London celebrates one-year countdown until 2012 Olympics

By Michael Donhauser Jul 27, 2011, 14:05 GMT

London - Britain's aquatics team made a splash in the new Olympic pool on Wednesday and The Clash's 'London Calling' echoed across Tragalgar Square at the one-year-to-go mark until the London 2012 Games.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge invited athletes from around the world to convene at the July 27-August 12 sports extravaganza in the British capital after giving London another thumbs-up for their preparations.

The top prize for any athletes, the medals, were also unveiled, by Princess Anne. The medails designed by British artists David Watkins and are biggest in Summer Games history. They depict the London 2012 logo on one side and Greek goddess Nike on the other.

Rogge recalled that London will be hosting the Games a third time, following 1908 and 1948, after beating Paris, Madrid, Moscow and New York in the 2005 IOC election.

'The world's finest athletes began dreaming of competing in this magnificent city. As in 1908 and 1948, they knew they would be coming to the nation that invented modern sport and the concept of fair play,' Rogge said.

'Today, their dreams come closer as we invite 202 national Olympic committees to the 2012 Games. The athletes will be ready, and so will London,' he added, wishing London 'good luck.'

By the time Rogge made the formal invitation at Tragalgar Square in the presence of British Prime Minister David Cameron and London mayor Boris Johnson, the aquatics centre had already become the final venue at Olympic Park to be officially unveiled.

Rogge was among the onlookers as the synchronised swimming team performed in the morning and Olympian Tom Daley was later the first man to dive into the pool - quipping afterwards that the water as a little 'cold.'

The aquatics centre became the last main venue at Olympic Park to be completed, joining the 80,000-seat Olympic stadium, the basketball and handball arenas, the velodrome and broadcasting centre.

'Today is a proud moment for us as organisers. We are on track, but there is much to do. In 365 days' time the eyes of the world will be on the UK. We will be ready,' vowed Organizing committee head Sebastian Coe.

Cameron said: 'This is a great night for London, a great night for Britain.'

The prime minister had earlier praised the big effort at a visit to the beach volleyball site at Horse Guards Parade.

'We're on budget, on schedule, all the major stadia have been built and completed, and I think that's a fantastic advert for British construction and for Britain,' said Cameron.

'And let's be clear, we've got a year to go before the greatest show on earth comes to the greatest city on earth, in the greatest country on earth, and it couldn't be more exciting.'

Britain has invested almost 10 billion pounds (16.2 billion dollars) in an urban facelift. The Olympic budget of the organizing committee LOCOG is 2 billion pounds.

Concerns remain on the transportation front while officials pledged again after the recent attacks in Norway that a huge effort is being made in the security area of the Games.

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