Louis Smith - Gymnast | News Feed

Louis presents at the 2013 Brit Awards

2013-03-20T00:00:00

Louis joined Jack Whitehall onstage at London’s O2 Arena to present international rock band Coldplay with a Brit Award for ‘Best Live Act’.

At the star studded event, the Camden superstars beat off competition from fellow nominees Muse, The Rolling Stones, The Vaccines and Mumford & Sons to secure the prestigious award.

The Olympic medallist drew plaudits for his outfit (suit by Sand, shirt by Staunton Moods) as well as for his routine with Jack, making his way into GQ Magazine’s shortlist for the Brits’ best dressed men (http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/style/articles/2013-02/21/brit-awards-best-dressed-men-2013/viewgalleryframe/10).

Speaking after the show, he told the press: “I don’t get to see a lot of live music, I spent most of my time in the gym listening to the radio but I think anyone can appreciate great music and I think British music is at an all-time high right now.”

Louis teams up with Danio

2013-03-06T00:00:00

Louis has teamed up with the guys at Danone to help promote their new super thick, super tasty yoghurt, Danio.

Danio is high in protein and low in fat and perfect for people with an active lifestyle like Louis. In fact, Louis always throws a Danio in his gym bag, as they make a great post-workout snack.

“It’s important to have something after you’ve trained and if, like me, you live forty minutes away, you’re not getting your nutrients in your body as quickly as possible,” he told the press at the launch event.

For more information about Danio, check out www.danio.co.uk or follow @danioUK

MBE for Louis in New Year Honours

2012-12-29T00:00:00

Louis has been appointed MBE in the New Year Honours for services to gymnastics.

The honour capped a remarkable 2012 for Louis, having been crowned a European Champion, becoming a Silver and Bronze medallist at London 2012 and winning ‘Strictly’.

Speaking to the BBC he said “To receive this honour is out of this world and something I never would have dreamt of as I grew up in the sport of gymnastics”, adding that the MBE was “without a doubt the proudest moment of my life”.

Louis’ coach at Huntingdon Gymnastics Club, Paul Hall was also recognised in the honours list with an MBE for his services to gymnastics and the London Games.

Louis dances to Strictly win

2012-12-24T00:00:00

Louis has added another title to his trophy cabinet after dancing his way to victory in the final of the 2012 season of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

A peak audience of 14 million people tuned in to see bookies favourite Louis and his dance partner Flavia Cacace beat Kimberley Walsh and Denise Van Outen to claim the Glitterball Trophy. On the night, Louis showcased his gymnastic talents over three dance routines, scoring a near perfect 79 out of 80 to top the leader board after his first two dances, the Charleston and the Salsa. For his final performance, the Olympic Silver medallist did not disappoint, with a flawless show dance set to Take That’s Rule The World. Praising the dance, judge Len Goodman said “if this show goes on for another 20 years I don’t think we see another showdance as magical as that”.

After the win, a thrilled Louis joked “I can finally say I won something in the year 2012!” Louis is going to celebrate the win by breaking his diet and taking a good rest, having been worked frenetically since the London Games. "I can't wait to have a drink of mulled wine, eat sausage rolls. I might order a Chinese on Christmas Eve" he told reporters.

From gym floor to dance floor for Louis

2012-09-10T00:00:00

It has today been announced that Louis will appear on this year's hit BBC show 'Strictly Come Dancing'.

Following his historical success at the London Olympics, Louis will now take to the dance floor every Saturday night in an attempt to fend off his celebrity competitors in a shot for the glitterball.

The launch show will take place later this month before the weekly shows kick off in early October.

Watch this space!!

Louis takes the pressure!

2012-08-05T00:00:00

Louis realised his Olympic dreams today as he won a dramatic silver medal on the pommel horse, missing out on gold after equalling the leading score set by Krisztian Berki.

Both Louis and Berki scored 16.066 but the Hungarian was awarded the Olympic gold for a higher execution score, despite Louis attempting a harder routine.

The silver is Louis’ 3rd Olympic medal after bronze in the same event in Beijing and a further bronze in the men’s team final last week, making him the most successful British Gymnast of all time.

History Boys!!!

2012-07-30T00:00:00

Great Britain’s men, led by Louis Smith, won an astonishing Olympic bronze in the gymnastics team final.

