London 2012 Olympic Games on Schedule and on Budget to Stage Spectacular Games for Athletes from USA and All Olympic Nations, Reports Games Leader and 1984 LA Gold Medallist Seb Coe on Visit to America

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chairman of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, Lord Sebastian Coe, on his return to the city where he won a gold and a silver medal in the 1500m and 800m track events at the Olympic Games in 1984, reports that preparations for London 2012 are on schedule and on budget.

London 2012 is also ready to deliver lasting legacies for sport, young people and London and UK communities, says Coe.

Seb Coe says the conditions are in place for the London Games to showcase memorable sport in iconic venues and internationally familiar backdrops and settings, including Wimbledon, Wembley, Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace in central London, as well as in the new Olympic Park and other venues in east London, including historic Greenwich Park.

Hosting the Games in London, with its vibrant and diverse youth culture and communities, will demonstrate the power of sport as a catalyst to inspire young people and leave a lasting legacy of social, economic and community change, Coe said.

During his visit, where Seb Coe is giving a keynote speech at the IOC's Women and Sport Conference, he will meet swimmers including gold medallists Ous Mellouli and Rebecca Soni training at the University of Southern California (USC) for London 2012.

Coe will also visit Washington Prep, a high school with a pioneering approach to sport, and highlight the importance of sport in young people's lives.

Speaking at USC, Coe said that preparations for the Olympic and Paralympic Games were focussed on detailed operational planning for the venues and delivery of the sporting events and athlete support services in order to provide them with the best possible conditions.

"With just over five months to go until London 2012, events in the new Olympic Park are taking place to test venues, staff and operational planning. Cycling, diving, swimming and other competitions will all be held in the coming days and weeks, leaving time for any final adjustments before July.

"Thanks to this detailed planning, London 2012 will leave a great sporting legacy for local athletes and young people, as well as new venues for the international sports community."

Coe talked about his fond memories of competing in Los Angeles and the influence that the Games had on him.

"It's great to be back in Los Angeles, where I was fortunate enough to enjoy success as an athlete in 1984. The Olympic and Paralympic Games here were hugely significant for the Olympic Movement. My experience of those Games has provided insights which have helped to inform our planning for London 2012."

Coe added: "We look forward to welcoming Team USA, which I am sure will be a formidable force in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. British fans have long admired American athletes and I have no doubt that they will enjoy the same warm welcome in London that I received during my time in Los Angeles."

As an example of placing the needs of the athletes first, Coe cited the location of the new Olympic Village inside the new Olympic Park, close to key competition venues including the Olympic Stadium, Velodrome, Aquatics Centre, Handball Arena, and others, all just seven minutes from central London via a high speed train shuttle service. Other venues including internationally iconic London landmarks such as Wimbledon, the new Wembley, Hyde Park and others, will showcase athletes and sport in stunning settings.

"Our mantra is: if you get the experience right for the athletes and the people who prepare the teams and deliver the sport, then athletes will perform well, and the world will be inspired, especially young people," Coe said.

London 2012 has now reached more than 12 million children and young people around the world through the International Inspiration programme, which is based on London's vision to use the reach of the Games and Olympic and Paralympic movements to connect more young people with sport.

The programme uses the power of sport to enrich the lives of millions of children and young people of all abilities, particularly in developing countries, through high quality and inclusive physical education, sport and play. 21 countries are involved on all continents, ranging from Azerbaijan to Zambia.

On 17 February Seb Coe will give a keynote presentation to the IOC Women and Sport Conference, highlighting the role of women in the delivery and leadership of sport.

Speaking about the Conference Coe said: "I believe that what is good for women in sport is good for sport. Through our International Inspiration programme, London 2012 is empowering girls and young women to participate in sport and access educational opportunities. Twelve million young people around the world have already benefited from the programme."

At the Conference Coe will meet IOC President Jacques Rogge, IOC Members, US Olympic Committee executives and other colleagues from the sports world.

SOURCE London 2012 Olympic Games

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