Steph Houghton salutes Olympic effect as Arsenal Ladies seek double - Metro

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Steph Houghton is hoping to make it a double by winning the FA Women’s Super League Continental Cup (Picture: Action Images)

Houghton scored in all three of Team GB’s group games at London 2012, including one against Brazil in front of more than 70,000 fans at Wembley.

Now her focus is on helping the Gunners win the double by beating Birmingham in the FA Women’s Super League Continental Cup final at Barnet’s Underhill after already winning the WSL.

‘We are getting a lot more attention and recognition,’ she said.

‘Attendances are improving. The image of women’s football has changed for the better and we have to make sure it keeps getting better as more and more girls take it up.’

Meanwhile the Football Association has confirmed Team GB will not be sending a men’s football team to the 2016 Olympics, but it has not ruled out fielding a women’s side.

Tickets – £10 for adults, £5 for children – are available by calling 020 8449 6325, from ticket office or at www.barnetfc.com

Frieze London 2012: the speed-dating approach to art fairs - The Guardian

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Murder In Three Acts by Asli Cavusoglu. Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

I bought a pint of milk at the farm shop at Frieze art fair. Big spender, me. I toyed with the rhubarb, and the spuds looked good, but it's all a pain to carry when you're cruising the commercial stands and the artists' projects, diving into talks and watching the film programme. The milk actually comes from Tesco, but is being resold for a pound a pint in protest against the squeeze big retailers put on dairy farmers, many of whom are going out of business. Is the milk for sale, I ask at the shop, part of Spanish artist and farmer Fernando García-Dory's contribution to the Grizedale Arts Project, based in the Lake District. Grizedale are here as one of Frieze's invited projects. "It is a shop," the assistant tells me. "Like all other stands here."

Lugging the milk around all day, up and down the aisles, from one gallery to the next, is a bore. I keep looking for something to pour it into, an urn or a vase, but these all seem to be on display over at Frieze Masters, the newly inaugurated and excellent fair of old and new art, on the other side of London's Regent's Park.

All art fairs are much the same. Frieze is a bit more fun, and better organised than most. But there is the same sense that, apart from schmoozing, a critic's only role here is to witness the collisions of taste, and to stare appalled at things no serious adult ought to want to own (a pink baby seal, stranded on the floor of the Gagosian stand; a searing fluorescent pink floor, by Korean artist Koo Jeong-A; a life-like and very hairy naked humanoid mannequin at some gallery or other. A lot of the stands, let alone the art, quickly homogenise. Meanwhile, my milk has started to curdle.

I have no idea how collectors cope, but fairs provide a context they seem comfortable in. Most dealers sell more at fairs than they do in their galleries. This week it is Frieze London; next week they will all move to the big fair in Paris, FIAC. Finding a quiet moment to actually look at art is extremely difficult. Some galleries, like London's MOT International, who are screening a film by Turner prize contender Elizabeth Price, do it with dignity – in a little cinema, away from the main drag. An entire show of work by Canadian artist Geoffrey Farmer fills Casey Kaplan's booth. Farmer was a hit at the recent Documenta exhibition in Kassel, with his field of cut-out images from the entire run of Life magazine; here, his works retreat in all the surrounding roar and razzmatazz. Setting out in search of some hot young star, I find myself looking at some funny, modest photographs of furry little guinea pigs, by Josephine Pryde, at Reena Spaulings' stand. You ask yourself not why Pryde took them, but why you're looking.

Often, it is the free panel discussions and talks, the commissioned artists' projects and the film screenings that provide a bit of mental heft. Of the commissions, the filming of a murder mystery within the fair looks the most fun. Who did what and to whom, you ask, of Turkish artist Asli Çavusoglu's Murder in Three Acts. I nearly tried to inveigle myself into being pelted with over-ripe tomatoes back at the Grizedale project, but ran away at the last moment. On Saturday I shall eat a vermin dinner there, with Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam and squirrel on the menu. Please note: I like my squirrel red.

The project that excites me most is by British artist Ed Fornieles, at Carlos/Ishikawa gallery. Fornieles has set up Characterdate, in which you can sign up and get a date at the fair. The trick is that you have to adopt a fake identity, which you have to make up and improvise when you create your profile. I am Reiner. I am German. I am powerful, rich and self-aware. I am a polymorphously perverse international jewel thief (well, I had to think of something). My date is in half an hour. Apparently, a "team of scenario prototyping experts" will begin expanding my new reality. If I'm lucky, my whole way of life might get tweaked, and I could begin to see things – even Frieze – with fresh eyes. Just call me Reiner.

London 2012 was an unforgettable experience which I hope to ... - Metro (blog)

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The public really made the London Paralympics one of the best experiences of my life, and I am pretty sure it was the same for most athletes from GB and other nations. The cheering and support alone brought home a few more medals.

London 2012 was unreal, every part just felt amazing. I remember the day we arrived, I walked around the village to get a feel for the place. I specifically remember saying to my coach: ‘I think this will be the best 14 days of my life’.

The village was its own little world, nothing I have been to before compares with it. It was shut off from the world and had everything you could ever need and more.

It was all such an amazing experience, and one I hope to repeat in 2016.

The best part for me had to be the games room; once competition time started we didn’t get to use it much but leading up to competition in our downtime space we spent a lot of time there relaxing and playing pool.

The dining hall felt like heaven after living in Sheffield with team-mates where, every day, after long hard sessions you have to come home and cook, which is the last thing you want to do.

But it was the Games Makers who were the icing on the cake for me. They were so happy and excited to be there and help you.

They stopped you from getting lost but also reminded us that we are not just playing for ourselves but the whole nation and made the experience for me that much better.

For me the best part of the whole Games was of course the competition at the ExCel. It was special walking out to your table and being introduced to the crowd.

Sadly for me, I didn’t do that great in the singles. I was happy with the draw and went in confident. I didn’t play poor but didn’t play to my best. I lost 3-0 to a Chinese player ranked No.6 in the world and then 3-2 to a Belgian former Paralympic champion and reigning world champion.

But the glory was awaiting me in the team event as we won bronze. I love singles but the team event always holds something special. The team was Ross Wilson, Will Bayley and me, nicknamed Dream Team RAW.

We went through every emotion – joy, sadness, tension, pressure, excitement and spirit. Ross won the final point and we went mental.

We had planned a celebration like Paul Gascoigne’s from Euro 96 – but with Powerade as the drink of choice! However, I decided that would ruin the court so we literally bottled it.

It was all such an amazing experience, and one I hope to repeat in 2016. If you would like to help support me in any way, do tweet me @kibsta91 or contact me via email at aaron_mckibbin@hotmail.co.uk

Metro Blogs is a place for opinions. These opinions belong to the author and are not necessarily shared by Metro.

London Film Festival 2012: Top 5 films to watch - Metro

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Frankenweenie

For once this Tim Burton film doesn't star long-term collaborator Johnny Depp or real-life girlfriend Helena Bonham Carter.

