra security costs.
Extra responsibility
"As we enter the busiest and most exciting phase of the Olympic project so far, this report shows we are still on time and still on budget," Olympics minister Tessa Jowell said in a statement.
In the wake of a government review, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has been given additional responsibility for security and operations between 2011 and 2013.
These extra security tasks will cover pre-games testing, the period when the games are being held, and the immediate legacy period after the games.
The ODA is responsible for delivering the games infrastructure - such as venues, the Olympic village, media centre and other assets - and the security surrounding their building and management.
Their security responsibilities are separate from those imposed on the London Olympic Games Organising Committee (Locog).
Locog is responsible for security around the sporting event, and a separate budget of £600m budget - which includes policing costs - has been put aside for this task.

Cricket makes Olympics bid

2010-09-19T00:52:00.000-07:00

The England and Wales Cricket Board has begun a campaign to have Twenty20 cricket included in future Olympics.
The International Cricket Council has already approached the International Olympic Committee at the ECB's behest.
London is one of five cities still in the running to host the 2012 Games and if successful, the ECB would like cricket to be part of the event.
Cricket was last part of the Games in Paris in 1900 when Great Britain beat France to take the gold medal.
The Twenty20 Cup was a huge success in its inaugural season in English cricket last summer, attracting 250,000 spectators to games.
Designed to attract a new younger audience into the game, it has since spread to South Africa and the USA will soon have its own version called Pro Cricket.
The England women's team will play New Zealand in the first international Twenty20 fixture in August, with the men due to take on Australia next summer as a curtain-raiser to the Ashes series.
Inclusion in the Olympics could follow in the longer term if the IOC is receptive to the idea.

"We are exploring the possibility of making Twenty20 an Olympic Sport," said ECB chief executive Tim Lamb.
"We have had preliminary discussions with the ICC about the possibility of them making a case for Twenty20 to be incorporated at the 2012 Olympics, particularly if London is successful in its bid.
"If that's too soon, perhaps further down the line. Twenty20 in 2020, who knows?
"The ICC have expressed initial interest and a willingness to explore the issue further if there is a clear desire to do so within the international cricket community."
This season's Twenty20 Cup will have a new innovation with umpires wearing microphones so they can explain their decisions to TV viewers.
"Our aim this year has been to increase attendance over last year, and we are certainly on track to achieve this," said ECB marketing manager Tom Harrison.

India at the Olympics

2010-09-15T23:05:00.000-07:00

India first participated at the Olympic Games in 1900, with a lone athlete (Norman Pritchard) winning two medals in athletics. The nation first sent a team to the Summer Olympic Games in 1920, and has participated in every Summer Games since then. India has also competed at several Winter Olympic Games since 1964.
Indian athletes have won a total of 20 medals, mostly in field hockey. For a period of time, India's men's field hockey team was dominant in Olympic competition, winning eleven medals in twelve Olympiads between 1928 and 1980, including six successive gold medals from 1928–1956

History of the Olympics

2010-09-15T00:49:00.000-07:00

According to legend, the ancient Olympic Games were founded by Heracles (the Roman Hercules), a son of Zeus. Yet the first Olympic Games for which we still have written records were held in 776 BCE (though it is generally believed that the Games had been going on for many years already). At this Olympic Games, a naked runner, Coroebus (a cook from Elis), won the sole event at the Olympics, the stade - a run of approximately 192 meters (210 yards). This made Coroebus the very first Olympic champion in history.
The ancient Olympic Games grew and continued to be played every four years for nearly 1200 years. In 393 CE, the Roman emperor Theodosius I, a Christian, abolished the Games because of their pagan influences.
Approximately 1500 years later, a young Frenchmen named Pierre de Coubertin began their revival. Coubertin is now known as le Rénovateur. Coubertin was a French aristocrat born on January 1, 1863. He was only seven years old when France was overrun by the Germans during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Some believe that Coubertin attributed the defeat of France not to its military skills but rather to the French soldiers' lack of vigor.* After examining the education of the German, British, and American children, Coubertin decided that it was exercise, more specifically sports, that made a well-rounded and vigorous person.
Coubertin's attempt to get France interested in sports was not met with enthusiasm. Still, Coubertin persisted. In 1890, he organized and founded a sports organization, Union des Sociétés Francaises de Sports Athlétiques (USFSA). Two years later, Coubertin first pitched his idea to revive the Olympic Games. At a meeting of the Union des Sports Athlétiques in Paris on November 25, 1892, Coubertin stated,
Let us export our oarsmen, our runners, our fencers into other lands. That is the true Free Trade of the future; and the day it is introduced into Europe the cause of Peace will have received a new and strong ally. It inspires me to touch upon another step I now propose and in it I shall ask that the help you have given me hitherto you will extend again, so that together we may attempt to realise [sic], upon a basis suitable to the conditions of our modern life, the splendid and beneficent task of reviving the Olympic Games.**
His speech did not inspire action. Though Coubertin was not the first to propose the revival of the Olympic Games, he was certainly the most well-connected and persistent of those to do so. Two years later, Coubertin organized a meeting with 79 delegates who represented nine countries. He gathered these delegates in an auditorium that was decorated by neoclassical murals and similar additional points of ambiance. At this meeting, Coubertin eloquently spoke of the revival of the Olympic Games. This time, Coubertin aroused interest.
The delegates at the conference voted unanimously for the Olympic Games. The delegates also decided to have Coubertin construct an international committee to organize the Games. This committee became the International Olympic Committee (IOC; Comité Internationale Olympique) and Demetrious Vikelas from Greece was selected to be its first president. Athens was chosen as the location for the revival of the Olympic Games and the planning was begun.