Louis Smith, Sam Oldham, Kristian Thomas, Max Whitlock and Dan Purvis sealed GB men’s first Olympic team medal since 1912

Louis delivered on the pommel horse, his specialist apparatus with a score of 15.966 to help the team to the silver medal position. They were to be demoted to bronze after a successful Japanese appeal over the marking for one of their pommel routines.

Emotional Louis makes the Olympic Final

2012-07-28T00:00:00

Louis has qualified in first place for the Olympic final with a clean routine, progressing in first place.

The tears flowed on the first morning of the London Olympics fas he scored 15.800, to wild applause from his home North Greenwich Arena crowd.

He said “That was an unbelievable relief, It’s been an emotional four years. There’s been a lot of pressure since Beijing to perform at this Olympics. There was a lot riding on it. I couldn’t help thinking about the future – providing for my family, the expectation.”

The Olympic Final will take place next Sunday, August 5th.

Louis makes the Games!

2012-07-04T00:00:00

Louis was today named as part of Team GB to compete at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

He'll lead the 5-strong boys team in what will be his 2nd Olympic Games, 4 years after his Bronze medal success in Beijing.

Speaking of the announcement, Louis said:

“It’s unbelievable to be named as part of the team for London. It’s been such and intense time in the lead up to the announcement with such a strong squad to pick from. Now we’ve got to do the business at the Games, which we’re all capable of.

I got a taster of what it will be like competing in front of a home crowd of that scale at the test event in January and if that’s anything to go by it’s just going to be immense and there’s no doubt we can use it in our favour.

It’s just been a crazy four years since Beijing, for me and especially for gymnastics in this country. I’m not sure anyone ever expected such rapid development and it’s such a positive thing for everyone involved in the sport. Now we have a chance to really show how far we’ve come.

It’s almost impossible to do justice to all the support I’ve received, from my coach and everyone at British Gymnastics to my teammates, my sponsors and of course my friends and family. But the support from the general public across the country has just been unreal. From the tweets to the letters of support, it’s what keeps me motivated at such an important time.

My aim for the Games is to do my routines clean. I know what I’m capable of so beyond anything I intend to go there and do myself justice. That’s the best I can ask for and whatever that results in is then out of my hands.

The thing I’m looking forward to the most is the atmosphere. A sell-out arena for gymnastics in this country is something we couldn’t have even dreamt of a few years ago. It’s just going to be unbelievable.”

Louis and the rest of the men's team will kick off their Olympic campaign in the first qualification subdivision on Saturday July 28th, starting at 11am at the North Greenwich Arena.

British Title and Personal Best score

2012-06-25T00:00:00

Louis produced the stand-out performance of the British Championships this weekend when he scored a huge 16.375 points on the pommel horse.

The score was comfortably good enough to take the title and also marks a new PB for him just 5 weeks before the Olympic Games in London.

You can watch the full routine here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJg40eI1WZI

History made at the European Championships

2012-05-28T00:00:00

At the European Championships on Sunday Louis won silver on the pommel after producing a solid routine to score 15.775.

He had led the competition until the final routine saw him pipped for the gold by great rival Kristian Berki (15.958).

Louis medal adds to the historic title won in Saturday’s team event, where he captained the British team to their first ever major championships team gold.

World Cup Silver despite fractured finger

2012-04-10T00:00:00

Louis overcame a broken finger to win a silver medal on the pommel horse at the World Cup in China.

He sailed through qualification in 1st place with an impressive score of 15.825. before trying a new routine in the final. Louis put in a good display with a score of 15.600 but was narrowly beaten to the gold by Hungarin, Krisztian Berki.

You can watch Louis final routine at the below link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIHgPuwDfew&feature=youtu.be

Louis teams up with JLS for Sport Relief single

2012-02-13T00:00:00

Boy Band JLS have backed the Get London Running Campaign by encouraging people to run the Sport Relief Mile.

The band’s support for the campaign comes as they revealed they will be releasing the Sport Relief single with an accompanying music video featuring Olympic medallists Rebecca Adlington, Phillips Idowu and Louis as well as three London schoolchildren.

