Will it be the Great BRITISH Olympics? - The 2012 Games are not just about the Capital

 

Lord Coe and Denise Lewis launches Olympic Torch relay


AUGUST 5th is a date most people would have made a cursory note in their diaries to keep free – will at least 9.5 seconds of it. It’s when Usain Bolt – the reigning Olympic champion - will be steadying himself on his starting blocks of the 100m final.

Millions viewing will be wondering whether the Jamaican will repeat his superhuman feats of four years ago. For many, including the media, this is what the London 2012 Olympics is all about.

This myopic view of the Olympics can be forgiven. As it says on the packet - London Olympics 2012 - suggests the Games is purely for the benefit and pleasure of Londoners plus the hoards of tourists who will be flocking to the capital.

But this is a misnomer. There will be a vast array of Olympic sporting and cultural events that are taking place across the country. Unfortunately, the media attention on these events will be inconsequential next to the exploits of the fastest man on the planet.

However, communities up and down the UK will feel the impact of London 2012 just as memorably as the stadium spectators watching arguably the blue ribbon event of the Games, on the first Sunday in August.

Gordon Arnott who heads the media operations at One North East, a Regional Development Agency (RDA) which overseas economic development within North East England shares this view.

He said: “The London 2012 Games are not just about London. The key commitments of the Games are that they benefit the whole of the UK and provide people of all ages with the impetus and inspiration to take up sport.”

Mr. Arnott believes like other areas of the UK, the North East will ensure that especially young people are able to make the most of the opportunities provided by London 2012.

Danny O’Donovan, chairman of the 2012 Schools and Young People Task Group based in Kent, echoes this.

“The media may concentrate on the Olympic events in the capital, but London 2012 represents a unique opportunity for Kent to use the Games as a catalyst to deliver new projects, initiatives and programmes for young people,” he said.

The media may consider Bolt to be the hottest ticket in town. But if journalists would occasionally venture out of the hi-tech media suites in the Olympic Village, they would see a world out there where the positive influence of the Olympics is going unreported.

A world where the volunteers, participants and agencies are doing such sterling work to bring alive the Games to their communities, may not even have time to spare to watch a Jamaican run under 10 seconds to reclaim his Olympic title.