Olympic tower to top Statue of Liberty

2010-09-13T22:41:00.000-07:00

A $31 million rollercoaster-style tower taller than the Statue of Liberty is set to be London's iconic Olympic image in 2012, colourful Mayor Boris Johnson announced overnight.
Designed by Turner Prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor, the swirling, rollercoaster track-like steel structure will stand 115 metres tall - 22 metres taller than the iconic New York statue.
Called The Orbit, the sculpture is set to be the United Kingdom's biggest piece of public art at a cost of $31 million.
Mr Johnson rejected claims that Britain was "nuts" to be unveiling such an ambitious piece of public art after only just scraping out of recession.
He said the tower could be described as: "A giant treble clef, a helter-skelter, a super-sized mutant trombone. Some may even see the world's biggest-ever represenation of a shisha pipe and call it the hubble-bubble."
Love it or hate it, it will be a conversation piece, and Mr Johnson says London's Olympic city needed something to be remembered by.
"We thought if Brussels could have the Atomium, remember, for the World Fair in Brussels ... the world's most inaccurate model of a carbon molecule but still visited by thousands of people, hundreds of thousands of people, only Paris could have the Eiffel Tower, then we thought our great Olympic site had to have something," he said.
Mr Johnson is well aware Britain has just had a close shave with recession but he defends the artistic expense and hopes the $31 million Orbit will represent the dynamism of a country emerging from recession.
"I know very well there will be people who will say we are nuts, we are barmy, in the depths of a recession, to be building Britain's biggest piece of public art," he said.
"Now's a fantastic time. Now is a fantastic time. The Olympic effort is helping to keep the British construction industry going."
Informed by AM that Australia has a soft spot for London's ever-unpredictable, larger-than-life mayor, he replied: "Australia loves me? G'day Australia!"
"Can I just say hello to all my cousins, Mark and Paul and James and Stephen and Jenny Lynne and everybody else."
"I don't think this is a crazy stunt. I want to be absolutely clear," he added.
"This is a very hard-headed venture. We need to justify huge amounts of money that we are investing in east London and so we need to make sure people come to east London for generations to come and look at this thing, and go up it, and then go and shop at Westfields and hang out."
For his part, Kapoor says the tower is the "commission of a lifetime".
"I am deeply honoured to be invited to undertake this challenging commission," Kapoor said.
"I am particularly attracted to it because of the opportunity to involve members of the public in a particularly close and personal way."
About 700 people an hour should be able to go up the tower, which will give views over the stadium in Stratford, east London, and the surrounding Olympic Park.
Kapoor was born in Mumbai and educated at art college in Britain before forging a career as one of the world's most distinctive sculptors, winning the Turner Prize in 1991.

