London officials: Election won't affect Olympics

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Organizers of the London Olympics say preparations for the 2012 Games will continue "seamlessly" even if there is a change in government after next month's general election in Britain.
London officials assured the International Olympic Committee on Thursday that the games will not be affected by the May 6 vote, which could lead to defeat for Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Labour Party.
London organizing committee leader Sebastian Coe says the Olympics "have not tumbled from the lips of a single politician in this campaign." He says the games have not become a "political football."
London officials also unveiled their games mascot to the IOC. Details will remain secret until an official launch in London, probably next month

Mary Dejevsky: Don't believe the killjoys of London 2012

Now here's a riddle for the holiday weekend: what's on time, on budget and in Britain? The answer, improbable, but correct, is the 2012 London Olympics. Yet still the nay-sayers persist, grumbling away about how the site will never be complete in time, how the costs have already spiralled out of control, and how the city – their city – will be a nightmare for the duration.

They were on top form earlier this week when Anish Kapoor's 115m tower was presented as the winner of the Mayor's contest to find an architectural symbol for the Olympic Park. I admit that I'm not immediately entranced by the design. Like much contemporary British art, in any form, it is just that bit too complicated to be elegant. And the lattice girders may, as Kapoor says, be a tribute to the Eiffel Tower, but at the time of writing it seems on the hubristic side to equate the two.

With any luck, though, it will look much better when it is built for real than it looks as a scale model, and we will all take to it, just as we have taken to the London Eye and, after much agonising over its purpose, to the Dome. I'm also gratified that another gigantic commission has not been handed to Antony Gormley. I don't have anything particular against his work except its ubiquity. So good luck to Kapoor, and to Lakshmi Mittal who has pledged the metal. At least the Orbit – not necessarily its final name – is original and moderately entertaining.

The controversy surrounding the tower had one beneficial effect: it deflected attention from the latest group of privileged Londoners trying to keep any Olympic event as far as possible from their backyard. The good folk of St John's Wood (average property price, I would hazard, well into the new 5 per cent stamp-duty bracket) are objecting to plans to hold the week-long archery competition at Lord's.

It's not the prospect of stray arrows flying over their garden walls they fear, nor the subdued pings and thuds that will supplant the familiar sound of leather against willow. No, they are objecting to what they say are the organisers' plans for loud music to accompany the contest. Even in the unlikely event that world-class archers would happily compete against a background of loud music, you have to ask whether it's reasonable for a group of residents to try to have a highly atmospheric and history-laden venue ruled out essentially for their own convenience. This is one week out of one summer; their proximity to Lord's is for a lifetime.

Meanwhile Greenwich Park has finally been approved as a venue for equestrian events, after a stormy five-hour meeting and a long protest campaign by local residents, fearful that trees would be felled and horses' hooves would mash up the ground. Lord Coe said he made no apologies for wanting to use the park – may he continue to have the courage of his convictions. The Olympics give London an opportunity to show off, and to share, its glorious green spaces and architectural ensembles. Let the privilegentsia huff and puff with more or less gentility. They can move out for the summer if they feel that strongly, and leave the rest of us to enjoy the global party.

London 2012 Olympics: GB track cycling analysis and predictions

Telegraph Sport looks at the performance of the British team at the World Track Cycling Championships in Copenhagen and ahead to their prospects for the London 2012 Olympics.

Men's sprint: Sir Chris Hoy remains Great Britain's best bet but the Sprint cycling world is clearly beginning to gang up on him. He qualified second fastest here in Copenhagen with yet another sub second ten ride in the flying 200m and clearly still has the legs. Got badly caught out tactically, however, by Robert Fostermann in the first round and won't make that mistake again. Matt Crampton can beat anybody in the mood but lacks consistency, a criticism that can perhaps also be levelled at Jason Kenny. 2010 WC: Three quarter-finalists. London 2012 prediction: Hoy silver