Originally developed as a short film when Burton once worked at Disney, Frankenweenie follows young inventor Victor who finds a novel way of bringing his beloved pup Sparky back from the dead.

This wonderfully crafted stop motion 3D animation promises to be a return to form for Burton after the disappointing Dark Shadows - quirky, funny and dark, all the things we've come to expect from the director.

Amour deals with aging and death (Picture: AP Photo/Sony Pictures Classics)

Amour

The winner of this year's Palme D'Or at Cannes Film Festival, Amour is a brave and unsettling look at love, relationships, aging and death.

Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant play an old married couple, who find their relationship pushed to the very brink when one of them suffers from a stroke.

This being a Michael Haneke film, he doesn't flinch from portraying the slow and agonising process of dying showing just how tedious, humiliating and frustrating it can be.

It's utterly heartbreaking but deeply compassionate and powerfully gripping.

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Benh Zeitlin's debut film has already been touted as the next Slumdog Millionaire.

Far grittier and just as inspiring as Danny Boyle's offering, Beasts of the Southern Wild is an imaginative and lyrical piece of film-making brimming with style, poetry and beauty.

Quvenzhané Wallis gives a jaw-dropping performance as six-year-old Hushpuppy, who must weather the highs and lows of her alcoholic father's moods and also a huge storm which hits their community Bathtub.

Come Oscar time, Wallis could find herself in with a strong chance of taking home a gong for Best Actress.

Ben Affleck directs and stars in Argo (Picture: AP/Warner Bros)

Argo

Argo is one of those 'if it weren't true, you wouldn't believe it' stories.

Based on real-life events, Argo revolves around a CIA agent's (Ben Affleck) audacious attempt to save some US hostages from Tehran - by pretending to be the producer of a new sci-fi movie.

Affleck once again proves his skills as a director in this tense and gripping drama, which promises to have you on the edge of your seat.

Rust and Bone

Rust and Bone is a beautiful and unusual love story from French director Jacques Audiard, who won an Oscar nod for Best Foreign Film for A Prophet in 2010.

Marion Cotillard takes of one of her most challenging roles yet as a whale trainer who loses her legs in a horrific accident while rising star Matthias Schoenaerts plays the brutish bouncer she finds herself falling for.

She's struggling to leave the house while he's struggling to control his temper and his fists. It's hardly a match made in heaven but both leads are completely mesmerising in this touching portrayal of two people learning to feel complete again.

Five IT Lesson from the London 2012 Olympics - Forbes

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The London 2012 Olympics were generally thought to be extremely well executed.  As a casual or even an obsessive observer of the

Image credit: AFP/Getty Images via @daylife

Games, it is easy to overlook how much technology has changed the Games, largely for the better.  Among other things, Gerry Pennell, the CIO of London 2012, was responsible for ensuring that the core mission of measuring athletic performance and providing data to the media and ultimately to spectators around the world was achieved.

Gerry Pennell, CIO of the London 2012 Olympics

At first glance, running IT for the Olympics would seem very different from doing so at a typical company, but I recently spoke with Pennell, and he brought up a variety of lessons that are universally applicable.

Lesson 1: People – Hire Technologists who can run at sprint and marathon speeds

Pennell had an advantage in that eight years earlier, prior to beginning preparation for the London Games, there was an Olympics in an English speaking country (Australia) with people who have some cultural similarities to the Brits, and he was able to recruit some of them to join his efforts. That said, prior experience only goes so far.  “New blood is essential so that people are not tempted to simply replay what was done in the past,” says Pennell.  It is important to have fresh thinking for each Olympics, but it is also important that there be a preponderance of people from the host country in IT so that the IT plan reflect the unique aspects of the technology landscape in that country.

In terms of characteristics to look for, finding people who are comfortable operating with a high degree of uncertainty, and who will not be frustrated by changes, even at the last minute, is essential.  At the beginning of Pennell’s journey with his colleagues, it was important to think of their jobs as a marathoner might, but at the end, there were a series of sprints.  Balancing the strategy of the marathon (a topic covered below) with the tactics of the sprints is essential.

Increasingly, this is a lesson that CIOs in most companies must contemplate.  The pace of change in IT is growing, and there are no signs of slowing down.  Hiring people who are comfortable with change, and bring an R&D mentality to new technology is essential.  As in many conventional business situations, it is also the case that projects move swiftly through different phases; its important to find people who are versatile enough to deal with strategy at one end of the process, and deployment or operations at the other.  The more versatile the team the easier it is to respond correctly to changing situations.

Lesson 2: Strategy – In the absence of solid plans from others, understand where the finish line is, and work backwards

Among the Olympic Organizing Committee functions, IT had the longest lead time.  Typically, IT strategy is best formulated following the IT leader’s having participated in Corporate and Divisional or Functional-level strategies –and through studying the activities and processes operated by users, but Pennell did not have that luxury.  Clearly it was important to understand as far as possible the emerging plan from the various departments, but the IT strategy needed to be fleshed out with assumptions derived from previous Games and expectations about how technology was being used. From these assumptions, Pennell’s team developed a scope, budget, and IT strategy.   They also clearly articulated the assumptions and hypotheses behind his plan so that if any changes occurred (and there would be many), there is broad agreement on the implications, and a change management plan could be forged more easily.

Pennell’s stories bring to mind World War I German field marshal, Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, who said, “No plan survives contact with the enemy.”  Likewise, as the Games approached, many plans needed to be changed substantially, and having people who could change with them and execute under uncertain circumstances proved to be critically important.

Pistorius talks London 2012 on Tonight With Jay Leno - Insidethegames.biz

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By Tom Degun

October 10 - South African Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius has discussed his involvement at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games on NBC's Tonight With Jay Leno show, one of the biggest television chat shows in the United States.

The 25-year-old from Johannesburg became the first double leg amputee to compete in athletics at the Olympics, reaching the 400 metres semi-final, before winning two gold medals and a silver at the Paralympics a month later.

Pistorius, who appeared alongside US actor Tyler Perry and the music band Plain White T's, discussed the Games with Leno, claiming that it was his team that had helped him make both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in top condition.

"When you get to the top of competition, you realise it is the whole team around you that gets you to that position," he said.

"It is not just you.

"I've got a phenomenal team behind me and it is great.

"I needed all their support because London 2012 was so crazy.

"You walk out into that stadium and you can hear a wall of noise.

"You try and stay calm but it is so loud; it was just amazing."

Oscar Pistorius won two gold medals and a silver at the London 2012 Paralympics

The appearance comes just days after Pistorius appeared with Ryder Cup hero and vice-captain Paul McGinley at the Dunhill Links golf Championships in Scotland.

He will be remaining in the US for the rest of the week, where his next appearance will be on the Piers Morgan Tonight show on CNN on October 12, followed by the Larry King Now show on HULU.com, to be broadcast at a later date.