London 2012 Venues Take Shape

2010-09-12T23:16:00.000-07:00

With a little under two years to go, the London 2012 venues are rapidly taking shape, as water is now flowing at the canoe slalom venue, the seating structure is taking shape at the basketball arena, ground preparation work is beginning at Greenwich Park, and landscaping work is getting underway at the Olympic Village. With athletes and teams now in the process of qualifying for the 2012 Games, this progress is a reassuring sign that London is on time and on track to welcome the world’s top sports people in 2012.
Water WorksConstruction work on the new lake and competition courses has been completed at the London 2012 canoe slalom venue in the Lee Valley Regional Park and this has allowed water to start flowing at the venue, so that the courses can be tested. The venue is expected to be completed later this year and will include a standard 300m competition course, a boat conveyor, a 160m intermediate/training course, a 10,000m² finish lake, and a facility building and pumping house.
Capacity of 12,000Thousands of seats are soon to be installed in the London 2012 basketball arena, which is reported to be one of the largest temporary venues ever used for an Olympic and Paralympic Games. The seating structure is now taking shape, before the black and orange seats – representing the colours of a basketball – are put into place. At Games-time, the venue will host basketball, handball, wheelchair basketball, and wheelchair rugby.
Preparing The GroundWork has begun on preparing the ground at Greenwich Park, the site of London’s Olympic equestrian venue. The work, which will be carried out by London 2012 sub-contractors in association with The Royal Parks, will ensure that the condition of the grass is ideal for the competitors in 2012. Work will include irrigation, de-compaction, mowing, and some other enhancements. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has also announced plans for thousands of new trees, parks, play areas, and open spaces to support the new homes being delivered in the London 2012 Olympic Village. Landscaping is already underway for the creation of an extensive wetlands area on the Village site, with the overall plans for these green spaces adding to the landscaping works already underway in the Olympic Park site, which is creating one of the largest new urban parks in the UK for over 100 years.
LONDON 2012London was elected as the host city for the Games of the XXX Olympiad on 6 July 2005 at the 117th IOC Session in Singapore. London eventually succeeded in the fourth round of voting taking 54 votes from a possible 104. London faced stiff opposition during the vote from the other four candidate cities: Paris, New York, Moscow and Madrid. There will be 26 sports on the Olympic programme in London in 2012 and around 10,500 athletes.

Indian athletes train in London for 2012 Olympics

2010-09-08T23:44:00.000-07:00

London, August 09 (ANI): Indian national track and field teams are training on a London's East End running track to gear up for the London Olympics, which is still three years away. The team has chosen the Newham Leisure Centre as its training base for the 2012 Olympics and other international athletic competitions like the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, which starts on August 15 and the Commonwealth Games that India will host in 2010. India's chief coach said that the London climate is one of the reasons why the team is training there.

Homeowners need to be quick out of the blocks to profit from tourists by renting out their properties during the 2012 OlympicsGames

2010-09-08T23:12:00.000-07:00

There are still almost two years to go until London hosts the Olympics, but property agents claim now is the time to start making money from the event. Accommodation, from spare rooms to whole properties, is already being flogged to visitors for the sporting extravaganza which is being held between 27 July and 12 August in 2012.
"Private rental will be a huge success during the Games, as it was in Sydney for the 2000 Olympics, and more recently for the Vancouver Winter Olympics," says Matt Parker, owner of the websites Londonrentmyhouse.com and Sporteventsrentmyhouse.com.
Parker says property owners listing homes on his sites have received inquiries from around the world, including French radio stations wanting accommodation for 15 journalists near to the Olympic Stadium, and groups of friends coming over from the US.
"Overseas visitors, including the athletes' families and coaches, are among the people most likely to want the space of a house rather than the confines of a hotel," concurs Bruce Abbott, who runs Hotelslondonolympicgames.co.uk.
Prime letting locations include Stratford (the site of the Olympic Stadium), Lewisham, the City, Greenwich and Southwark. However, major venues stretch across the UK. People in Manchester, Coventry, Cardiff, Glasgow, Newcastle and Weymouth could also do well out of it. To find out if you're near to an event, see london2012.com.
Some letting agents remain sceptical as to how many owners will make money, while others claim visitors are prepared to pay sky-high prices.
"Two-bed apartments near to major venues will rent for around £2,000 a week immediately before and during the Games," says Tim Broughton, managing director of the holiday rental website Homeaway.com. "A five-bed house in London with good transport connections can usually get around £2,700 a week. But during the Games, owners could get more than £5,000 a week."
Abbott reckons people are willing to pay fees roughly equivalent to a stay in a boutique hotel; around £250 a night. "But we've got a penthouse listed for £2,500 a night," he says.
Homeowners looking to cash in include Annie Wong, who lives in a two-bed apartment in Tower Hamlets, on the outskirts of the Olympic sites.
She's planning to rent out her apartment for £3,000 a week while she stays at her boyfriend's home.
"Making a bulk of cash will be great," says Wong, a sponsorship manager.
"I'll lock my personal things away and provide some new bedding and then people can just use everything else, like my crockery and pots and pans." While tidying up a two-bed apartment may not be too arduous, clearing the clutter from a family home is another matter.
Jason Nisse and his wife Emma want to rent out their five-bed home in Highbury, north London, during the Olympics, but the stress of getting it ready for tenants worries them. The couple plan to holiday in Kent while the Games are on, so they can still go to some events.
Nisse, a consultant, says: "Financially the decision makes sense. We'll make more money renting the house out than we'd spend on holiday.
"We're just trying to decide whether it's worth the hassle."

Ramadan Mubarak

2010-09-07T02:28:00.001-07:00

Museum 2020: facelift for The Olympic Museum

2010-03-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

Opened in 1993 and partially updated in 2001, The Olympic Museum is in need of renovation. Major renovation, modernisation and expansion work is needed to ensure that it remains attractive to visitors from Switzerland and other countries for the next 20 or 30 years. At the same time, its unique character must be preserved, as well as the building’s magnificent surroundings.

