London Olympic Park Gets Major Test

London's Olympic Park got its first major test last week when nearly 150,000 fans came out to look competitions in numerous sports. They were a part of the ultimate stages of preparations for the Games, now fewer than 80 days away.

The Olympic Stadium was opened with a flight of balloons, flashes of sunshine and the cheers of its first large crowd, .

Crowds of enthusiastic sports fans streamed into the park for a sequence of events inside the stadium and other venues.  They were treated to top level competition in numerous sports, starting from water polo to field hockey.

But at the same time the events were taking place, workers continued to lay the finishing touches at the main stadium and other buildings within the Olympic Park.

One worker from Romania, who identified himself only as Vlad, says engaged on the Olympic Stadium isn't the same as every other construction job he has had.

“The feeling is different.  i do not know.  It's something which i will not explain.   The sensation is superb, especially now before the test event.  Everyone seems to be training. It could be like a one-time opportunity, once in a life-time,” he said.

In a couple of months, athletes from Vlad's home country and from around the globe might be competing within the stadium, but for this “test” event there have been only British university athletes.  

Still, some hope to make the Olympic team, including runner David Bishop. "That was the overall it's because I came.  I just desired to get a feel of what it was desire to run in here (to) give me the aid and motivation for a pair more months to push on so i will be able to get my time down and nail this trial," Bishop said.

For the London Organizing Committee Chairman and 4-time British Olympic medalist Sebastian Coe, the “test” events were an opportunity to mingle with young athletes and to point out off the fruits of 7 years of labor.

“We're to ensure that no stone is left unturned.  And that testing is across everything from security, through to our venues, tickets, spectator flows, mobility, our ability to check a number of our Park-wide operations, workforce, logistics, pretty important.  So a major moment for us,” Coe said.

Saturday's friendly competition and celebrations were marred somewhat on Sunday, when a tabloid newspaper revealed it had helped a construction worker smuggle a pretend bomb into the Olympic Park.  That provided evidence there's still work to be done, as officials hope to maintain the point of interest throughout the Games on images like an army wives choir, which helped get the stadium's opening ceremony going.

From WhatNewsToday.net

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