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London 2012 lingers long in the memory - Metro (blog)

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So that’s it – the nights are drawing in, it’s not long until the clocks go back, and London 2012 seems a distant memory… Winter’s coming.

Goodness me, how long ago the Olympics and Paralympics seem now, even though it is only four weeks today both teams paraded through the streets of the capital basking in the glory of a golden summer.

The things I’ve seen this summer will stick with me forever – from ‘Super Saturday’ in the Olympic Stadium to the living legend (his words, not mine) that is Usain Bolt to Michael Phelps to David Weir, it was a truly remarkable summer.

There is life after London 2012 and a night covering the Capital One Cup or the Europa League is more than enough to convince you that the world has moved on

And then, blink, and it’s all gone. Life returns to normal. Having lived in an Olympic bubble for 12 months, and planned for it for a lot longer, the greatest show on earth hits the road for its next stop-off in Rio (via a winter foray to Sochi in 2014, of course).

But nowadays, in this all-year-round, 24/7 sporting world where nothing and no one ever sleeps, it is at least easy to move on.

My first football match post-London was a little surreal, having simply ignored the first month of the season (I may do the same with the rest of the campaign unless looking at the Championship table becomes decidedly easier).

I just sat there and realised: ‘That’s it, it’s all over.’ Half of me was sad after such a wonderful year as Olympics Correspondent – a period in which I was privileged enough to meet Usain Bolt, David Beckham, the list goes on…

But part of me was also relieved that there is life after London 2012 and a night covering the Capital One Cup or the Europa League is more than enough to convince you that the world has moved on.

Sport continues, it always does, and although the nation united for a fantastic summer of British success, it is back to business. Winter’s coming. And maybe that’s reassuring.

Metro Blogs is a place for opinions. These opinions belong to the author and are not necessarily shared by Metro.

RSA London 2012: Governments will fail in bid to control internet ... - V3.co.uk

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LONDON: The world's governments are destined to fail in their attempts to control the internet, according to BT security expert Bruce Schneier.

Schneier claimed that the internet is currently going through a dark period, with legislators creating ill-conceived cyber policies that are damaging rather than helping online developments.

"Governments are starting to use it [the internet] for power," said Schneier at a press conference in London.

"We're hitting a period in internet history where governments are seizing more control; one where governments that don't understand the internet are trying to interfere with it."

Schneier touted the recent US proposal to create a "killswitch" for the internet as a prime example of policymaker's lack of understanding.

The cryptography expert warned that such policies will cause short term damage by increasing the political separation between the pre- and post-internet generations.

"The internet is biggest generation since rock and roll," said Schneier.

"The line is people on Twitter: those that can't figure it out and those that can't live without it."

As a result Schneier predicted that governments' bid for online power would fail.

"I don't think they [governments] will succeed but there'll be a lot of damage in the process [...] In battles between generation gaps the younger generation always wins as in the end the older dies," said Schneier.

"In the long term, I do believe in humanities never-ending quest for justice and morality."

Earlier this autumn, Schneier told V3's Security Summit 2012, that online anonymity was a significant challenge for governments as he issued a similar call for government to end their attempts to control the web

Long and Martin named US Paralympic Sportspeople of the Year ... - Insidethegames.biz

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By David Gold

September 20 - The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has announced its Paralympic athletes and teams of the year following the London 2012 Games.

Swimmer Jessica Long (pictured top) was awarded the Paralympic Sportswoman of the Year title after she won eight medals, five of them gold, in London.

Equalling the haul of fellow swimmer Jacqueline Freney of Australia, Long took home the most medals won by any athlete in London, and brought her total to 17 medals won over three Paralympic Games.

The award adds to the Disabled Swimmer of the Year accolade Long received in 2011 from Swimming World Magazine, and the ESPY Award for the Best Female Athlete with a Disability she won earlier this year.

The Paralympic Sportsman of the Year was Raymond Martin, the wheelchair racer who won every event he entered on his Paralympic Games debut at London 2012.

Raymond Martin won every event he entered on his Paralympic debut at London 2012

The 18-year-old won the United States' first track and field gold of London 2012 in the T52 100 metres, before winning the 200m, 400m and 800m.

The Paralympic Team of the Year award was given to the United States' men's quad doubles wheelchair tennis pair of David Wagner and Nick Taylor, who won their third consecutive gold medal in London.

They stunned British favourites Peter Norfolk and Andy Lapthorne in the final at Eton Manor earlier this month to defend their title.

The Americans have now won the event at each Paralympic Games since it was introduced at Athens 2004.

David Wagner and Nick Taylor celebrate their London 2012 wheelchair tennis gold

In addition, Wagner claimed silver in the men's singles competition, with Taylor taking bronze.

"We are so proud to honour these young men and women who represent the finest ambassadors of sport," said USOC chief executive Scott Blackmun.

"Through their commitment to excellence on and off the field, these athletes represent our country with incredible grace and composure, and their outstanding achievements are an inspiration to all Americans."

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London 2012 Olympics: Tom Daley greeted by fans in Plymouth - Daily Mail

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By Sportsmail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 08:47 GMT, 20 September 2012 | UPDATED: 10:24 GMT, 20 September 2012

Hordes of homemade banners, joyous crowds and lashings of Olympic and Paralympic spirit greeted athletes as Tom Daley and his colleagues lapped up the euphoria surrounding the London 2012 Games as Plymouth paid tribute to its young sporting stars.

The teenage diving sensation was among those joining in the open-top bus parade through the Devon city this evening, as thousands of well-wishers packed the streets to pay tribute to the 18-year-old bronze medallist.

The 15-year-old swimmer Ruta Meilutyte, who won gold in the 100m women’s breaststroke for her home country of Lithuania, was also among the athletes taking part in the event.

All aboard: The Plymouth based Olympic and Paralympic athletes, including Tom Daley take to the streets on an open top bus

Welcome back: The people of Plymouth turn out to greet the Olympians

The pair waved from the balcony of Plymouth College, where Daley and Meilutyte are studying for their A-Levels and GCSEs respectively, before boarding the bus as it made its hour-long route through the city streets.

Others in the parade included divers Tonia Couch and Sarah Barrow, swimmers Antony James, Jamila Lunkuse and Jade Howard, fencer Corinna Lawrence, wheelchair basketball player Judith Hamer and Paralympic table tennis player David Wetherill.

Daley’s diving coach Andy Banks and Meilutyte’s swimming coach Jon Rudd also took part in the celebration, which included a stop at the new multimillion-pound Plymouth Life Centre, where many of the city’s athletes train.

Medal winner: Daley holds his Bronze medal and as he points to the crowds

Stella Goodman, who was watching the parade with three generations of her family, said: “we are proud, proud to be Plymothians and see them today.'

Swimmer Cerys Moore, 11, added: 'they (athletes) are inspiring me to be like them. I have been to the Life Centre (where the athletes train) and it is fantastic.'

Each athlete was given a rousing reception as they were presented to the crowd which had gathered near the city plaza to welcome them off the bus.