On 10 March, the two main phases of the project were unveiled to the media at a press conference organised jointly by the International Olympic Committee and the city of Lausanne at the Town Hall.

Use this link to find out about the Museum 2020 project.

Live Sites for Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2010 and 2012

2010-02-10T02:17:00.000-08:00

Live Sites are big screens and event spaces in urban centres offering live information, video, news and community events

Live Sites will be the destination for news, events and live screenings of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2010 and 2012. They will bring a flavour of the Games to local communities

There are 20 big screens already operating at locations across the UK. Working with the BBC and local authorities these Live Sites provide a world-leading media concept.

Each screen is programmed to reflect life in its host community with a broad range of local content, events and partnerships with community, arts and media organisations

The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad

2010-02-10T02:09:00.000-08:00

The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad puts culture at the heart of the Games - encouraging participation and celebrating the cultures that make up the UK

Becoming part of the Cultural Olympiad

Not-for-profit organisations can submit applications to run programmes, events or activities.

‘Sport has taught and given me so much – which is why I know that by broadening the opportunities that are coming through 2012, we can leave a legacy of cultural excellence in communities across our country.’

Seb Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games

Who to contact

Have an idea that fits with the values and vision of the Cultural Olympiad? Contact your Creative Programmer

We’ve always said we want the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to belong to the nation and to include all communities.

The Inspire programme

For the very first time at an Olympic or Paralympic Games, our Cultural Olympiad is offering communities a chance to join in through something called the Inspire programme

Not-for-profit organisations can submit applications to run programmes, events or activities. No matter whether they are large or small, the very best of these will be awarded the coveted Inspire mark which, subject to certain conditions, can be used on brochures, posters and websites to promote the project or event.

The Inspire mark will be awarded across many sectors, including sport, culture, education, environment and enterprise. Successful applicants will be those presenting outstanding, non-commercial projects that are truly inspired by the London 2012 Games.

Cultural projects that gain the Inspire mark will then become part of our Cultural Olympiad

Although the content of the projects will vary, all must meet the following criteria to be eligible:

only not-for-profit organisations can apply;

you must have non-commercial funding and support;

your project must start before 9 September 2012;

your project must be mainly cultural;

your project must meet the three core values and at least three of the seven themes set out in our Values and Themes section;

your project must be inspired by the London 2012 Games and not from an existing piece of work. It must differ from the kind of work you normally do.

If you think you’ve got what it takes, you can submit an initial enquiry form to your local Creative Programmer (there are nine in England and one each in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).

Before you make this initial enquiry, please ensure you have the necessary financial support in place as LOCOG is not a funding body.

If you’re lucky enough to be awarded the Inspire mark, then your project or event will become part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. You will benefit from communications support, networking opportunities, and the chance to showcase your success as never before.

Creative Programmers

Got a great idea to be part of the Cultural Olympiad but don’t know where to go with it?

Think it reflects the Values and vision of the Cultural Olympiad and it’s just what we’re looking for?

If your answers are ‘yes’, then our network of Creative Programmers, or ‘CPs’ as we call them, can help.

There are nine regions in England and they have one Creative Programmer each, except for London which has two (one for the Five Host Boroughs of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the other for the rest of the capital). There’s also one Creative Programmer in each of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Building starts on ‘world’s fastest’ Velodrome for Olympics Games 2012

2009-03-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

Construction has started on the London 2012 Velodrome, in the same week as the Track Cycling World Championship’s start in Poland where Great Britain’s medal winning cyclists from the Beijing 2008 Games will be back in action.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is working with contractors, architects, track designers and Beijing Cycling gold medallist Chris Hoy to make the London 2012 Velodrome the fastest track ever.

Olympic Board confirms Royal Artillery Barracks as Shooting venue in 2012

2009-03-26T06:24:00.000-07:00

The Olympic Board has confirmed that Shooting for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will remain at the Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich, south east London.
Following the publication of a report by KPMG, over the past three months the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has been conducting a feasibility study on the National Shooting Centre in Bisley to consider it as a possible alternative site.
The ODA also carried out feasibility work looking at Barking Reach - vacant land that was formally the site of Barking Reach Power Station in east London.
This work is now completed and the Olympic Board discussed the results today. The Board decided that Shooting should remain at Woolwich and a planning application will be submitted for the venue.
The decision is based on key factors of cost; the complexity of the Games-time operation; and making sure planning permission would be given in time.
Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee said: 'The ODA has conducted a thorough review process of all three locations. However, the Board still feels that Woolwich is the best choice of venue. It is an iconic venue close to the Olympic Village, with a strong Shooting heritage, and is one of the Greenwich cluster of Olympic and Paralympic venues.'
Horst Schreiber, Secretary General of the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) said: 'We are delighted that Woolwich has been selected as the Shooting venue for 2012. The ISSF is in full support of the selected venue and we believe that the Royal Artillery Barracks will host a stunning event.
'It is a more appropriate venue than Bisley that meets all our requirements and allows our athletes to stay in the Olympic Village, reducing their travel time each day and bringing together athletes from all sports. We look forward to working with LOCOG and all parties in developing detailed plans.'

