2012: ONE YEAR TO GO

London, 28 July - with one year to go until the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, preparations are on track and London's vision to host a Games that inspires the world is set to become reality.

The opening of Aquatics Centre and celebrations in Trafalgar Square last night, were the highlights of year-to-go events for the London Olympics.

The 17,500-seat Zaha Hadid-designed Aquatic Centre is the last of the six permanent Olympic venues to be completed. The 80,000-capacity Olympic Stadium, Velodrome and International Broadcast Center as well as arenas for handball and basketball were completed earlier this year.

The President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge formally invited the athletes of the world to the Games next summer: '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.'
London 2012 Organising Committee (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'.

During the Trafalgar Square. celebrations the Olympic medals were also unveiled ...

In 365 days' time, a total of 15,000 athletes from over 200 countries will compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games next summer.

(Source:eurolypmic.org)