On the Scene -- Olympians Praise 2012 Venues; Coe, Reedie, Happy with Progress

(ATR) Olympic gold medalists Michael Johnson and Chris Hoy praise theOlympic Park venues as London 2012 leaders mark the two-year countdownto the Games.

The U.S. four-time Olympic champion ran down atemporary 100m track at the 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium with a group ofyoungsters today before paying tribute to London 2012 organizers.

"Everythingseems to be on time which obviously is key. It looks great so it's veryexciting," Johnson told reporters and broadcasters gathered at thevenue.

"In the two years leading up to Atlanta there was just so muchbuzz and excitement from that point on for all of the athletes," saidJohnson, who won two golds at the 1996 Atlanta Games."This is certainly amotivation for those athletes preparing, reminding them of what theyare out there training for every day."

Johnson said he could imagineworld records being set at the stadium and that British athletes shouldbe inspired to compete on home soil. "It was special for me in '96," hesaid.

Asked what he felt it would be like competing at the venue asan athlete, he added: "It will be very exciting, it's the Olympics. Youtake the Olympics and wherever you put it it's exciting. It's anopportunity for all of the athletes."

The 400m world record holdersaid the stadium's "intimate setting" and the energy provided byspectators, who will be right on top of the action, would lift athletes'performances at the 2012 Games.

More than 300 reporters andbroadcasters took a tour of the 2.5sq km site in east London Tuesday toreport on the progress of the $14.5 billion 'bid build' project beingcoordinated by the Olympic Delivery Authority.

The tour, led by LOCOGchairman Sebastian Coe and ODA chief John Armitt, took in the OlympicVillage, velodrome, temporary basketball arena and the Olympic Stadium.

Otherlead organizers present included Britain's Olympics minister HughRobertson, London Mayor Boris Johnson, IOC member from Great BritainCraig Reedie, British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan andLOCOG chief executive Paul Deighton.

Journalists travelled to theOlympic Park with 2012 organizers on the Javelin train from St. Pancrasstation to Stratford International, a journey that takes just sevenminutes. During the Games, 12,000 visitors per hour will use theservice.

Members of the media were bussed around the Olympic Park,passing first the athletes' village. In the 11 blocks that have sproutedfrom the ground, there are 2,800 apartments for the Games. The ODA'sArmitt said half of them have already been sold to housing associationsas affordable homes for legacy use; the rest will sell into the privatemarket.

At the 6,000-capacity velodrome, Hoy, a three-time cyclinggold medalist at Beijing, took a bike out for a spin on the venue'sinfield. The mayor, who rides a bike to work every day, also grabbed theopportunity to show off his cycling expertise.

Commenting on hisfirst visit to the venue he helped design, Hoy said: "It is a hugelyimpressive structure. To see the original drawings and then to see it inthe flesh is fantastic.

The Scotsman, who won sprint, team sprintand keirin gold medals at Beijing 2008, said that to see the velodrometaking shape and imagine what it would be like come Games time "gets theheart pumping and the adrenalin going".

"It would be very nice towin three gold medals here but participating before a home crowd is thebiggest excitement," Hoy added.

At the basketball arena, formerBritish basketball player John Amaechi, who starred in the NBA butdidn't compete in an Olympics, shot some hoops at the basketball venue -one of only two temporary venues for the Games. The hockey stadium willalso be dismantled after the Olympics but this venue will be rebuilt atEton Manor in the north of the park.

Coe, Reedie, Moynihan Happy with Progress

With731 days to go until the 2012 Games open and with Olympic Park venuesslightly ahead of schedule, London 2012 chiefs restated their confidencein bringing the project in on time and on budget.

IOC member Reediesaid: "We’re ahead of where we thought we would be. I didn’t thinkanybody thought we would be so far ahead. A main stadium ready one yearbefore the Games is pretty spectacular.

"I tell you one figure thatimpresses me: with all the years they have been on the site with noserious accident. It’s an incredible performance on a huge work siteemploying some 10,000 people."

Coe told Around the Rings that thehuge numbers of reporters and broadcasters who turned out for the venuetour -many of whom were from the British media -"shows the incredibleexcitement that is building".

"We don’t get excited about too much,too early. I have said from two years out that we would sense a momentumbuilding, and I think that’s what we see today," he said.

"Every daywe’re dealing with media inquiries about what we’re doing, why we’redoing it. So it doesn’t surprise me and I think next year we will havean even greater number of people here. I’m always excited being in anathletics stadium."

Speaking to ATR about the two-year countdown, BOA chairman Moynihan put the focus on the athletes.

"Themost important thing is to give all the athletes maximum support sothere will be no "if only" questions post-Games. That’s what we’resettling on now," he said.

2012 Store Opens; Search for Volunteers

London2012's first merchandising store was officially opened by Coe andJohnson at St. Pancras station on Tuesday. Of the total 2012 first editionWenlock mascots that went on sale at 11am this morning, more than 1,000had been sold by 4.30pm, shop officials told Around the Rings.

Theone-eyed mascot, whose friendship bands are in the five colours of theOlympic rings, are selling for $39. Two years to go pins anda range of sport-specific pins are among other items on sale. One pincollector told reporters he had waited for a long time for the shop toopen and was preparing to spend over $200 on pins and othercollectibles.

The recruitment drive to find 70,000 volunteers or'London 2012 Games Makers' was also launched at the shop opening.

Manypeople have already registered their interest in the London Volunteerprogram.

Coe said: "These are the people who will make the Games. They are the difference between a good and a great Games."

Johnsonalso launched the London Ambassadors program; 8,000 volunteers will beneeded to welcome the thousands of visitors expected to attend theOlympics.

"I appeal to everybody to ask themselves 'could I be thepolite, courteous, helpful and smiley face of our city'," he said at thelaunch.

With reporting from Mark Bisson and Ed Hula