Olympic legacy for east London would be a return to its great manufacturing tradition

2009-02-23T01:45:00.001-08:00

At York station yesterday, the Prince of Wales unveiled the nameplate of Tornado, the first mainline railway locomotive to be built in Britain for many years. Tornado just happens to be a steam engine, a slightly modernised recreation of a London and North Eastern Railway express passenger "Pacific" of 60 years ago.
Created over 18 years and at a cost of £3m by the A1 Locomotive Trust in Darlington, Tornado has captured the hearts of railway enthusiasts worldwide. Network Rail was astonished by the sheer scale and enthusiasm of the camera-toting crowds who turned up - all ages, classes, colours, genders and creeds - to witness the muscular apple green locomotive's first arrival at King's Cross. News of Tornado's exploits has been reported around the world, including China, where most heavy industry seems to be rooted today.
When Prince Charles officially named Tornado, it was against the backdrop of the sweeping curve of York's 1870s train shed, an adventure in cast-iron Victorian gothic designed by Thomas Prosser and William Peachey, and a properly Olympian setting for an Olympian locomotive. Within sight of those on the platform was York Minster, a commanding example of English craft, architecture and resolve. Overhead, a flight of RAF Tornado jets roared past. For a few precious minutes, York harboured a stirring gathering of British design and engineering excellence, a legacy to savour.

London faces 'toughest circumstances apart from war' to host Olympics

2009-02-23T01:41:00.000-08:00

The organisers of the 2012 London Olympics face the toughest economic circumstances outside of a state of war to put on the games, an influential member of the International Olympic Committee has said.
Kevan Gosper, an Australian who is the head of the IOC's press commission, gave the warning to Sebastian Coe, the chairman of the 2012 organising committee, at a question-and-answer function in the capital yesterday.
Gosper, a vice-president of the Sydney Olympics organising committee, said: "I think you and your team face the toughest time – short of wartime – to get the project to 2012."
Lord Coe responded by saying that the games could help London and Britain cope with a recession.Coe's comments echoed those of the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who said earlier this month that the capital was "extremely fortunate" to be hosting the games in the current economic climate.
Coe said last night that Britain ought to be on the "front foot" because the games were a "very good project" to have at the moment.
He said: "More than 3,500 people are on the [games] building site currently, of which 10% had been permanently unemployed. The work safeguards these jobs in an economic downturn.
"Billions of pounds of contracts are available, so this is a very good project to be having at the moment.
"No one would have chosen this [downturn], but the games could account for 6-7% of economic activity in this city over the next five years, not to mention the impact it could have on other parts of the country.
"That's why we should be on the front foot; in good times or in bad this is a project that really has an extraordinary impact."
Jacques Rogge, the president of the IOC, said that, although the financial crisis posed a challenge for organisers, he was confident the games would survive the test.
Tessa Jowell, the Olympics minister, raised eyebrows earlier this month when she admitted that the government would probably not have bid for the games if it could have foreseen the recession.
Rogge said that the games had survived global economic slumps in the past and pointed out that London would be less dependent on huge building projects than this year's Beijing games.

China wins bronze medal in Women's Beach Volleyball in Olympics 2008

2008-08-24T03:46:00.000-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-21 10:45:47

Zhang Xi and Xue Chen go after the ball. (Photo credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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Zhang Xi and Xue Chen of China beat Renata Ribeiro and Talita Rocha of Brazil in the Women's Beach Volleyball bronze medal match. Xue Chen and Zhang Xi won the match 2-0.

Zhang Xi goes after the ball. (Photo credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Xue Chen sends a shot to Talita Rocha and Renata Ribeiro. (Photo credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Talita Rocha serves to Xue Chen and Zhang Xi. (Photo credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Xue Chen (L) and Zhang Xi of China celebrate victory. (Photo credit: Sadat/Xinhua)

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He Chong claims China's sixth Diving gold in Olympics 2008

2008-08-24T03:42:00.000-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-19 23:02:56

He Chong (Photo credit: Xinhua)

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He Chong claimed gold of the Men's 3m Springboard with a total score of 572.90 points at the Water Cube on August 19. Alexandre Despatie won silver with 536.65 points. Bronze medalist Qin Kai got a total score of 530.10 points.