The video sees JLS performing in an empty Wembley Stadium as the stories of three gifted children unfold. One young boy displays a talent for leaping, another impresses with his acrobatic break dancing abilities and a girl dances triumphantly in the rain as others run for cover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBzBeTseH2Y

Test event Gold and Olympic team qualification

2012-01-13T00:00:00

Louis produced an impressive routive to claim individual gold on the pommel horse at the Olympic test event in London, his individaul success came just days after he helped the British Men qualify a full team for London 2012 on Tuesday.

“It probably was one of my cleanest routines,” said Louis who won Britain’s first Olympic medal in 100 years four years ago at the Beijing Games.

“I don’t know how I did it with the preparation which was a bit stop and start.”

“I think I’ve gained a lot of experience in the past couple of years and I think it showed there.”

“I really had to concentrate tonight with the added pressure of home advantage but it went really well. I’m pleased.”

World Championship Bronze!

2011-10-15T00:00:00

Louis Smith has claimed an emphatic bronze medal on the pommel horse at the World Gymnastics Championships in Tokyo despite losing control at the end of his technically challenging routine, the hardest ever attempted on a senior international stage.

Louis struggled in the build-up to his dismount and lost vital marks, leaving him third with a score of 15.066 behind Hungarian gold medallist, Krisztian Berki, on 15.866 and France’s Cyril Tommasone, who won silver with 15.266. But the level of difficulty in his routine ensured that, despite a slip, he still placed 3rd in a hugely talented field.

Louis’ gamble on performing his most difficult routine left him upbeat despite the error which cost him the chance of gold.

“I’m so happy to have gone out there and put out my hardest routine,” Smith said. “I cannot believe I got the bronze but to go out there and do that routine that I’ve worked so hard on, no one knows how good that feels.

“When I knew I was in the final I said to my coach: ‘I want to try the hard routine.’ In training and warm-up I felt really good, I woke up singing so knew I was in good shape, an unfortunate slip at the end but really happy overall.”

The Huntingdon gymnast’s quest to increase the difficulty of his already complex routine led to falls at the 2009 world championships and again at the 2011 European championships, but the Olympic bronze medallist believes he is making huge steps towards claiming gold in London next year.

“I didn’t set out to win gold,” he told the BBC. “I wanted to prove I could do the routine and use this as a stepping stone for 2012.

“That was a confidence boost like no other. It’s the hardest routine in the world and I’ve gone out, trained it for weeks, and done it. I’ve competed it in a competition environment – in a pressure situation – and that makes me feel a lot better about it.”

Lous is yet to qualify for the London Games, a feat he will be looking to achieve with the British men at the Olympic test event at the North Greenwich Arena in January.

British Championship title for Louis

2011-09-19T00:00:00

The British Gymnastics Championships took place last weekend in Stoke-on-Trent, ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo in October.

After falling from the pommel on Saturday, Louis showed he was still the main contender on Sunday, comfortably taking the pommel horse title with 16.050. The event had added pressure due to it being a selection competition for the forthcoming World Championships, however Louis proved he is still at the top of his game and fighting fit for the Championships which run from 7th-16th October.

World Champ outclassed by Louis in Korea

2011-07-11T00:00:00

Louis once again stated his intentions ahead of the London Olympics next year with a clinical display on the pommel horse at the Korea Cup this weekend, taking the silver medal amongst a world class field.

A clean routine and a score of 15.575 – just a few tenths behind Chinese specialist Zhang Hongtao, saw him take second place ahead of arch rival and current world champion, Krisztian Berki of Hungary, who scored 15.375.

Louis was happy with his performance, stating afterwards: “This was a very stable performance on my part, and it was good to beat the current world champion into third place. I feel that I have more to give and will be working very hard over the summer to make sure I earn my place on the GB team for Japan.”

The Great Britain men’s team have a target to finish in the top eight gymnastic nations at the World Championships in Tokyo in October which will earn them the right to send a full team of five to the London Olympics next year.

Following this event, the gymnasts will have a gruelling round of selection events in 2012, culminating in the British Championships in June which will decide selection for the Games themselves.

Louis Shows Paris World Class Form

2011-03-21T00:00:00

Louis started his 2011 campaign in great form over the weekend, grabbing a gold medal in Paris. At the first Artistic Gymnastic World Cup event of the year, he fought off 12 world class pommel horse competitors to secure victory in front of 12,000 spectators.

Louis received a point’s score of 15.7, an impressive display that saw the Peterborough gymnast hold off Australian Prashanth Sellathurai and Slovenia’s Saso Bertoncelj.