But the biggest cheer was reserved for Daley, wearing his TeamGB tracksuit and bronze medal.

Back to school: Daley, gold medallist Ruta Meilutyte, Olympic swimmer Jamila Lunkuse and Olympic swimmer Jade Howard walk through college grounds on the first day back after the London 2012

Addressing the crowd - several members of which tried to catch his attention with shouts of 'I love you, Tom” - the diver said: 'Today has been crazy. The number of people who have lined the streets and the foot bridges - thank you for coming.

'It has been pretty crazy since the Olympic Games. Going through town or going out it is literally mental all the time. But it is back to school now, back to reality.'

Daley also thanked staff at Plymouth College, where the teenager is studying for his A-Levels.

He said: 'They have been incredible supporting us, adapting timetables, making sure we can train.'

Back to reality: Daley and the fellow Olympians return to the class room

Speaking between screams from younger members of the audience, Daley added: 'I would just like to say thank you from all of us.'

The athletes’ bus was followed for a short distance by a procession of the city’s Games Makers, many of whom later attended a civic reception at the Council House, hosted by the Lord Mayor, Michael Wright. Lithuanian Ambassador Dr Oskaras Jusys was also among guests at the reception.

Move over Games Makers it's time for the Sport Makers - Metro (blog)

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This week I signed up to become a Sport Maker and went to my local launch to find out more about the role.

The programme was developed as part of the London 2012 legacy strategy and is funded by Sport England and The Lottery. The aim is to recruit 40,000 Sports Makers across England to take forward the Olympic and Paralympic legacies.

In my opinion this is an excellent initiative and is a way of recognising the volunteering that people are already doing as well as recruiting new volunteers who may be enthused after the Olympics and will be incentivised by being part of a national scheme that rewards hours.

Sport Makers are charged with making sport happen at their local level. This can simply be encouraging a group of friends to take part in a local sporting event to getting involved in volunteering for a local sports club.

My local launch was organised by Hereford and Worcester Sports Partnership who will support the local group of Sport Makers in their efforts to grow grassroots sports. There were a range of people present from sixth form students who want to organise football games with their friends to members of the local bowls club who want to offer bowls classes to young disabled people. We learnt in a light hearted manner how we could contribute to the legacy and given the initial target of volunteering for 10 hours. In return there are a number of rewards depending on the hours we give.

In my opinion this is an excellent initiative and is a way of recognising the volunteering that people are already doing as well as recruiting new volunteers who may be enthused after the Olympics and will be incentivised by being part of a national scheme that rewards hours.

As a sports person I have received lots of support and encouragement from my local community – from local businesses sponsoring me, to people stopping me in the supermarket to give me words of encouragement. In return I feel that it is my responsibility to motivate people to take part in sport and improve access to sport for those people who face barriers to participation.

To that end I have already signed up to marshal and present the prizes at a local multi-terrain running race this weekend and will continue to use my profile in my community to make sport happen locally.

Anyone over the age of 16 can become a Sport Maker so if you were inspired by London 2012 why not become part of the legacy.

Metro Blogs is a place for opinions. These opinions belong to the author and are not necessarily shared by Metro.

Ryder Cup 2012: After immortal summer of Wiggins, Murray and ... - Telegraph.co.uk

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This was the greatest of all Ryder Cup comebacks. The US team who overturned a 10-6 European lead at Brookline 13 years ago were on home turf. Ian Poulter and company flipped the odds on foreign soil.

Though it was Martin Kaymer who nailed the final putt, on the 18th green, Poulter was the leader and the star, ending the weekend with the best percentage record of any Ryder Cup player.

Olazábal, who was like a brother to Ballesteros, wept, saying: “This is for the whole of Europe. Seve will always be present with this team.

"He was a big factor for this event, for the European side, and last night when we were having our meeting I told the boys that believing was the most important thing – and they did.”

Never in Ryder Cup history has a home crowd been left so shocked, so deflated. Maybe this was karma for the lone idiot who shouted, “F––– you, Seve,” at the 16th on Saturday night.

Luke Donald, Poulter, McIlroy, ­Justin Rose and Paul Lawrie were Europe’s hit squad, rattling up five victories. Lawrie, the veteran, struck a 50-foot birdie and then an eagle to crush Brandt Snedeker 5&3. In the second half, Sergio García, Lee Westwood and Kaymer finished the job.

A day of searing tension picked out four of the also-rans of this cup to decide its fate. Steve Stricker, Tiger Woods, Kaymer and Franceso Molinari had not won a single point from nine outings and yet here they were with the eyes of the world boring into them, with the score tied and both their matches all square.

We had no right to ask for this, much less to expect Europe to match the feats of the US team at Brookline in 1999. The Americans lost the first five matches and seven of the first 10.

A European onslaught neutralised the partisan home crowd and dumped intolerable pressure on the bottom half of America’s 12.

A suspicion is that leading 10-6 on the final morning is harder than it looks. The assumption is that victory is already in the bag.

With a few early setbacks there is a whiplash effect. The sense of a big lead slipping away inflicts terrible stress on the brain, in all sports. In a Ryder Cup, it must feel like a vortex that cannot be escaped.

Jim Furyk is no fresh-faced lad. But by the end of his defeat by García he looked like a stricken geriatric.

In match eight he led by one with two holes to play. On the 17th green a putt from the edge seemed to paralyse him. He backed off it twice, dropping to his knees to make the read. You could see his sinews tightening, his face turning grey.

Then he did it again on 18, missing an easier one and losing the hole to García, and with it the match. In his face was scored a terrible despair.

Guilt, you would call it. The Ryder Cup’s special cruelty is that it can make one man responsible for the suffering of another 11.

Imagine the ghosts and demons that haunt the psyche when an apparently safe victory is tossed away. America will turn on Furyk, Woods and Stricker, who contributed almost nothing.

“We just knew we had a chance, and do you know what? This is history, right here,” Poulter said.

So, to recap: this summer, a British rider has won the Tour de France for the first time, Britain has turned in its best Olympic performance and a Briton has won a major tennis title for the first time since Fred Perry in 1936.

In this Ryder Cup, seven UK citizens contributed to the greatest of all fightbacks in this most compelling of golfing tournaments.

The leaves turned golden and red in a single week at Medinah, so surely now the summer cycle is over.

Even the farce of McIlroy’s late arrival looked like part of the fun after Bubba Watson. Webb Simpson, Keegan Bradley, Phil Mickelson and Brandt Snedeker were blown away in the first five matches.

Chicago: Europe’s kind of town.

Soothsayers – The Streets Of London - Reggae.es

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London´s Soothsayers son una banda muy reconocida dentro de la escena reggae contemporáneo por su mezcla contagiosa de reggae, afrobeat, jazz y afro dub. Como precursor de su nuevo álbum próximo “Human Nature” que estará disponible exclusivamente en digital el 1 de octubre.