Men's team sprint: much work to do but not without hope. A serious back injury to lead-out man Jamie Staff has hampered progress but Kenny made a good fist of the role in Copenhagen. If Staff cannot return the hunt is on to find the rider best able to fill the number two role. That could be Crampton with Hoy at three but David Daniell is an unusal talent GB are trying to bring into play, a kilo rider who is nearly an out and out sprinter. If he could find an extra gear in the next two years he could make a big contribution. 2010 WC: Bronze. London 2012 prediction: Silver

Women's sprint: Victoria Pendleton, with her fifth world title in six years, still reigns supreme and as long as she can stay sharp mentally and free from injury the world is her oyster. The prospect of "doing a Hoy" at London and competing in three events is the juiciest of carrots. Neither Jess Varnish or Becky James are yet in her class but in fairness nobody else in the world is either. 2010 WC: Pendleton gold. London 2012 prediction: Pendleton gold

Women's team sprint: there is a big medal to be won here but GB have got to find somebody to launch Pendleton onto the final lap. Jess Varnish has tried, Vicky James could develop quickly but the return of Shanaze Reade from the BMX circuit would seem the most likely solution. Even that is problematical though because the cycling programme has not yet been formalised and if the BMX comes first - with the ever present risk of crashes and injury - Great Britain might decide that including Reade in the team sprint sprint programme is too much of a risk. WC 2010: Fourth. London 2012 prediction: Bronze

Call for London 2012 Olympics tickets clarity

London 2012 organisers have been urged to be up front about how many tickets will be available for the Olympics and how much they will cost.
The London Assembly's economic development, culture, sport and tourism committee said the public needed to have faith in the ticketing system.
Games organisers said details would be revealed after the Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver had finished.
There will be 9.2 million seats available during the event.
The committee has written to London 2012 chiefs requesting details on how they plan to fill seats at the Games.

'Open and transparent'

Committee Chair Dee Doocey said: "The key issue is simple: How many people will be ahead of the average Londoner in the queue for Olympic tickets?
"Locog - London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games - needs to be open and transparent about how many tickets are going to be available for the public and how many are going to be reserved for the Olympic family.
We will be making an announcement about our ticketing strategy after the Vancouver Paralympic Games has finished
London 2012 spokesman
"These tickets for International Olympic Committee staff, officials, partners and sponsors will significantly reduce the number of seats available for the public."
The committee said it would like to know how many tickets will be available at less than £10, £20 and £30 and how they will be shared out among the events.
Other questions included how any possible stand-by scheme for unused tickets might work and who, if anyone, would count as a priority group for preferential or low-cost tickets.
London 2012 should publish its ticketing strategy in draft form as soon as possible to allow the public to comment on it before it is finalised, the committee advised.
Tickets for the Games will not go on sale until 2011, according to Locog.
A London 2012 spokesman said: "We will be making an announcement about our ticketing strategy after the Vancouver Paralympic Games has finished."
The 2010 Paralympics is scheduled to finish on 21 March.

Planning go ahead for London 2012 temporary venues

The Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich will host the Olympic Shooting events and Shooting and Archery events during the Paralympic Games. North Greenwich Arena will host Artistic Gymnastics, Trampoline Gymnastics and the Basketball finals during the Olympic Games, followed by Wheelchair Basketball during the Paralympic Games.

The plans include temporary shooting ranges and seating stands at the Royal Artillery Barracks and the northern part of Woolwich Common. There will be four temporary indoor ranges and three temporary open air ranges for the qualifying rounds and finals of Olympic events.
During the Paralympic Games the outdoor ranges will be removed and replaced with temporary Archery ranges. Work to install the temporary facilities will begin early next year. After the Games the temporary facilities will be removed and the site will be returned to its former use and condition.

Olympic Delivery Authority Chief Executive David Higgins said: ‘The Royal Artillery Barracks will be a fitting venue for the Shooting events at the London 2012 Games and our temporary works will help us deliver the best possible facilities for athletes. Securing planning permission is an important step forwards and keeps us on track to start installing the temporary measures on site early next year.’