Commenting on Louis’ performance, coach Paul Hall said “Louis has once again proved he can perform and win at the highest level. Our target is now to stay consistent and fight for a medal at the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.”

Louis drives towards 2012 with BMW

2011-01-04T00:00:00

BMW, the official automotive partner of London 2012, today launched a new initiative designed to support Team GB and ParalympicsGB as they prepare for the Games on and off the field.

As part of the initiative, Louis Smith became one of the first 12 athletes to join the BMW London 2012 Performance Team. Plans are already under way regarding how best to utilise BMW’s technological and performance expertise while Louis and the other athletes will also have the use of a BMW car to help with their transport to training.

Tim Abbott, managing director of BMW UK, said: “Our position as the world’s most sustainable automotive company makes us a natural partner for a sustainable Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.

“Our Efficient Dynamics programme means our cars are extremely fuel efficient, with low CO2 emissions, while still delivering great performance – just like our athletes who strive for maximum energy efficiency and performance.

“That’s why we’re delighted to be launching the BMW London 2012 Performance Team and we look forward to supporting these athletes as they prepare for London 2012.”

The launch saw Louis help create some jaw-dropping imagery as he pommeled on top of a BMW against the incredible backdrop of the London skyline, with the event taking place at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.

First ever athlete interview at the Olympic Media Centre

2010-12-22T00:00:00

As part of the Daily Mail Magnificent 7 series, Louis visited the Olympic Park last week to see how all of the venues are developing and have a chat with the paper, who have followed him along with 6 other athletes since 2005.

With the gymnastics taking place at the O2 Arena in 2012, there was no need for Louis to check out where he’ll be competing, so instead he made history by becoming the first ever athlete to be interviewed in the Olympic Media Centre.

Impressive display in Tokyo

2010-12-13T00:00:00

Louis Smith ended an incredible 2010 in style in Tokyo over the weekend, adding to his World and European Silver medals with with Gold on the pommel horse at the last major international event for the year on Saturday – the Toyota Cup.

This achievement capped the incredible success of the British men in all the most important gymnastics events throughout this year, which will be remembered as an optimistic mile stone on the road to London 2012.

Louis’ victory on Pommel Horse was achieved with a near flawless routine, highest D score (difficulty) and a final score of 15.600. The Silver went to Chang Ju Ha, Korea, 15.000 and the Bronze- to Kenya Kobayashi, Japan, 14.975.

The World Bronze medallist from Australia Parshanth Sellathurai also competed in Tokyo but fell from this apparatus and finished in sixth place.

A golden weekend

2010-11-20T00:00:00

Louis Smith showed his world class at the Glasgow Grand Prix this weekend, toppling Kristian Berki, his long-term rival who inched the Gold medal at the World Championships in Rotterdam just last month.

Despite a 6 hour car journey which saw Louis not arrive in Glasgow until the early hours of Friday morning, he stepped up for qualification and came through in first place.

He still needed to show consistency in his performance for the final on Saturday however and, showing no signs of pressure, Louis pulled off another flawless routine in front of the home crowd to claim the gold medal with a score of 15.550.

“I’m really pleased with my routine and the gold medal against a truly world class field in Glasgow, including the two former world champions,” said Louis.

“This year I’ve achieved everything I set out to do and next year I will be unleashing a bit more difficulty and continue to progress towards my goals at London 2012.”

Louis shines silver in Rotterdam

2010-10-24T00:00:00

Louis Smith pulled off one of the performances of his life in Rotterdam today to claim the silver medal on the pommel horse at the World Gymnastics Championships at the Ahoy Arena.

Main rival and four-time European Champion Kristian Berki was the first gymnast up and an almost flawless routine saw him land a score of 15.833, piling the pressure on Louis, who was up sixth and had a point to prove having qualified in 8th place.

The moment didn't faze him and Louis' equally near flawless performance was all the more impressive as he put to bed the demons of the World Championships in London just 12 months prior when he came off the pommel horse. He took on the same routine, showing exactly why he's being touted as one of GB's greatest medal hopes in the lead up to the 2012 Olympics in London.

Speaking of his success Louis said "I''m chuffed to bits to take the silver medal. I was nervous in the lead up to the competition but so determined to put last year's World Champs behind me and also say thank you to the incredible British support, both here and back home. To do that and pull off a clean routine is just a great feeling."