En abril de 2012 se les presentó una lista de canciones clásicas sobre Londres y le pide que elija una y para grabarla en su propio estilo para un álbum recopilatorio llamado “London´s  Calling”, con grupos de la flor y nata de la escena musical multicultural de Londres. Eligieron “The Streets Of London” de Ralph McTell porque ellos estaban familiarizados con él y les gustó el mensaje en las letras. También lo eligieron porque se vio inmediatamente el potencial para recrear una pista en un contexto reggae, utilizando el estilo de tres partes de armonía vocal que es un aspecto fundamental para su nuevo álbum próximo.

El resultado es un inesperado pero muy interesante, una conmovedora melodía reggae groove, con burburbujeantes guitarras  y pianos, bocinas estridentes, y las bellas armonías vocales de Idris Rahman, Hopcraft Robin y Julia Biel.

El tema ya ha sonado en BBC Radio 2, BBC de Londres y 6Music BBC.

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Olympian Farah and Boris back activity move - ITV News

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10:51am, Mon 1 Oct 2012 Mo and Boris's kids' fitness drive - last updated Mon 1 Oct 2012 London Mayor Boris Johnson (left) with gold medallist Mo Farah. Photo: London Tonight

Olympic star Mo Farah and London mayor Boris Johnson have visited a school in the capital to demand major changes in policy to help tackle the UK's increasing physical inactivity.

The pair met children at Lilian Baylis School in Kennington, south London, to give their backing to a report that warns England faces an "epidemic of physical inactivity" unless the Government changes the nation's sporting infrastructure.

The Move It report, written by the Young Foundation, found that while London 2012 provided a fantastic showcase for elite British sport, fewer people are taking part in physical activity.

Move It says that just 5% - one in 20 - of adults are exercising for the government-recommended level of two and a half hours a week.

A separate study, Designed To Move, found that today's children are the first generation to have a life expectancy shorter than their parents, and that a nine-year-old today in the UK will be 50% less active by the time they turn 15.

The Young Foundation says that more people getting involved in sport and exercise will improve healthy outlooks and mental health, reduce crime and create more cohesive communities, and increase educational results.

It is calling on the Government to:

Recognise grassroots sport as well as elite and competitive sports, putting young people at the heart of policy-making;Reprioritise sport at school by creating a strategy that incorporates its health, education and culture, media and sport departments;Improve funding and encourage corporate investment in grassroots sport;Be more consistent in the way it measures physical activity in schools, to create greater accountability to make sport count.

Dr Will Norman, director of research at The Young Foundation, said:

Our enthusiasm for watching sport seems to know no bounds. The problem is that we sit at home watching it, rather than participating ourselves.

This report outlines the steps we feel need to be taken, in order to prevent an epidemic of inactivity that is costing a fortune and threatens the health and wellbeing of millions.

Lilian Baylis is among nine schools taking part in a three-year programme to demonstrate some of the recommendations of the Move It and Designed To Move reports.

1,200 children between seven and 12 will take part in 12 hours of physical activity a week, including PE, after-school clubs and community sports sessions.

PhD students at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital will carry out a three-year project to assess the health outcomes.

Coke recycles 10.5m bottles from London 2012 - packagingnews.co.uk

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Paul Ryan Laments 'Media Bias' In 2012 Election: I'm 'Used' To It ... - Huffington Post

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Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan lamented that media bias pervades the 2012 presidential election coverage.

During an interview on "Fox New Sunday" with host Chris Wallace, Ryan said that he was "used to media bias" because he's a "conservative first."

Wallace, who was stern with the vice presidential candidate throughout the interview, asked if Ryan though the mainstream media was "carrying water for Barack Obama."

"I think it goes without saying that there's definitely media bias," Ryan said. "We expected media bias going into this."

When asked to provide specific examples of biased coverage, Ryan said that he was not going "to go tit for tat or litigate" the issue.

"As a conservative, I've long believed and long felt that there's an inherent media bias. And I think anybody with objectivity would believe that that's the case," Ryan said.

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London 2012 was largest contribution from churches to Olympics - ChristianToday

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London 2012 saw the largest outreach by churches during an Olympic and Paralympic Games, new figures show.

More Than Gold, which coordinated church outreach during the Games, revealed that churches had provided over 13,000 hours of voluntary service to travellers through Games Pastors.

The pastors were out and about at rail stations, airports, and major tourist hubs over the Olympics.

Churchgoers also provided over 2,000 nights of free accommodation to the families of athletes. In total, 280 guests from more than 20 countries received hospitality from 160 hosts living close to Olympic sites.

Church events also proved a huge success, with an estimated half a million people turning up to community Olympics events run by churches. These included big screen festivals for the opening and closing ceremonies, family fun days and free sports activities.

With many events, the turnout far exceeded expectations. Churches in the Isle of Dogs in London planned a festival for 500 people but 4,000 turned up on the day.

In South Buckinghamshire, churches had expected 2,500 people for their Run the Race festival, but in the end welcomed 6,500 people.

Churches in Purley, Surrey, catered for 400 and had to rush out for more supplies when almost double the number came.

David Willson, chief executive of More Than Gold said: "This is by far the largest contribution from churches to any Olympics.

"Thousands of Christians stepped up to the mark, working together to engage with their communities and welcome visitors to a level never seen at any previous Games."

An international team of musicians and creative artists gave 440 hours of free live performances and 233 hours of street art.

In addition to events, Christians also volunteered to hand out half a million bottles of water to visitors, with over 9,000 cups of water given out during the marathons.

The UK churches were assisted in their efforts by more than 2,100 mission and service volunteers who came from 40 countries to help out during the Games.

"This has been more than great news for the Olympics, travellers, athlete family members," said Willson.

"It has also been a very positive experience for the churches themselves. Many have been seen in a new light by their communities, now have a new sense of confidence, and are experiencing more people taking an interest in what they offer."

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London 2012 dented retail sales - MyFinances.co.uk

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London 2012 dented retail sales

The British Retail Consortium says that retail sales fell by 0.4 per cent in August as the feelgood factor from the London Olympics failed to inspire consumers to spend.

Official data shows that retail sales increased by 0.3 per cent month-on-month but that the London Olympic Games gave no major boost to consumer spending in July.

Thursday, 20 September 2012 11:52

Retail sales declined in August as the nation tuned into the biggest sporting spectacle to ever hit the UK, the London 2012 Olympics.

Sales volumes fell by 0.2 per cent in August, contributing to an annual rise of 2.7 per cent, according to official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The monthly drop in sales was less than analysts expected with the median prediction being of a 0.4 per cent monthly drop.

However, the drop in sales sounds the death knell to the view that the Olympics would provide a short-term boost to the economy.

Howard Archer, from forecasters IHS Global Insight said: "The August retail sales indicate that for all its many virtues, the Olympic Games appears to have hindered rather than helped retail sales.”

It provided a short-term boost to jobs and the fact that the ticket sales (that were bought some time ago) will be accounted for in the third quarter may help GDP, but the London Olympic Games were so compelling they stopped people going out shopping.

