London 2012 Olympic Games stadium design unveiled

London's Olympic organizers unveiled the design of the main stadium for the 2012 Games on Wednesday, billed as a hi-tech arena which will serve the British capital for generations afterwards.

The 496 million pound (710 million euro, 1.04 billion US dollar) structure, in the form of a sunken bowl with a wraparound fabric covering and a removable roof, will dominate the centre of the Olympic Park in east London.

The 80,000-seat stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games as well as key track and field events. Organizers hailed the unveiling of the plans as a "milestone" on the road to the London Olympics.

"In unveiling today's images I want that to be the unveiling of a journey for the next five years," said former Olympic champion Sebastian Coe, head of the London 2012 organizing committee, at a press conference.

"The stadium...is a stadium for a completely new era."

Initial reaction to the blueprint was positive. The London Evening Standard newspaper called it a "striking design," while London mayor Ken Livingstone said it would be a "beacon for the capital."

While the stadium's initial use will be for the 2012 Games, organizers also want to make sure it is still used by local people in the years afterwards.

When the Games are over the stadium's high-tech design allows for it to be reduced to a 25,000-seat arena, to be used by the local community and for other major sporting events.

English Premier League football side West Ham United were mooted as possible future tenants for the new stadium but many teams dislike playing in an athletics stadium because the track distances them from spectators.

Livingstone, though, said that football clubs may have to look elsewhere.

"We made a commitment that there would be a permanent athletics facility and we have honoured that commitment," he said.

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said: "This is a very important Olympic milestone and this stadium is focused very much on legacy and sustainability.

"Once the Games are over, this will then be translated into a stadium that will not only host grand prix athletics events and other national sport events but will also serve the communities of the boroughs."

With post-Olympic use in mind, the upper parts of the structure are designed to be removed, including a roof which will provide protection from the weather for two-thirds of the seats inside.

A wraparound fabric curtain, which will encircle the stadium in its Olympic version, will also come off afterwards, with plans for the material to be made into bags and other souvenir goods to remember the Games.

The London Olympics are helping to revive a deprived part of the city, and the permanent stadium will be a key part of that. "It's a stadium that will be inspiring, it will be a stadium that will have a lasting legacy," said Coe.

Critics have highlighted the ballooning budget since London won with its bid for the 2012 Olympics in Singapore in July 2005. The stadium price tag was put at 280 million pounds at that time.

John Armitt, chair of the Olympic Delivery Authority, said: "Nearly 500 million pounds is a lot of money in anyone's terms but it is the budget and we are determined to work within that."

"If there is a requirement for any extra, we have a contingency within the scheme covering this as a whole and we will use some of that, but that is not the plan."

Building work is due to start next April or May, three months ahead of schedule, and should be completed in 2011 to allow test events to be held in the stadium before the Games themselves.

olympic 2012 opening ceremony
companies building olympic stadium for 2012 olympic games

Government urged to fast-track immigration process of chefs in bid to avoid Olympics skills shortage

by Greg Pitcher

Foreign chefs must be given the same immigration fast-track as Premiership footballers to stop the 2012 Olympic Games being blighted by a kitchen skills crisis, Gordon Brown has been told.


Sector skills council People 1st and trade body the British Hospitality Association (BHA) have sent a joint letter to the prime minister urging him to act immediately on the issue.


London mayor Ken Livingstone has already warned that increasing the standard of hospitality the capital offers visitors is crucial to their perception of the 2012 Olympics.


Four in 10 UK chefs do not possess a Level Two qualification – deemed to be the minimum needed to prepare food from scratch.


Brian Wisdom, chief executive of People 1st, said: “The government has known for some time that employers here are struggling to find highly skilled chefs.


“There is a certain irony in the fact that a sushi chef with 12 years’ training – who we really need in this country – gets denied entry, yet footballers from the same part of the world with less years’ training behind them take priority.”


BHA chief executive Bob Cotton added that high-quality Asian restaurants were struggling to find enough chefs locally and needed to look abroad.


“With our food tastes evolving, there is an urgent need for great chefs, and this will become even more of an issue with the influx of millions of tourists heading to London in advance of the Olympic Games,” he said.

Cuffy’s focused on London Olympics

The moment a Cayman cricket coach set eyes on six–year–old Tyrell Cuffy at the Owen Roberts International Airport, he said: “That boy is destined to be a sprinter.”

