London 2012 Chairman hails 'a Games by everyone'
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, August 10, 2012
With three days to go before the London Oympics' closing ceremony, the chairman of the organising committee said he is ready to go running through the line for "a Games by everyone".
"Basically, our team now with three days to go are running through the line. We keep focused to right way through very the last moment," said Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).
"We want same service level on the same athletes and Olympic family members when they go out through the Heathrow Airport as we managed to engender for them to come here," Coe told Xinhua on Thursday in a round table briefing.
Accordting to Coe, 15 million people have come out of the streets to line up for the torch relay; seven million up to today spectators have gone throughout the venues with three more days to come; 28,000 school educational programmes followed the Olympis; live sites for the matches and free artistic shows can be seen in the country as parts of London 2012 festival.
"I said in my opening remarks, it is 'a Games for everyone'. Now, I am pretty sure this is also 'a Games by everyone'."
Coe said the passionate crowds filling the venues not only cheered for the winners, but also inspired the spirited players without medals, which have created a "theatre" for the world's Olympians.
Up to today, Coe said the players have set 99 Olympic records and 38 world records. "The fans also contributed to their success," he added.
As one of the greatest former Olympians in Britain, Coe advised players in London not to talk too much on results.
"I want them to look at me in the eyes at the departure at Heathrow airport, saying 'I exceeded it', I 'under-performed', 'I did what I was expected to do', 'I did in my abilities to do what I ultimately doing'. It's important," he said.
Looking back his seven-year work, Coe said his current emotion is "pride".
"The overwhelming emotion and feeling is pride. After 20 or 30 years, our kids or grand-kids, when they look back, they can say 'we did right'. They can come together really surrounded by people who feel pride.'"
Three days later, the athletes can get rests. But Coe said he has little time to relax.
"Then we have two-week transition of Paralympics. We will deliver a good Games," he said.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)