Folders |
London 2012 and OMEGA launch Countdown Clock to mark 500 days to the Olympic GamesPublished by
London 2012 and OMEGA launch Countdown Clock to mark 500 days to the Olympic Games14 Mar 2011
As the 500 day countdown to the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games begins, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and OMEGA, Official Timekeeper for the London 2012 Games, today unveiled the Countdown Clock in Trafalgar Square.
The event was attended by LOCOG Chair Seb Coe, Mayor of London Boris Johnson, OMEGA ambassador and world champion heptathlete Jessica Ennis and President of OMEGA Stephen Urquhart, and the clock will now be counting down to the evening of the 27 July 2012 in days, hours, minutes and seconds. The Clock was revealed by four Olympic gold medallists from Team GB – rowers Pete Reed and Andy Hodge and sailors Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson. The launch of the Countdown Clock is a key moment in the build-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is a reminder for people from across the UK, as well as visitors to the capital, that London will soon be hosting the greatest show on earth. The design of the Clock reflects the look of the Games. The beams of light on the Clock are inspired by London and its connection with the Meridian line in Greenwich, the home of time. Trafalgar Square was chosen as the setting for the Clock as it is one of London’s most recognisable landmarks and iconic locations, visited by millions of Londoners and tourists each year. It was the centre of celebrations when London won the bid and will once again play a key part in the build-up to the London 2012 Games. The Countdown Clock is made from steel from a Preston-based company. It is 6.5 metres high, 5m long and weighs around 4 tonnes. The Clock took 10 people two days to assemble in the Square. The lighting designs on the Clock were created by a British company. LOCOG Chair Seb Coe said: 'The launch of the OMEGA Countdown Clock is an important milestone for any Olympic Games and is something of a tradition within the Olympic Movement. It will be a daily and hourly reminder to everyone who visits Trafalgar Square that the countdown to the start of London 2012 has well and truly begun and that the greatest show on earth is soon coming to our country. Read the full article at: www.london2012.com
More news |