Alexandre Despatie (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Qin Kai (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Matthew Mitcham of Australia wins Men's Platform gold

2008-08-24T03:40:00.000-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-23 22:13:46

Matthew Mitcham of Australia claimed the gold medal in Men's 10m Platform Diving in Beijing, China, August 23, 2008.

Matthew Mitcham of Australia performs a dive. (Photo credit: Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Matthew Mitcham of Australia performs a dive. (Photo credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Zhou Luxin of China competes. (Photo credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Women's 10m Platform Diving semifinal

2008-08-24T03:39:00.000-07:00

The Women's 10m Platform Diving semifinal was held at the National Aquatics Center on day thirteen of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 21, 2008 in Beijing, China. The first four winners are Chen Ruolin of China, Paola Espinosa of Mexico, Wang Xin of China and Emilie Heymans of Canada.

Paola Espinosa of Mexico competes. (Photo credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Wang Xin of China competes. (Photo credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Emilie Heymans of Canada competes. (Photo credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Russian gymnast Olga Kapranova topped the final squad

2008-08-24T03:34:00.001-07:00

Updated：2007-12-07

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(BEIJING, December 06) -- After four rotations of competition, Russian gymnast Olga Kapranova topped the final squad of 10 qualifiers in Thursday's Individual All-Round qualifications of the 2007 Rhythmic Gymnastics International Invitational Tournament.

Olga Kapranova, the 2005 World All-around Champion also achieved the highest individual score of 18.475 in the club exercise and achieved high-level presentations in the other three rotations with individual scores of 18.175, 18.275, and 18.300 in the rope, hoop, and ribbon exercises, respectively.

Second on the qualifying list, Anna Bessonova, who Kapranova considers a talented opponent, is a world champion from Ukraine. She collected a total score of 72.100 with individual scores of 18.00, 18.250, 17.750, and 18.100 in the rope, hoop, club, and ribbon exercises, respectively.

The remaining eight qualifying spots for the final went to Aliya Garayeva of Azerbaijan, Aliya Yussupova of Kazakhstan, Lyubov Cherkashina of Belarus, Irina Risenzon of Israel, Almudena Cid of Spain, Alexandra Orlando of Canada, Stela Sultanova of Bulgaria, and Li Hongyang of China.

Russian Kanaeva wins Gymnastics Rhythmic Individual All-around gold

2008-08-24T03:33:00.001-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-23 21:07:05

Evgeniya Kanaeva competes. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

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Russian Evgeniya Kanaeva won the Gymnastics Rhythmic Individual All-around gold medal at the Beijing Olympic Games here on Saturday.

Kanaeva scored 75.500 points, beating Belarus's Inna Zhukova, who earned silver with 71.925. Ukraine's Anna Bessonova got bronze with 71.875.

Evgeniya Kanaeva competes. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Women's Marathon gold claimed by Tomescu

2008-08-17T00:36:00.000-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-17 10:53:16

Tomescu of Romania celebrates winning the Women's Marathon Final. (Photo Credit:Getty Images)

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(BEIJING, August 17) -- Romanian Constantina Tomescu crossed the finish line of the Women's Marathon to claim the title at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2 hours 26.44 minutes on August 17.

Constantina Tomescu crossing the finish line of Women's Marathon. (Photo Credit:Guo Dayue/Xinhua)

"It was a great performance. I'm very happy to win a medal, but especially the gold. At the World Championships in Canada (2005 World Half-Marathon Championships), everybody said I couldn't run, but I showed today what I can do," said the victor.

"The gold medal, for me, it is great," Tomescu added.

World champion Catherine Ndereba of Kenya came in second, clocking 2 hours 27.06 minutes, adding another silver to her success from Athens 2004.

"I feel great, and feel good for the win. In fact, I'm very happy," said Ndereba.

"To win a silver in my second Olympics, I can't take that for granted," she continued.

Catherine Ndereba celebrates second place in the Women's Marathon. (Photo Credit: Getty Image

Britain wins Sailing Yngling gold Olympics 2008

2008-08-17T00:32:00.000-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-17 14:39:26

The British team (R) competes during the Yngling medal race. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

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British Yngling trio Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson snatched the first gold medal at Olympic Sailing Regatta here on Sunday.

The Netherlands took the silver and Greece got the bronze.

Dinghies compete in the rain. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

China wins Women's Artistic Gymnastics Team gold

2008-08-14T01:04:00.000-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-13 12:34:10

Chinese women's gymnastics team celebrates. (Photo credit: Al Bello/Getty Images)

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Chinese women gymnasts scored a winning total of 188.900 points to take the Women's Team gold medal at the Beijing Olympic Games on Wednesday.

The United States finished second in 186.525 and Romania got the bronze in 181.525.