Davenport is going back to basics in Olympic bid, swimming

ROSS Davenport will go back to basics to make a big splash in the 2012 London Olympics – and that simply means hard work.
Australian 25 year old emulated swim king Ian Thorpe by taking the 200m freestyle title at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006.
But the Belper star has been forced to navigate a course through choppy waters since then, twice failing to live up to his own high expectations on the big stage.
He narrowly missed out on a place in the Olympic final and also disappointed at the World Championships in Rome this year, finishing 11th.
However, Davenport, who hopes to defend his Commonwealth title in Delhi next October, insists the lure of a home Olympics is all the motivation he needs to get back on track.
"It's been disappointing but all you can do is just get back in the pool and continue to train hard," said Davenport, speaking ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games 1,000 days to go anniversary.
"There is no secret to it – it is all about hard work.
"I had about three weeks off swimming after the World Championships but then it was straight back in the pool to train again.
"I was a little bit disappointed to be honest – it hasn't been a great year but I think it is always a bit tough coming back off an Olympic year.
"I wasn't happy with how I swam in Rome and I want to try to put that right – I wanted to make the final but there is always next year to improve.
"There are no worlds or Olympics next year so it will be a chance to get in some hard training."
Davenport is currently in training for the FINA World Cup series, which will take galas in Berlin, Stockholm and Singapore.
And despite his recent struggles on the world stage, he insists he has nothing to prove when he lines up against swimming's big guns.
"The only pressure on me is the pressure I put on myself," added Davenport.
"I know I am capable of making finals and performing well – it's just that for one reason or another it is just not happening for me on the day.
"The only thing I can do is just keep working hard and making sure I put 100% into all my training.
"The Olympics is a big enough motivation anyway but for it to be in your home country is just massive.
"It's less than three years now and that time will fly by before you know it.
"I want to try and make sure I'm in Great Britain squads up to that point and swimming well because I desperately want to be a part of that."
Lloyds TSB, proud partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and supporter of Team GB on their journey to London 2012. LloydsTSB.com/London2012.

Nothing but London 2012 gold will do for Rowbotham

At the London Olympic with ROWER Stephen Rowbotham insists only gold after revealing his Beijing bronze is just a reminder of what could have been.

Rowbotham, 27, and Matthew Wells were third in the double sculls in the Far East as the Australian boat took gold ahead of the Estonia pair.
But while winning Olympic bronze is no mean feat, the 2006 World Championship bronze medallist admits it will always resemble what might have been after four years of hard work, and substantial funding, pre Beijing.
And while Rowbotham is looking forward to next year's World Championship, and everything else that takes place in the 1000 days between now and the 2012 Games, he admitted everything is now geared towards topping the Olympic podium.
"It'll be all about gold for me in London," said Rowbotham. "The kind of person that I am, I don't race to come second. When I was out in Beijing and we crossed the line in third it was a massive disappointment.
"It can be quite hard to explain to people that you've got an Olympic medal in your pocket but still, you're gutted.
"But ultimately that is the goal. But first things first I need to get myself in a position prior to the Games where I'm confident I can tell people I'm going to be a gold medallist.
"If I'm ranked 15th in the world and telling people I'm going to win gold that just isn't realistic, but having got bronze in Beijing, I'm confident I can push on."
Rowbotham - whose bronze helped Team GB top the rowing medal table with six - recently enjoyed a trip to the Olympic stadium as the rowing representative for the official launch of Team 2012.
And while the Beijing star admitted the lure of a home Games meant retirement had never crossed his mind, he revealed seeing the stadium taking shape had increased his desire to turn bronze in to gold.
He added: "I managed to go to the Beijing Olympic site a few years before and that really put the Games into focus for me and going to the London Olympic site had exactly the same effect.
"Anyone who thought they were going to retire after Beijing clearly had second thoughts because it's in London.
"This will only come around once in 100 years so to potentially be a part of it is exciting in itself. But it also focuses the mind and makes you eager to perform to the best of your abilities.
"It's not like we're competing in front of 90,000 people every week. We're not Manchester United, we're still an amateur sport and the pinnacle of our sport comes around once every four years."