Anecdotal evidence showed that the warning of travel disruption in London during the Olympics discouraged shoppers and also workers from travelling into the capital with a subsequent negative impact on trade.

They even stopped people staying in and shopping according to the ONS data. Online sales figures had their worst monthly performance for more than five years as people tuned into the sporting action rather than go shopping online.

Online sales fell by 6.7 per cent compared to July – the biggest monthly decline since December 2007.

Commentary from the ONS said: "Feedback from online retailers suggests that sales were lower as consumers watched the Olympics instead of shopping online.”

However, there was a boost to sales from the overall impact of the sporting summer with retailers reporting a rise in sales of sports equipment, football shirts and other sporting goods.

On a quarterly basis retail sales rose by 0.6 per cent between June and August compared to the previous three months.

UK consumers have faced the worst squeeze on disposable income since the great depression of the 1930’s as inflation has outpaced wage increases for the last three years, energy prices have increased by 60 per cent in the last five years and petrol prices have hit a new record high.

According to Mr Archer, this is unlikely to ease.  He said: Hopes that the squeeze on consumers’ purchasing power would ease markedly further over the latter months of 2012 are waning.

"In particular, a move back up in petrol prices, rising utility bills and the possibility of higher food prices (partly due to the drought in the US) will limit any further falls in consumer price inflation in the near term and could even see it move back up.”

London 2012 Olympics: Valerie Adams finally able to celebrate shot ... - Scotsman

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Rio 2016 officials admit to stealing documents from London 2012 ... - Telegraph.co.uk

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Rio 2016 artists perform during the closing Paralympic ceremony ahead of hosting the next Games Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Employees of Rio downloaded the documents without authorisation while working alongside London 2012 employees as part of an official Olympic 'knowledge transfer' programme.

The Brazilians took the transfer element too far, however, and London 2012 officials were furious to discover the documents has been taken without their permission.

A London 2012 spokesman said: "We can confirm that there were some files received without our permission but the Rio organising committee acted swiftly and returned the files promptly."

London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton is understood to have contacted his Rio counterpart personally to demand the return of the documents.

The information stolen is thought to have included details of London's strategic and security planning. The Rio staff responsible are thought to have been working in London's technology department.

Reports in the Brazilian media claim that nine staff members have lost their jobs following the embarrassing incident.

The theft may add extra interest to the official London 2012 debrief, which will take place in Rio in November. The meeting is supposed to provide the next Olympic hosts with everything they need to know to stage the Games. Rio appear to have already started that process.

Rio 2016 were unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

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Strictly star Smith considers quitting gymnastics after London 2012 ... - Daily Mail

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By Alex Horlock

PUBLISHED: 11:29 GMT, 21 September 2012 | UPDATED: 13:23 GMT, 21 September 2012

Team GB’s double Olympic medal-winning gymnast Louis Smith has said he could quit the sport before Rio 2016 because he may be ‘too old’ to challenge for a podium place.

At only 23, Smith, who won a bronze medal in the men’s team gymnastics and silver in the pommel horse at the London Games, also has other goals he wants to pursue.

Although the Peterborough gymnast is currently in training for both gymnastics and hit TV show Strictly Come Dancing, Smith wants to launch a clothing range or start a property business, and believes these other ventures would be incompatible with full-time training.

Game changer: Louis Smiith (right) is competing on Strictly Come Dancing

But Smith would be 27 in Rio, the same age as Krisztian Berki, the Hungarian who beat him to gold in London.

When asked whether retiring before the Brazil Games would be too early, Smith told Sportsmail: ‘It’s not to do with it (retirement) being early. It’s to do with being 27 and being past my day.

‘I mean, what happened in London, I was 23-years-old and in the peak of my career, I did the best routine of my life.

‘I’m not going to do better than that, so what am I going to achieve in Rio? Another bronze? Another silver? It’s not going to compare to this summer.’

‘Like I said, I would love to get to Rio, but it (retirement) is an option. I have got to think about life, life is bigger than Rio.’

Game over? Smith could quit gymnastics rather than compete in Rio

He added: ‘I wouldn’t class it as giving up or quitting. I can look back on my career and I have 11 major international competition medals.

‘I’ve got three Olympic medals, I can look back and say if I was to retire, “I have had a fantastic run”. I wouldn’t be giving up, I would be retiring on a massive high.

‘But I’ve got to think about my future. I’ve got a lot of things that I want to do. Like my fashion range, my clothing range, my property - I want to set up a business.

‘I can’t really do all those things and train full-time so I will make a decision about what I am going to do.’

For now though, Smith is starring in the new series of BBC ballroom dance show Strictly Come Dancing.

Silver lining: Smith finished second in the pommel horse competition

Although used to spending hours training to be among the world’s best on the pommel horse, Smith said the regime for the TV show was just as tough.

Smith, who was running a training session for children at his gym in Peterborough for Sky Sports Living for Sports, said: ‘To be completely honest, it’s hard work. My body’s aching, I’m getting ill, I’m getting run down.

‘Lots of people say you must find it easy compared to gym. But it is hard work, to do what they do.

‘I train 10 to 4 and then my partner will stay longer and carry on dancing. I’m in bits.’

Living for sport: Smith (centre) is involved with the Sky Sports scheme

Louis Smith is supporting Sky Sports Living for Sport, a free secondary schools initiative that uses sport stars and sport skills to skills to improve the lives of thousands young people across the UK.

Find out more and get involved at: www.skysports.com/livingforsport

London 2012: Golden memories never fade - Euromoney Magazine

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Prince Charles holds reception to thank London 2012 volunteers - Insidethegames.biz

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By Duncan Mackay

September 21 - The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have held a reception to thank some of the people and organisations who helped make London 2012 such a success. 

Charles and Camilla were hosted a reception at Clarence House for 120 Games Makers and volunteers, 30 Team London Ambassadors and 40 members of the military who worked at the Games.

Charles and Camilla spent time talking with the volunteers about their experience which many have called the "opportunity of a lifetime".

The Royal couple chatted and joked with the individuals who came together to help London 2012 the most successful Olympics and Paralympics in history.

Particularly poignant was the story of 25-year-old Genevieve Robinson, who overcame the grief caused by the death of her father Shaun to take part as a volunteer in the Opening Ceremony.

Robinson revealed to Charles and Camilla that her father came down with leukaemia before she was selected and died without being able to see her participate.

"I didn't think I would be able to return to anything in the world, but he was so excited and he wrote a little book and diary while he was in hospital," she said.

"With that I was just like, 'I have to do it, I have to carry on', so I did and it was the best thing I've ever done.

"I was drumming in the Opening Ceremony and just thinking of him."

Christopher Locke worked as a volunteer despite having to commute 7,900 miles from the Falkland Islands.

The 53-year-old, who served as a junior officer in the Navy during the Falklands War in 1982, moved to Mount Pleasant in February to work as a harbour master.