Chinese women's gymnastics team celebrates. (Photo credit: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Chinese women's gymnastics team celebrates. (Photo credit: Al Bello/Getty Images)

Jiang Yuyuan competes in the uneven bars. (Photo credit: Al Bello/Getty Images)

He Kexin reacts after competing in the uneven bars. (Photo credit: Al Bello/Getty Images)

He Kexin performs the vault. (Photo credit: XInhua)

Cheng Fei performs the vault. (Photo credit: XInhua)

He Kexin after the uneven bars. (Photo credit: XInhua)

Men's Team final of Artistic Gymnastics olympics 2008

2008-08-11T22:44:00.000-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-12 12:51:52

Chen Yibing of China competes on the rings. (Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

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The Men's Team final of Artistic Gymnastics was held at the National Indoor Stadium on day four of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 12, 2008 in Beijing, China.

Nikolay Kryukov of Russia competes on the pommel horse. (Photo credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Makoto Okiguchi of Japan competes in the floor rotation. (Photo credit: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

India's Bindra wins gold in the Men's 10m Air Rifle in olympics 2008

2008-08-10T22:52:00.000-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-11 12:43:02

India's Abhinav Bindra won the gold medal. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

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(BEIJING, August 11) -- India's Abhinav Bindra won the gold medal in the Men's 10m Air Rifle in Beijing on August 11 with an incredible performance in the final. Bindra shot a total score of 700.5.

China's Zhu Qinan, gold medalist at Athens 2004, won the silver medal with a total score of 699.7.

The bronze medal was won by Finland's Henri Hakkinen, who was leading the field after the qualification round, but was unable to hold off Bindra and Zhu in the final. The Finnish shooter shot a total of 699.4.

Hakkinen shot 598 in the qualification round, giving him a one point lead over Zhu. Bindra was one point further back with 596.

Bindra signals his intentions early in the final, with a 10.7 on his first shot. None of Bindra's shots in the final dropped below 10.0.

Hakkinen's performance in the final was solid, but it needed to be better. He averaged 10.14 per shot in the final, compared to Bindra's 10.45.

Going into the last shot, Bindra and Hakkinen were tied for first place, but Bindra secured the gold medal with his best shot of the final, an outstanding 10.8.

Conversely, Hakkinen's last shot was his worst, a lowly 9.7. This allowed Zhu to overcome Hakkinen and win the silver medal. Zhu shot 10.5 on his last shot.

Zhu will be disappointed that did not become the first shooter to win two gold medals in the Men's 10m Air Pistol. However, he was unable to reproduce his best – Zhu holds the Olympic record for the final score in the event, the 702.7 that he shot at Athens 2004.

US wins 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay gold with stunning new world record

2008-08-10T22:50:00.000-07:00

US wins 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay gold with stunning new world record

Updated: 2008-08-11 12:45:44

(L-R) Cullen Jones, Jason Lezak, Michael Phelps and Garrett Weber-Gale pose with the gold. (Photo credit: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

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Swimmers from the United States shattered their own 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay world record again in the most intense race so far at the Beijing Games on Monday.

The American quartet of Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak recorded 3:08.24, out-touching their French rivals in the next lane by 0.08 seconds. The new world record is 3.99 seconds faster than the previous one they set in Sunday's heats.

Australia took the bronze in 3:09.91.

Michael Phelps celebrates finishing the final. (Photo credit: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

(L-R) Garrett Weber-Gale and Michael Phelps celebrate. (Photo credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

(L-R) Garrett Weber-Gale, Jason Lezak, Michael Phelps and Cullen Jones celebrate. (Photo credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Beijing Olympics opening ceremony hailed all over world

2008-08-10T00:36:00.000-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-09 08:23:28 From: Xinhuanet

Chinese former gymnastics champion Li Ning kindles the cauldron.

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Beijing Olympics opening ceremony hailed all over world

BEIJING, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games staged here on Friday night has caught nearly 4 billion people's eyes worldwide.

A dream-come-true resonance that longed for a hundred years and prepared for 84 months is giving millions of reasons to Chinese to have a sleepless night.

THRILLING VENUE AUDIENCE AND ATHLETES

"The most exciting moment is the igniting part, it combines technology, traditional arts and Li Ning's effort in such a perfect way," Xie Mengxin, a girl sitting in the stadium, known as Bird's Nest, said after the ceremony.

"There have been so many heart-shaking moments in it and we were all thrilled," she said, adding that the spacewalking-like showing of the last torch bearer for the Games was beyond her imagination.

The cauldron of the Beijing Olympic Games is ablaze over the National Stadium.

Li Ning (R) lights the cauldron.

Paduld Sri Rohana de Pettagan, an official with the Sri Lanka Olympic Committee, said "I love the countdown part which combines the Chinese ancient history with the modern high technology."

