B4U India: Edwards expects good atmosphere in 2012 arena

Edwards expects good atmosphere in 2012 arena
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reuters india on 14 November, 2007 06:48:00
 
By Mitch Phillips
LONDON (Reuters) - Former Olympic triple jump champion Jonathan Edwards says
the innovative design of the stadium for the 2012 London Games should make for
an intimate arena and produce an exciting atmosphere.
Edwards, who triumphed in Sydney in 2000 and whose 1995 leap of 18.29 metres
remains the world record, is closely involved with the planning for the 2012
Games as the elected athletes' representative.
"I think it looks great," he told Reuters of the stadium design unveiled last
week.
"I love that sunken bowl effect and I think that will give it a very intimate
feel and in terms of atmosphere I think it will be electric.
"I also think it's incredibly innovative. It will work during Games time but
also afterwards will leave a facility that can be used for the community and
rather than be some big white elephant it will be a symbol of the regeneration
project."
The 496-million-pound ($1.04-billion) stadium is planned to accommodate 80,000
during the Games, when it will host the athletics and the opening and closing
ceremonies, but will then have its upper two tiers removed to leave a
25,000-capacity permanent venue.
ATHLETES' PERSPECTIVE
Edwards, speaking at the launch of Reuters "Sport in the 21st Century" book,
said that the local organising committee (LOCOG) and the Olympic Delivery
Authority (ODA) had listened to the athletes when planning all the venues for
the Games, the first in Britain since 1948.
"Whether it is a technical aspect of a venue or a more general question about
something like the village, the ODA and LOCOG will look for the athletes'
perspective," he said.
"At the moment we are at the point of assigning to each venue a sports-specific
athlete liaison person. This was a culture established during the bid when the
athletes' advisory group had sign-off on all the venue plans so nothing went to
the IOC without first being scrutinised by the athletes.
"It's very much a real voice and the stadium is a great example. We've got this
roof now which is going to go round the whole stadium. It obviously has a
financial implication but the reason for it was not so much aesthetic but
because it was good for the wind dynamics in the stadium. We wanted it because
we wanted to create the best possible environment for the athletes to perform."
Edwards said his favourite venue was probably Gothenburg's Ullevi Stadium, not
least because that was where he won his maiden world title and became the first
triple jumper to legally break the 18-metre mark.
On an amazing day, Edwards sailed 18.16m with his first jump then, 20 minutes
later, flew even further with the 18.29m mark that is still seemingly beyond
today's best jumpers.
ROLE MODELS
With Olympic, world, European and Commonwealth titles to his name, Edwards
propelled his quirky event to the forefront of British athletics and he said it
was essential for the Olympians of the future to have similar role models.
"For a lot of sports I think you do need someone to look up to," he said. "But
it doesn't matter if you have all the inspiration in the world, if you haven't
got a swimming pool or a running track or somewhere to practise judo then there
is no chance of you being able to do it and discover if there is a talent.
"Equally if you have the opportunity but you are not inspired by watching
someone on TV or reading about it in the newspaper then it is irrelevant if you
have a world-class facility around the corner."
Edwards, now an athletics commentator and analyst for the BBC, is no longer
British sport's most famous Christian after suffering a loss of faith since
retiring but he remains committed to spreading the word when it comes to
sporting participation.
"I think hosting the Games will highlight the need for better facilities across
the country," he said. "One of the legacies we want is that elite sport is
strengthened but that participation is driven up, not just in the major sports
like athletics and swimming but across the board.
"I have a sense of the political agenda changing to seeing the greater value of
sport which will obviously provide better facilities in the long term."