Louis and Team GB make history

2010-10-21T00:00:00

Britain’s male gymnasts have finished seventh in Rotterdam in their first World Gymnastics team final appearance.

Louis Smith impressed with a score of 15.800 on the pommel horse as Britain scored 261.103 points, finishing above South Korea in the eight-team contest. Olympic champions China beat Japan to gold with a score of 274.997.

Though they were unable to reproduce Monday’s near-faultless qualifying routines in the less forgiving format of Thursday’s final – where only three gymnasts compete on each piece, and all scores must count – the result remains an unprecedented achievement.

By comparison, at the last World Championships to include a team event – held three years ago in Stuttgart – Britain’s men finished 15th.

“We had a few errors but the fact we qualified in fourth for the team final means we’ve shown the world how good we are,” said Louis.

“GB are definitely on the rise, we’re constantly improving. It’s like climbing Mount Everest. The grit and determination we’ve had in training is starting to pay off.

“It’s nice to show these countries what’s happening back home, how hard we’ve been grafting in the gym, and by the time London comes around we should be up there.”

Britain began on the pommel where Dan Purvis made a nervy start, but Louis executed a difficult routine almost perfectly to score 15.800. To view the routine just click here!

Louis has a place in Saturday’s pommel horse final, with the competition kicking off at 12pm.

Louis to stick with routine at World Championships

2010-09-30T00:00:00

Louis Smith is set to persist with the pommel horse routine that cost him a medal at last year’s World Championships in London. The 21-year-old fell from the apparatus 12 months ago but is determined to put it right this time around at Rotterdam.

“It’s my next big opportunity to prove this routine is a medal-winning routine. As a sportsman, and someone who wants to do well, I can’t run back into my shell after falling off.”

Undeterred, the Peterborough gymnast dusted off the sequence once again for the Ghent World Cup at the weekend and performed it smoothly enough to pick up a silver medal. “It wasn’t the best routine but I managed to get through,” he said.

“I’ve mastered it a little bit and I’m doing it a lot more cleaner now. Falling off made me want to get back into the gym straight away, perfect what was wrong and iron out the creases. You can say some people may have been down by it and struggled, but I went on to the European Championships a few months later and managed to get the silver medal.”

With the World Championships kicking off on October 16th many gymnasts have opted not to go to the Commonwealth Games earlier in the month. Louis and some of his Huntingdon Gym team-mates are no different. “In terms of the public eye the Commonwealth Games is a much bigger competition,” he explained. “But from a gymnastics point of view this World Championships is a qualifier for 2012. I’d rather go there and get a World Championship Gold medal than Commonwealth Gold, because I’ve already got a Commonwealth medal.”

Louis shows top form with cup silver

2010-09-14T00:00:00

Louis Smith had an ideal warm-up for the 2010 Artistic Gymnastic World Championships by winning a silver medal at the Ghent World Cup.

The 21-year-old had a higher difficulty level for his pommel horse routine and scored 15.050 points.

But Chinese national all-around champion Guo Weiyang had a cleaner execution as he took the gold medal with a score of 15.100.

Louis’ coach Paul Hall said: "It was a good performance and good practice for Rotterdam in a month’s time. He did well and got through his routine with just a small form break in the middle."

It is a busy month for Huntingdon’s gymnasts, with a training camp at Lilleshall, followed by the World Championships in Holland.

Tweddle and Smith head British team

2010-09-03T00:00:00

Beth Tweddle and Louis Smith will lead the British charge at next month's Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Holland.

World floor champion Tweddle headlines the women's team for the tournament to be held in Rotterdam from October 16-24, while Olympic pommel horse bronze medallist Smith leads the men's contingent.

The women's team also features British champion Hannah Whelan and Becky Downie, who finished in a British-record 12th place in the all-around in Beijing. Danusia Francis, Jennifer Pinches and Nicole Hibbert complete the line-up.

The men also include European floor bronze medallist Daniel Purvis, in addition to Kristian Thomas, Theo Seager, Sam Hunter and Ruslan Pantelymonov.

British gymnastics Olympic performance director Tim Jones said: "We have two significant events coming up with the World Championships and Commonwealth Games, and are delighted to be in a such a positive position whereby Britain will have very strong teams in Rotterdam, while the Home Nations have also been in a position to pick high-quality teams for the Commonwealth Games.

