Coventry embraces Olympics as 200 day countdown set to begin

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COVENTRY is leading the way when it comes to benefiting from the upcoming Olympics, according to council leader John Mutton.

He has praised the businesses, individuals and the general public for embracing the 2012 Games.

On Monday, the 200-day countdown to the London Olympics will begin.

Coventry will be the first English city to host an event, on July 25, and will stage both men’s and women’s matches at the Ricoh, renamed the City of Coventry Stadium for the Games.

Coun Mutton said: “We may be passing another landmark as we build up to play our part in hosting the greatest show on earth, but preparations to be part of the 2012 Games began in Coventry some years ago.

“It is hard to believe just how much has been achieved already in the city and we can’t wait to welcome the world to our region and showcase our sporting and cultural heritage.

“We knew the people of Coventry would embrace such a significant event, but nobody could have foreseen just how much enthusiasm and excitement they would show.

“Welcoming the Olympic and Paralympic Games to our city is truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and we will continue to work to ensure Coventry benefits as much as it possibly can from the Games both in the build-up to and beyond London 2012.”

The matches being held in the city are predicted to provide a £50million boost to the city’s economy.

And businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire have been awarded more London 2012-related contracts than anywhere else in the West Midlands, securing 80, ranging from cleaning and training services to construction and drilling. The most high-profile contract is the 9,000 Olympic and Paralympic torches which are being manufactured in Coventry by The Premier Group.

On Sunday July 1, one of the torches will return home when it arrives in the city for an overnight celebration as part of the 70-day Olympic Torch relay across the city.

Other events inspired by the Olympics in the city include the introduction of the giant screen outside the Coventry Transport Museum, and the Godiva Awakes project which will see a ten-metre Lady Godiva travel to London powered by 100 cyclists.

More than 90 per cent of Coventry schools have registered for the London 2012 Get Set education programme while a Festival of Sport project has aimed to give children in the city a taste of what it would be like to take part in the Olympic or Paralympic Games.

coventrytelegraph.net