And sure enough, 12 years later, he’s been proved right. Cuffy is one of the Caribbean’s fastest teenagers, on the verge of being world class at 18 with Olympic ambitions firmly in his sights. The cricket coach was Andy Myles, there to welcome Tyrell’s dad Theo to Grand Cayman from Trinidad to take up the position of cricket’s technical director. Cuffy is still in the post and Myles his assistant. Little Tyrell, however, has grown into a strapping six–footer, improving virtually every time he runs the 200 metres. “I could tell Tyrell was a sprinter even then because he walked on his toes, not the balls of his feet,” says Myles. “He had a very smooth, easy step, sort of glided.”

“Even at George Town Primary School his teacher, Mrs. Ebanks, spotted his sprinting talent,” says Theo. “He played cricket, captained the Under–15s and went on to play for the U–19s but then athletics took over.”

And how. Cuffy has just completed his first senior season, always a difficult one for aspiring champions used to being top dog as juniors. He fared well too, running fast enough at the Pan Am Junior Games in Sao Paulo to take silver in the 200m that qualified him for the senior tournament in Rio de Janeiro a few days after where he got to the semis. “Going to Rio was a great experience where I met professional athletes who gave me good advice,” Cuffy says. “I learned to always stay focused and they told me to do my school work and stay disciplined.”

Cuffy roomed with his Caymanian team mates high jumper Omar Wright and multi–disciplined thrower Michael Letterlough. “That was fun too. Omar is more a wise guy, who advised me to leave the girls alone for now and train hard. Michael has more of a business brain and talked about how to make the money.”

All three are the products of an intensive Cayman athletics programme headed by coach Kenrick Williams, who is churning out high quality competitors with production–line precision. “Kenrick is the best,” says Cuffy. “I’ve been with him since I was eight and still keep in touch with him now I’m at college. He believes that if he can get you to the level of the Cafita Games then you are destined to make it.”

Cuffy’s closest sprinting pal is Kemar Hyman, a 17–year–old Caymanian who is also emerging as one to watch. “I also like training with Stephon Johnson. He’s the perfect role model. He sits you down and gives good advice. The twins Carl and Carlos Morgan (Caymanian athletes studying in American colleges) have just emailed me to say they’re training hard and coming after me in the 200m next year, so watch out. I’m looking forward to it. I love the competition.”

Established Caymanian athletes Kareem Streete–Thompson and Cydonie Mothersill are also great sources of inspiration for Cuffy.

A business administration student at King College in Bristol, Tennessee, Cuffy enjoys the small campus atmosphere and competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics league. Offers have come to move to larger colleges where he can run in more competitive Division One meets. But he’s happy with the parochial life there for now.

“I’m settled there with my coaches Johnny Bomar and Tom Murrell who are trying to improve my endurance by running occasional 400m relay. Studying always takes precedence though. Classes in the morning, I train at 3pm then back to my books in the evening.”

He adds with a big smile: “I’m not much of a party guy,” but does admit to having “a couple of girlfriends”.

With a degree firmly on his resume in three years’ time, Cuffy is coming back to Cayman with the intention of being a full–time sprinter. “My ultimate dream is the Olympics. I came this close to qualify for Beijing next year in the 200m with a time of 20.83 seconds when the qualifier is 20.75 so I hope to get that time next year.”

By then he’ll be bigger, stronger and better equipped for the rigours of the event. His size and shape lends itself more to the longer sprint than the 100m. “The way I run, the strides, I’m told I don’t have the ‘quick twitch’ action you need to be really good at 100m, but I am improving.” He’s still run a respectable 10.39secs.

Cuffy wants to emulate Jamaica’s world–record holder Asafa Powell. “That guy is unbelievable. He’s my idol. I’ll be rooting for him at the World Championships in two weeks’ time. I’ve met him in Jamaica and shook his hands. Nice guy.”

Cuffy hopes to compete in Beijing for the experience with a goal of reigning supreme at the London Olympics in 2012. “I’ve only passed through London as a sprinter but I’d love to visit there. Dad talks about it all the time.”

Tyrell believes he can reach Olympic medal status without illegal drugs. “I haven’t been offered any drugs and definitely wouldn’t take them anyway to be the best. I’d say about 80 per cent of athletes are clean. I run for the love of it, the money’s just a bonus. I could never take them because if you get caught you get a bad name and a bad rep. When Justin Gatlin got caught I threw all his images away. At least I know Asafa is clean.”

A wholesome family lifestyle is something he enjoys with his dad, mum, Sandra and sister Trisha, 20. They live in Newlands and still take family breaks together. “I was in Cayman Brac with my family last week and had so much conch. Mum wants me to take some back to college and freeze it. There’s no need to go that far!

“We’re very close. I talk to dad every day from college and mum is always encouraging me and keeping me motivated.

“My first month at college was tough. I was very homesick so when I came home for a week’s spring break it was great to go out with Trisha. We had a blast.”