"This is a clear reflection of the strength in depth of the men's and women's programmes British Gymnastics have in place.”

"The results in Rotterdam are very important in the lead up to London 2012 and the remainder of the Olympic qualification process.''

Team 2012: Louis Smith is thinking long-term

2010-08-08T00:00:00

Olympic bronze medallist Louis Smith admits everything he does from now on will have a knock on effect to London 2012 but insists he's only thinking about the here and now.

The 21-year-old won Britain's first Olympic gymnastics medal for 80 years in Beijing when collecting pommel horse bronze.

However Louis has endured a tough time of it since and suffered a fall on the pommel horse at last year's World Championships. His misery was compiled at the European Championships in Birmingham, as he had to settle for silver behind teammate Daniel Keatings.

He will bid to readdress the balance at October's World Championships in Rotterdam and while earmarking 2012 as the one that matters most, he insists this year's results are the most important.

"Everything I do is geared towards London 2012 but we have targets building up to it that we must hit if we stand a chance of doing anything at the Games. So all the training I am doing now is not for London 2012 but for the World Championships and I really want to do well out in Rotterdam. The World Championships are a qualifier for the next World Championships in 2011 and then they are a qualifier for the Olympics.”

“So I really have to think about what I need to do now as opposed to what I need to do at London 2012 and it is one long chain anyway so it all has an impact. I picked up silver at the European Championships this year and it is going really well and I haven't got any injuries that could set me back so it has all gone to plan so far."

And the Olympic bronze medallist has revealed his plans to unveil a new pommel horse routine at the World Championships in the Netherlands with a view to London 2012.

"I am practising a new routine and I am looking forward to getting that out there and doing that on the big stage. I haven't set myself any solid targets but I just want to try out my new routine on the big stage and get it out there and get it consistent and then build it up for future competitions."

Lord Coe: Sport can reach troubled inner-city areas like

2010-07-29T00:00:00

The idea was to go up in a hot air balloon for a bird's-eye view of an Olympic Games that is being born out of the soil of east London.

The bursts of flame above the basket were so fierce they almost singed your scalp, but the wind was blowing and elevation was difficult to achieve. We rose a couple of feet and fell again. Five feet and fell again.

At best, we were 20 feet up for 10 seconds and then down, knees bent to absorb the lop-sided landing.
Up up and away: The balloon rides over the Olympic site

As for the Olympic Park below, it is rising steadily and inexorably. Observed later from a static high platform, the balloon abandoned, the scene is a picture of bustling yet ordered activity. A city within a city. A fleet of bendy buses snake their way around, ready to transport a workforce approaching 8,000 through a site twice the size of Heathrow's Terminal Five or almost exactly the equivalent of Hyde Park.

Hard-hatted staff busy themselves. Cranes and concrete mixers, flashing yellow lights and Day-Glo jackets abound. But there are no longer so many newts in the vicinity. Four thousand of them, along with 300 common lizards and 100 toads, have been moved to new habitats off the park.

Over to the right as you look at the development, with Victoria Park to your back, is the Olympic Stadium. Seats are going in at the rate of 700 a day towards its capacity of 80,000. The first race of this Olympics is already under way: a private duel between the stadium and the velodrome to be completed first. Word is that the velodrome got off to a flyer but the stadium is catching up well.
Enlarge Olympic Park

Between the velodrome - capacity 6,000 - and the stadium is the 12,000-seat basketball arena, all white and crinkled like a duvet. It was put up in the space of eight weeks. Special lights will illuminate it during the Games when they open in two years time.

The aquatic centre, with its two 50m pools and 25m diving tank, will have a capacity of 17,500 during the Games and 2,500 afterwards. It has 768,000 tiles in all and a fabulous, wave-like roof. All of the park is expected to be ready by next summer, with championships and scout jamborees and the like putting it to the test before the world comes calling.

Louis Smith, who won a gymnastics bronze medal in Beijing, was up with us in the balloon, putting his hands over his head to shield himself from the heat. It was his first visit to the place since it was no more than a rubble heap and he liked what he saw.

'It's iconic,' he said. 'The stadiums are absolutely fantastic . The atmosphere will be amazing. In Beijing most of the people could not speak English and they were docile. But here it is going to be through the roof. Unbelievable.

