Following the successful conclusion of the Beijing Olympics, the focus is now on London and its preparations for 2012. Buiding work has started on the new Olympic stadium and Olympic Park at Stratford in East London. To ensure that the project is delivered on schedule, the games organizers have struck a "no strike" deal with the unions.
The new facilities including a 6,000 seater velodrome have already impressed olympic triple gold medallist Chris Hoy.
Meanwhile a number of other towns and cities throughout Britain are looking to sign agreements with national associations to base their olympic training camps in their locality. Birmingham have been aggressively pursuing a number of nations including the USA, India and Jamaica to be based in their city prior to the Olympics.
Olympic Medal Table 2008 (Top 12)
1 China 51 21 28 100
2 United States 36 38 36 110
3 Russia 23 21 28 72
4 Great Britain 19 13 15 47
5 Germany 16 10 15 41
6 Australia 14 15 17 46
7 South Korea 13 10 8 31
8 Japan 9 6 10 25
9 Italy 8 10 10 28
10 France 7 16 17 40
11 Ukraine 7 5 15 27
12 Netherlands 7 5 4 1
6
81 nations in total won medals at the 2008 olympics.
The top 3 all time olympic gold medal winners are USA, Soviet Union and Great Britain.
The London Games are coming ... |
Olympic News [archive here]
20.11.08 Venues
The worldwide economic downturn has effected plans for the 2012 Olympics with a number of cost-cutting options under review. One such option is to relocate badminton, rythnic gymnastics and paralympic voleyball to Wembley Arena
3.11.08 Red Arrows
Fears that the Red Arrows would be banned from involvement in the London Olympic ceremony have been allayed. Following comments by the Government that it would be "too militaristic", the PM has now endorsed the involvement of the display team.
15.10.08 Olympic Credit Crunch
The credit crunch may prove a bonus to 2012 games organizers. World awareness of spiralling debt may result in acceptance that the games does not have to be glitzier and more glam than previous games. Each year the organizers are undre pressure to deliver an Olympic games that surpasses all others, resulting in the need to spend extreme amounts of money
Beijing air pollution controls have been lifted resulting in more smog... more
Dorset - venue for the Olympic sailing events is gearing up for 2012 with a special event for adults with learning difficulties ... more