As Theo was an outstanding cricketer, Tyrell obviously inherited his sporting genes. “Dad told me he used to run when he was younger, I can’t believe that.”

Bristling with pride, Theo says: “Tyrell knows how I feel about smoking and drugs and thankfully he doesn’t indulge. He gets a high from music. He doesn’t really love fast food, more his mother’s cooking.

“He’s recording excellent times for an 18–year–old and will be maturing in the next few years. I have high hopes for him. He’s set his goals, let’s see how he works towards it. Only the almighty determines that. He has a good coach in Tom Murrell who is like a father figure. Tyrell is a good product of Cayman and I hope he can be a lesson for all youngsters to show what can happen if you work hard. I want him to shoot for the stars but keep his feet firmly on the ground.”

Kenya-based Cleveland Forde eyes Beijing Olympics, London Games

National men's 5000-metre record holder Cleveland Forde has his eyes set on representing Guyana at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and setting a standard for the 2012 London Games.

"I'm just looking at making the qualifying time for the Beijing Olympics next year and setting a standard that even if I don't win a medal there (Beijing), I hope to just make the standard for the 2012 Olympics in England," the 22-year-old told Stabroek Sport in an exclusive interview.

The Kenya-based athlete, who is currently benefiting from an Olympic Solidarity-funded scholarship leading up to the 2008 Olympics, said when the current scholarship was up, he hoped the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) would see it fit to secure another scholarship for him that would lead up to the 2012 London Games.

"After Beijing, I hope the GOA might see it fit to get me another scholarship. What they (GOA) have done for me so far has really helped me. I wanted to get to world standard and I'm going to try and make the Beijing qualifying time so that I can represent Guyana to get the recognition it deserves," Forde stressed.

The Mabaruma (Region One) born son of the soil who has been at the Kip Keino High Altitude Training Centre in Kenya for over two years, said training at the world famous facility had boosted his career despite his poor showing at the just-concluded 15th Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

"I was not too well in Rio and I hope the GOA understands what went on. There were GOA executives there and they knew that I was not well, so I hope they understand.

"My performance at the Pan Am was not so good at all and not as close to what I'm capable of, but that's how it is sometimes.

"Yes I'm disappointed, but I have to find a way to move forward," he added.

Forde placed 11th of 13 runners in the men's 5000-metre event and 10th of 11 competitors in the men's 10,000-metre race.

Asked what he would do if the GOA were unsuccessful in securing a further four-year scholarship for him, Forde replied: "My plans after 2008, if I don't get another scholarship through the GOA, I will have to adapt to the situation and hope to be flexible, probably work in Guyana."

Asked what his training programme had been like since arriving in Kenya more than two years ago, Forde said he trains once per day (three hours) six days per week and does fortlex (run probably two minutes rest one minute continuously). He explained that his coach would usually give him a programme for the week to work with which inspires him to look forward to the next day's schedule.

"Coach Simba (Kenyan) has been great and though he never represented Kenya he has turned out world class athletes.

"I think his coaching is great, his philosophy and his approach to the job are excellent. He keeps stressing that discipline and patience are the keys to success. He tells you don't try to push things to happen, let it flow. If you try to push, you come down as fast or even faster than you got there and I have learnt that discipline is a way of life. If he says rest and you want to party you will go nowhere. Rest is a part of the training."

Asked how he has adapted to the food in Kenya, the national men's 1500-metre and South American 5000-metre medalist said getting accustomed to the food at first was a bit difficult and he resorted to eating bread alone, but in the long run he had to get used to eating what was served.

"I made up my mind and got used to it, and now I can handle the food. Sometimes sour milk which they call Maziwa Laha or sleeping milk. They say it gives the stomach work to clean you out."

He said since he had been there, he had not only been working on his athletic career, but his academic career as well.

"My first year there was just like grooving into the way of life in Kenya and their methods of training and competition and during the second year I got used to their culture and started to speak the language while training."

In 2005 Forde began an academic programme in management of information systems which he explained had to do with computer information (computer science).

"I started this course in July 2005 and did my first exams in June 2006. I got passes in all the subject areas but in December last year I failed two tests and did them over this year and am hoping for passes when the results come out next month.

"When I failed, I had underestimated the exams, I took them for granted and paid the price, but now I'm more serious."

Forde expressed his gratitude to coach Simba, who he said had been great to him. "He explained certain things in life and I listened to him attentively and am still learning. I would also like to thank coach Joseph N'June for his patience and understanding and most importantly the GOA and all other locals who have contributed in some way or the other to the little success that I have achieved to date."