'I remember when it was announced that London had got the Games, I thought it would be good. But you don't really get a feeling of exactly what it's going to be like until you get here. I was coming over on the bus today and I was thinking, "It's actually going to be here".'

All well and good for the athletes, some will say, but what a waste of more than £9bn on a few weeks of sport in these straitened times.

The naysayers should be apprised of a few facts: this is the redevelopment of brown-field land, with 45 hectares of wildlife created, thousands of trees, plants and bulbs planted.

There are 10,000 businesses involved. There are hundreds of workers, one in 10 of whom was previously unemployed, benefiting from apprenticeships and training. That is without talking about returns from tourism.

On a philosophical level, the doubters should ponder some of the principles central to the Olympic ideal and to our national story. Think of 1948, the last time London staged the Games. Rations on food, petrol and clothing were still in place after the war. But on a shoestring budget, London housed 4,000 athletes from around the world.

The spirit of London and the country was lifted to such an extent that organisers of this year's event have been given a fillip by meeting those who witnessed or competed in the Games 62 years ago and still speak fondly of the experience now.

Sport's invigorating qualities chimed with a slowly brightening mood across Britain. It was the year the present Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, announced she was pregnant with the baby we know as Prince Charles.

The NHS was also starting to deliver. The Olympics - even if they are bound occasionally to fall short of Baron Pierre de Coubertin's highest ideals that they should be a means of bringing peace to the world - can act as panacea. They can provide heroes to look up to.

Sport, as so the Olympics, can also instill discipline. That idea, in its guise as muscular Christianity, underpinned the work of Thomas Arnold, the great Victorian headmaster of Rugby School.

He believed that organised games, especially cricket, could help cultivate modern civilisation. 'A straight bat' and all that. Arnold applied his creed to the gentleman class.

But Lord Coe, chairman of the 2012 organising committee, sees the lessons sport can teach and the opportunities it can bring applying at least as readily to the disadvantaged as to the privileged.

'I think sport is the hidden social worker in all our communities,' he said. 'It can reach places that very few things can. I know that from my Haringey athletics days, when people I trained with were brought up in and around the Broadwater Farm Estate.

'Inner-city sports clubs provide maybe the only role models in their lives. You can go to an athletics club on a Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday morning - they might be the only three anchor points for some people all week. We must never underestimate the role of the Games to help that.'

It is an inspiring dream being built in concrete before our eyes.

2012 Olympics: Games site a "crazy wondrous train set"

2010-07-26T00:00:00

Last week, the Olympic Delivery Authority sent out invitations for a hot-air balloon ride over what is the largest building site in Europe. From 100 feet up, we would be able to admire the audacious design of the three 'big-ticket items' within the 500-acre park: the velodrome, the aquatic centre and the main Olympic Stadium. Or maybe we wouldn't.

When the day came, blustery winds meant that the balloon could safely rise no further than eight feet – or roughly the distance that Germaine Mason, the leading British high jumper, can clear in a single leap.

No matter. The ODA chaps came up with an alternative, ushering us up to a fourth-floor balcony on a staircase attached to the volunteers' centre. It was "definitely the best view in the park", according to Gerry Townrow, the health and safety officer assigned to ensure that we did not leap off. And we believed him.

The contrast was extraordinary. A few minutes earlier we had been bumping around on a patch of waste ground at the back of the park, oblivious to the presence of anyone else in the whole of London. Now, suddenly, we came out on to the balcony to see a vista that was humming with human activity.

Such was the sense of revelation that you could almost hear Also Sprach Zarathustra striking up in the background.

The ODA estimates that there are 6,500 people working on the site, and the way their hi-visibility jackets stood out from the background, you felt you could see every one. Meanwhile, countless vehicles buzzed around the road network: cement-mixers, tractors, flatbed trucks, diggers, and bendy buses in four colour codes – yellow, orange, green and blue – to transport workers around the park.

Imagine the craziest train set in the world, then throw in a backdrop of soaring, hyper-modern structures, and top the whole thing off with the sort of bustling purposefulness normally reserved for termite mounds or the lair of a James Bond villain. That is the impression you take away from the Olympic Park.