But he did not want to pass on the opportunity to take part in the Olympics and opted to travel between the Falklands and London four times to be part of Danny Boyle's Opening Ceremony team.

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London 2012 to make no profit - Daily Mail

By Sportsmail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 12:15 GMT, 21 September 2012 | UPDATED: 13:32 GMT, 21 September 2012

London 2012 chiefs are expecting to break even when they finalise their accounts for the operation of the Olympics and Paralympics - which spells bad news for the cash-strapped British Olympic Association.

Some running costs for LOCOG, the London organising committee for the Games, will continue until the end of the year but the bulk has been accounted for and organisers are understood to be confident there will be no call on public money.

There is unlikely to be any surplus left over either however - which would be a blow for the BOA who would be entitled to 20 per cent of any profit from the running of the Games.

Breaking even: But London 2012 is not set to record a profit

The share of any surplus was the cause of an acrimonious legal dispute between the BOA and LOCOG last year - the BOA unsuccessfully claimed the running costs of the Paralympics should not be taken into account.

Instead, LOCOG gave the BOA the rights to sell an 'iconic' item of merchandise - the BOA chose to sell branded scarves but sales of these fell well below the target.

The legal row marked a low point in relations between the BOA chairman Lord Moynihan and chief executive Andy Hunt and the LOCOG leadership, and if there is to be no surplus will go down as a costly and ultimately pointless episode.

The Government's Olympics contingency fund still has around ?400million unspent but LOCOG are not planning to call on any of that money, meaning they will have been funded entirely from sponsorship, television money, and sales of tickets and merchandise.

Meanwhile, it is understood Lord Coe would want to make Sir Clive Woodward the leader of the British winter and summer Olympic teams if he is elected as BOA chairman in November.

Coe, the London 2012 chairman, is expected to win the election to succeed Moynihan.

Woodward's current position as BOA director of sport is under threat after a restructuring programme was agreed earlier this week, but Coe would be keen to retain the services of the man who guided England to the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Woodward was deputy chef de mission (team leader) for the Olympics in Beijing, Vancouver and London, but Coe believes he would be the ideal leader for the Games in Sochi and Rio de Janeiro, and that the job could be done on a part-time basis.

That would also raise questions about Hunt's long-term position, given that he was chef de mission for the last two Games.

London 2012 Olympics get national newspaper websites on track for ... - The Guardian

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Mail Online: London 2012 Olympics coverage helped it top 100 million monthly unique browsers in August

The London 2012 Olympics proved to be digital gold for UK national newspaper websites, with daily unique website users up more than 10% in August for several titles.

Mail Online consolidated its position as the most popular UK newspaper website, cracking 100 million monthly unique browsers for the first time.

The network of websites, which vies with the New York Times digital network for the title of most popular global newspaper, reported an 8% month-on-month rise in monthly unique browsers to 105,720,020 in August.

Daily unique browsers rose 7% compared with July to 6,557,117, according to the latest Audit Bureau of Circulations figures published on Thursday.

Independent.co.uk reported the largest proportional increase with a 22.5% month-on-month surge in daily unique browsers to 908,579. Monthly unique browsers rose more than 20% to 19,342,706.

This was enough to keep Independent.co.uk ahead of Mirror Group Digital, the website network that includes Mirror.co.uk, 3am.co.uk and MirrorFootball.co.uk, which showed the smallest month-on-month growth among the national titles that have their figures audited and published by ABC.

Mirror Group Digital increased its daily unique browsers by 2.5% month on month to 839,538; monthly unique browsers rose just 1.1% to 16,944,367.

Guardian News & Media's website network, guardian.co.uk, which includes MediaGuardian, also had a good month, with a rise of more than 10% in daily unique browsers compared with July to 3,816,464.

GNM reports ABC-audited monthly users every other month and no official figure was published for August. According to unofficial internal figures guardian.co.uk had 69.5 million monthly uniques in August.

Telegraph.co.uk's daily unique users were up 6% month on month to 2,750,404. Monthly unique users grew by 4% compared with July to 53,915,491.

Metro, Associated Newspapers' free sister title to the Daily Mail which proved a hit in print with advertisers during the Olympics, also had an encouraging month online.

Metro.co.uk saw daily unique browsers rise more than 5% compared with July to 373,840. Monthly unique browsers grew by 3% month on month to 8,665,866.

News International's Sun Online proved that the Olympic effect was not restricted to mid-market and quality titles with a healthy 13% boost in monthly unique browsers compared with July, to 28,566,431. Daily unique browsers rose 9% month on month to 1,661,915.

The London Evening Standard increased its daily unique browsers by 1% month on month to 171,080; monthly unique browsers crept up 0.5% on July to 3,881,230.

Daily average browsers: 6,557,117

Month-on-month change: +7.01%

Year-on-year change: +48.88%

Monthly browsers: 105,720,020

Month-on-month change: +7.93%

Year-on-year change: +41.11%

Daily average browsers: 3,816,464

Month-on-month: +10.5%

Year-on-year: +24.77%

Monthly browsers: n/a

Month-on-month: n/a

Year-on-year: n/a

Daily average browsers: 2,750,404

Month-on-month: +5.76%

Year-on-year: +27.93%

Monthly browsers: 53,915,491

Month-on-month: +4.06%

Year-on-year: +31.73%

Daily average browsers: 1,661,915

Month-on-month: +8.95%

Year-on-year: n/a

Monthly browsers: 28,566,431

Month-on-month: +13.24%

Year-on-year: n/a

Daily average browsers: 908,579

Month-on-month: +22.45%

Year-on-year: +36.69%

Monthly browsers: 19,342,706

Month-on-month: +20.47%

Year-on-year: +30.96%

Daily average browsers: 839,538

Month-on-month: +2.48%

Year-on-year: +17.24%

Monthly browsers: 16,944,367

Month-on-month: +1.1%

Year-on-year: +13.52%

Daily average browsers: 373,840

Month-on-month: +5.22%

Year-on-year change: n/a

Monthly browsers: 8,665,866

Month-on-month: +2.98%

Year-on-year: n/a

Daily average browsers: 171,080

Month-on-month change: -1.08%

Year-on-year: n/a

Monthly browsers: 3,881,230

Month-on-month change: +0.42%

Year-on-year: n/a

• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".

• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook

London 2012 Olympic Games: a digital triumph - The Guardian (blog)

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A record number of spectators attended the London 2012 Olympic Games. Photograph: Dan Chung/The Guardian

What makes a good Olympic Games great?

Four years ago I was speaking to the organisers of the Sydney Games to see what communications lessons we could learn from what, until London 2012, was considered the most successful Games ever.

Sydney had gone down as the ultimate sporting party, and had allowed the world to look at Australia in a new light. I was trying to work out, from a government point of view, what kind of Games we wanted London to be.

