Saturday 28 July 2012

London 2012 Day 1 Preview

So last night seven young athletes, nominated by seven Olympic champions did thet honour of lighting the cauldron. Cameron MacRitchie a 19-year-old rower (chosen by Sir Steve Redgrave), Callum Airlie 17 sailor (Shirley Robertson), Jordon Duckitt 18 who chaired London 2012 Young Ambassador Group (Duncan Goodhew), Desiree Henry 16 athlete (Daley Thompson), Katie Kirk 18 athlete (Dame Mary Peters), Aiden Reynolds 18 athlete javelin (Lynn Davies) and Adelle Tracey 19 athlete (Dame Kelly Holmes).

Don't get too comfortable if you are a GB spectator our first great gold medal hope sets off from St. James's Park, heads out past some of London's iconic landmarks through Richmond Park to hit the 9 laps of Box Hill. Before heading back in to finish on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace.

The World Champion and sprint king Mark Cavendish in their ranks, hungry for a medal after failing in 2008 being the only track star of team GB without a Beijing medal he wants the gold here today. That will be down to how the team control the race for him. But Team GB may have their first gold if the Manx Missile is released for that finish between 1500 and 1600. Here is a preview of the route.


 

There are other golds on offer today.

Out at the shooting range the first Gold Medal should be the women's air rifle with the finals starting at 1100. In the afternoon there is the men's air pistol with their finals starting at 1530 it will be their nerves of steel against the adrenaline in The Mall for the first men's gold medalist.

Up at Lords Cricket Ground the men's team archery medal will be won this evening. The action starts at 0900, quarter finals at 1500 and semis at 1640 with the Bronze medal match at 1733 and gold medal match at 1601. GB may have a tough time after yesterday's seeding matches as they are up against South Korea who set a new world record.

There are two judo contests that will be decided today the men's 60kg and women's 48kg. With the rounds of 64 getting under way at 930 the two bronze medal contests will get under way at 1400 (making these the first medals decided if not the first gold). But the women's gold medal fight starts at 1600 with the men at 1610. Up for Ireland is Northern Ireland's Lisa Kearney.

The women's individual foil is also taking place all day starting at 1030 in . They are schedule to have the bronze medal dual at 1910 and gold medal at 1940.

At the aquatic centre six events get underway with heats in the morning and four finals and two semi finals in the evening session. Of the finals first up could be Joe Roebuck  going in the first of his two events and Roberto Pavoni in the first of his two. Roebuck especially was on form setting world's fastest times at the time of the Olympic trials in his other two events right here. They will be followed by Rob Renwick hoping for gold in the 400m freestyle who is Commonwealth champion over 200m. Then it will be a chance for Hannah Miley and Aimee Wilmott to show what the GB women can do in the 400m medley, Miley is the European record holder and 2010 European and Commonwealth champion. She only took silver in the World's last year but has since swam a time that would have taken gold then. The final event of the evening will the women's 4x100m freestyle relay.

So there may be GB medals to match the highlights on their outfits for the opening ceremony within 24 hours of them entering the stadium. That may be enough to have Her Majesty jumping out of helicopters again.


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