"The opening is so good, with so many hi-tech features. The organizers used fireworks, LED screen, video and audio technologies to show the best of China," he added.

"Every part of the preparation of the Beijing Olympic Games is fantastic. The Games is an opportunity for the world to understand China, and for China to understand the world as well." Michael Naumann, a tourist from Germany who watched the ceremony on TV, told Xinhua.

"It was awesome. A lot different from the other ones. Being a vet, seeing the new guys' faces when we were walking into the stadium for the first time was awesome." Brian Olson from U.S. said.

"This Olympics has gone above and beyond. It was special, whether it's your fourth or first." the judoka coming from Tallahassee, Florida said.

"It was once in a lifetime, I loved it. I was speechless at times. I really liked the torch and the guy flying through the air," said Demetrius Andrade, a U.S. Boxer from Providence, Rhode Island.

"It was really nice, it was inspirational. It made me want to compete," said another Boxer Sadam Ali who was among others encouraged to "give it all you have got" by U.S. president George Bush before attending the opening ceremony.

China leads first qualification round of Women's Artistic Gymnastics

2008-08-10T00:35:00.001-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-10 14:43:02

Deng Linlin competes on the balance beam. (Photo credit: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

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China's female athletes dominated the first qualification round in Artistic Gymnastics with a total of 248.275 points at the Beijing Olympics on Sunday.

Defending Olympic champion Romania finished second with 238.425 points in Sunday morning's qualification subdivision, which was also participated in by two mix groups.

Cheng Fei competes on the vault. (Photo credit: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Jiang Yuyuan performs her floor exercise. (Photo credit: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Night view of Beijing Olympic Village

2008-08-07T04:52:00.000-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-03 20:44:55 From: Xinhuanet

Photo taken on Aug. 2, 2008 shows the night view of the Olympic Village in Beijing, China. (Photo credit: Zhang Guojun/Xinhua)

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Photo taken on Aug. 1, 2008 shows the night view of the Olympic Village in Beijing, China. (Photo credit: Zhang Guojun/Xinhua)

Photo taken on Aug. 2, 2008 shows the cultural performance staged at night in the Olympic Village in Beijing, China. (Photo credit: Zhang Guojun/Xinhua)

Chinese style red lanterns enlighted the night of the Olympic Village in Beijing, China, August 1, 2008. (Photo credit: Zhang Guojun/Xinhua)

Synchronized swimming practice at National Aquatics Center Olympics 2008

2008-08-07T04:51:00.000-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-07 10:03:59

An Israeli synchronized swimming swimmer practises at National Aquatics Center, nicknamed the “Water Cube” in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 6, 2008.(Photo credit: Liu Yu/Xinhua)

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Members of Japanese Synchronized swimming practise during the team’s training session at National Aquatics Center, nicknamed the “Water Cube” in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 6, 2008. (Photo credit: Liu Yu/Xinhua)

German's flag-raising ceremony

2008-08-05T07:07:00.000-07:00

Updated: 2008-08-05 17:33:50

German's flag-raising ceremony (Photo credit: Xinhua)

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German's flag-raising ceremony (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Despondent Sharapova pulls out of Olympics

2008-08-05T07:04:00.000-07:00

First foreign athletic delegation arrives in Beijing for Olympics 2008

2008-08-05T06:43:00.000-07:00

A volunteer shows the way for Polish Olympic delegation at Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, July 27, 2008. First batch of Polish Olympic delegation, the first of delegations to the Beijing Olympic Games, arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport Sunday, marking the beginning of mass Olympic arrival which China is poised to welcome in the coming days.(Photo credit: Xinhua)

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(BEIJING, July 27) -- The first batch of 42 Polish representatives of a delegation of 268 arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on Sunday. The remaining delegates will fly to the Chinese capital later.

The Polish Olympic delegation, to be completely united in the upcoming days, is expected to be the first full team to land in Beijing to prepare for the Olympic Games.

A member of Polish Olympic delegation waves at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, July 27, 2008. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

An athlete of Polish Olympic delegation waves at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, July 27, 2008.(Photo credit: Xinhua)

A member of Polish Olympic delegation waves to journalists at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, July 27, 2008. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

An athlete of the Polish Olympic delegation waves at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, July 27, 2008. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Chinese elements highlight Olympic ornamental gardens

2008-08-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

Blue porcelain plates decorate a parterre display along Chang'an Avenue.

A parterre of the Chinese character for "gate" at Deshengmen

With the Beijing 2008 Olympic Game just days away, colorful Olympic-themed ornamental gardens highlighted by Chinese elements can be seen all across town.

(Photo credit: Li Weina/People's Daily)

Peking opera masks highlight this ornamental garden at the Ditan Olympic cultural square.

Sundial, ancient Chinese compass and armillary sphere parterre on display on a street corner in Dongdan.