200 Ημέρες μέχρι το Λονδίνο

Just 200 days ‘til London

09/01/2012 - 11:54:00

As the 2012 year begins, the days tick continue to tick by towards July. Today marks 200 days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. On 27 July the XXXth Olympiad will be officially opened. Rowing is one of the first sports to get underway at the Olympics and it starts straight away with the first races beginning at 9.30am the next day.

Coaches cycle along the banks of the course, to urge on their young charges, at the 2011 World Rowing Junior Championships in Eton, Great Britain ©Igor Meijer / FISA

The Eton Dorney regatta venue is ready to go. The venue was one of the first to be fully finished. A few adjustments were made to the already established venue at Eton College and by the middle of 2011 it was Olympics ready and the 2011 World Rowing Junior Championships acted as a test event to work through any potential issues. Now the venue waits for the arrival of some 550 rowers from around the world. This is the third time that London has hosted the Olympic Games. London was also the host in 1908 and 1948. Both of these Olympics were put together at the last minute. In 1908 London became host after Rome could not host the Games following the Mt Vesuvius volcanic eruption. Then 1948 was the first Olympic Games after World War II and available resources were scarce.
For 2012, London has been planning since they won the bid to host the Games in 2005. They are preparing for the arrival of over 10,000 athletes who will compete in 26 sports. There will also be about 21,000 media and broadcasters sending news out to the world. There are 70,000 volunteers in place to make the Games work. Then spectators and officials from around the world will add to the numbers in London.
The opening ceremony is being designed by Danny Boyle who is well-known as a movie director with his movies including Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting. It is expected that 1 billion people will watch the opening ceremony.
Leading up to the Games a torch relay will begin on 19 May 2012. The relay of the Olympic flame will arrive from Greece and then travel throughout the UK passing through every region and including 8,000 torchbearers.
Official Olympic website: http://www.london2012.com/