There were three lessons I took from Sydney:

First, a successful few weeks of sport is not enough – a Games can be so much more. You hear this time and again from every city that hosts a major sporting event. So from the outset, we were determined to put plans in place that were ambitious enough to match Locog and the government's wildest dreams of success in 2012. That could turn a good Games into a great Games, and make sure that people are not just talking about it for decades to come, but feeling the benefits too.

For communications, one of the main challenges in the first few years was convincing people just how big this would be, and how big an opportunity for the country. By the time we got to "super Saturday" or "thriller Thursday", and the whole country and the media would be united in awe of the Games, it would be too late. The foundations needed to be in place long before.

That's why we were talking tirelessly about legacy right from the start. It was a tough message, with years to go before 2012 Olympics and with the media focus on building the venues and hitting the budget. But it was vital to the government's goals.

And that's why we launched, a year ahead of the Games, a co-ordinated, cross-government campaign – the GREAT campaign – to promote Britain abroad with confidence even in difficult times. Having the confidence to go out to the world and promote what Britain has to offer, during the economic downturn, and through last year's riots, has set us in good stead now we aim to generate £13bn in economic benefits from the combined efforts around London 2012.

And that was the second lesson from Sydney: collective success is the best way of delivering individual triumph for everyone involved. Simplicity of messages and clarity about what you want to say, are crucial.

We brought together staff from every government department across Whitehall to work in one communications directorate. The largest cross government communications operation ever. We had one website, twitter-feed and phone number. One message.

Our priority was simple: remove the barriers to effective collective communication. By creating a culture in which sharing communications was the norm and not the exception, most of the job was done.

This was tough given the scale and complexity of the challenge: 25,000 international and national media over at the Park and thousands more across London; 19 government departments with roles to play delivering the Games; alongside Locog, the GLA and all the sporting bodies. Stakeholders ranged from the Met Office to Health Protection Agency to the utilities, all of which needed to be brought into a co-ordinated structure to maintain consistent messages.

We set up daily director of communication calls with our key partners, Locog, the GLA, the Met and core government departments. We spoke every day throughout the torch and the Games, so we could talk, share, decide and support. By the time of the athlete's parade, more than 125 teleconferences had taken place.

Part of that simplicity for the government was knowing when to speak, and when to be silent. Ahead of the Games, we talked legacy and explained the scale of the challenge ahead. But then it was crucial to provide the space for sport to shine through once the Games started. And how they shone.

The third lesson is, that in terms of communications, it's the two weeks before the Games, when the journalists need copy, but there is no sport, that are the most pressured. We saw it in South Africa in the last world cup when the focus was on crime and security. In Beijing, the focus was on human rights and pollution. In London, our issues were security and transport. We dealt with all of this in communications by putting in place our contingency planning. Our community of communications professionals got us through.

'Don't look back and wish you had done more' was the big warning from Sydney. Could we have done more? Of course there is no limit on what the government still wants to achieve with 2012, but everyone involved in the Games is confident that we have the foundations firmly in place to give London 2012 the lasting legacy that such an incredible Games deserves.

And perhaps the hidden legacy for the government from these Games is that we've got a generation of incredibly talented government communication specialists who have seen the value of this level of collaboration – which can only strengthen the effectiveness of government communications for the future.

Sarah Jones was director of communications at the Government Olympic Executive from 2008, and is deputy director of communications for Government Olympic Communications

This article is published by Guardian Professional. Join the Guardian Public Leaders Network free to receive regular emails on the issues at the top of the professional agenda.

Carshalton College at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic ... - This is Croydon

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As a member of the Get Set Network, Carshalton

College's Sport's department was given  tickets to the London 2012 Olympic and

?Carshalton College students at the London 2012 Olympics

Paralympic Games. Tickets covered a variety of sports including basketball,

gymnastics, athletics, hockey, wrestling, football and table tennis as well as

a number of medal ceremonies.

 

Carshalton

College student, Jess Greenway attended the games and said 'The strength

the athletes had was amazing. Throughout the evening each event got explained

and some facts about it were given. It was a really great experience and I'm

really glad I got to go and that I can say I was there.'

 

Student

Shannon Bundy went 'to the Paralympics to see athletics at the Olympic

Park in Stratford. To be able to see an event like Athletics was amazing

because it has so many different events going on so there was a lot to see. It

was great to see that no matter what disability you have, you can still make a change

in life and prove that you are no less able than people without disabilities.'

 

Student

Ellie Potter found, 'the experience amazing. It was so breath-taking to see

such talent in person its nothing like it is on the TV to be in that atmosphere

with other people who share your passion for the sport makes it ten times

better than sitting at home shouting at your TV. For me I was beside myself at

the opportunity because gymnastics is a passion of mine and I wanted to take it

on as a career and it just goes to show how much time and effort goes into

making such athletes it really does inspire you. It was a once in a lifetime

opportunity, and to be able to go and witness it with my friends made it even

better. If I had the chance I would go over and over again, it makes you wonder

about your future in life and how you want to make a change, things such as the

Olympics will inspire generations to come and promote being more active in

schools clubs etc. Overall  the

experience was amazing and I'm grateful for the chance also I think it will

make the nation more hands on and more physically active.'

 

'The College

gave me a great opportunity to go and see an event at the Olympics which was

the men's gymnastics as well as an event at the Paralympics which was the

athletics. This was amazing as this meant that not only did I get to see many

Great Britain's athletes at their best but I also got to see two different

venues in London.' Lauren Hewitt, Carshalton

College Sports Student.

 

IT

Student, Thierno Diallo, worked as a volunteer at the Olympics and Paralympics

and said 'I feel proud to be part of London

2012 and it was one of the most amazing experiences in my life, I enjoyed every

single second of it.'

 

 

 

Sports & Public

Services Team Leader at Carshalton College, Jez Gray found it 'a unique and unforgettable experience for

our students. We have worked for the past few years now in encouraging our

students to get involved in the games and sports in general. We were delighted

our efforts were recognised and rewarded by the Get Set Network who provided us

with the tickets. Having the Olympics in London was the perfect opportunity to

get our students to the games and gave our students the opportunity to watch

world-class athletes in action. We hope this will motivate our students to

reach their potential.'

Carshalton College joined the Get Set

Network

along with over 1,000 other members in the build up to the London 2012 Olympic

and Paralympic Games.

 

The Network offered

interactive learning resources, ideas and opportunities to help schools and

colleges make the most of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. For

learners aged 3 to 19 years there were a host of challenges, competitions,

ambassador roles, volunteering opportunities and festivals to get involved

with.

 

The aims

of the Get Set Network were to enhance young people's learning in all subjects,

support and drive existing educational priorities and agendas, involve as many

children and young people as possible in the excitement of the London 2012

Olympic and Paralympic Games and supporting children and young people.

 

Carshalton College encouraged students and staff to

get involved with the games and organised and participated in a number of

related initiatives.  For further

information on the College and their Olympic activities please follow this link

- http://www.carshalton.ac.uk/about/olympic_opportunities/

 

For

more information, please contact

e: marketing@carshalton.ac.uk

t: 020 8544 4501

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