Of the venues, the main stadium may be the largest, but the aquatics centre – designed by Zaha Hadid, the much garlanded British Iraqi architect – is already the one that pulls the eye. A sinuous, blue-skinned hull, built to resemble a whale, it will be the first thing many visitors see when they enter the park from the Stratford Regional Station.

For Tim Brabants, the canoeist now in training for his fourth Olympics, the thrill of seeing the whole thing come together never palls. "I've been here for a few visits," he said, "and it blows me away every time.

"Even if you forget about the final use of this place and just see it as a construction site, it's pretty amazing: everything is so organised and clean and on-time.

"Normally you turn up at the airport and it's the first time you have seen the stadium and the venues in real life," Brabants added. "So it's quite a privileged opportunity, as a British athlete, to watch it grow up around you."

Brabants will be one of the higher-profile members of the 2012 team, after his haul of one gold and one bronze medal in Beijing. But it is not just the athletes whose competitive juices are starting to flow.

Each facility is being built by a different construction company, and the race is on between Robert McAlpine (who are putting up the main Olympic Stadium) and ISG (the velodrome) to see who can get to the finish line first.

The 30 major construction companies at the park are all working towards demanding targets, both in terms of delivery dates (the whole thing is supposed to be ready a year in advance) and safety standards.

There have been accidents here, of course. One of them was fatal, when a man in a cherry-picker basket crashed into the roof of the adjacent Westfield Stratford City shopping centre last year. But the level of ambition is evident from the electronic sign at the front of the park that reads "2,000,000 man-hours since last reported incident".

Perhaps the most dangerous thing in the park was the hot-air balloon.

Louis Smith, the young gymnast who won a rare British bronze at the last World Championships, had to show off his dismounting skills when the basket tipped sideways under a gust of wind. Next time, Louis, take the stairs. The view is better.

Olympic stars onboard for launch of Londons 2012 balloon

2010-07-22T00:00:00

July 22 - The National Lottery today launched a London 2012 Games hot air balloon from the heart of the Olympic Park with canoeing gold medallist Tim Brabants, gymnastics bronze medallist Louis Smith and 400 metres hurdles bronze medallist Tasha Danvers onboard for its first tethered flight.

The hot air balloon will now visit some of the major cities in the UK giving members of the public the chance to fly in the balloon while being accompanied by elite athletes.

The hot air balloon is going on tour to thank Lottery players across Britain for their contribution to London 2012 and to highlight the role that people from across the UK will play in helping to host the world’s greatest sporting event.

More than £25 million a week is raised by Lottery players for various projects across the UK while the National Lottery is contributing up to £2.2 billion to fund the infrastructure and the venues for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Brabants told insidethegames: "It’s a very unique opportunity to go up in a hot air balloon in the Olympic Park and it is fitting that it should be in a National Lottery hot air balloon because Lottery players are making a vital contribution to both athletes like me and the development of the London 2012 venues and their legacy.

"This hot air balloon is just one way of celebrating their support of the world’s largest sporting event coming to the UK."

Peter Keen, Director of Performance at UK Sport, added: "Lottery funding has changed the face of sport in the UK and has contributed to a total of 438 Olympic and Paralympic medals for Great Britain since 1997.

"The hot air balloon tour is a great way for the public to meet local elite athletes and for those athletes to be able to thank Lottery players for their support."

The balloon will visit Birmingham on July 27, Manchester on August 16, Cardiff on September 14 and Sheffield on September 28 in its last appearance of the year.

It is scheduled to visit further cities in 2011 and 2012.

The National Lottery also announced today over £1.1 million of funding to two programmes focused on communities in the five Olympic Host Boroughs.

"In the Parks" is a three year project aimed at increasing long term participation in sport across the Boroughs and "Represent London" is a three year employability and volunteering project for young people.

Stanground Sports Awards

2010-07-14T00:00:00

Gymnastics superstar Louis Smith was the very special guest of honour at Stanground College’s Sports Awards last week.

Olympic hero, Smith, had been invited to attend the event to present awards before speaking at length to pupils about his life as a top class gymnast.

Director of Sport Wendy Gooding said: “It was great for students to hear directly from a local sportsman with so much commitment and drive to achieve his dreams. Louis is a fabulous role model for our students and a great ambassador for both sport and Peterborough.

“Although we did manage to find one thing he is not good at...In a round of Question of Sport requiring teams to recognise PE staff and sporting celebrities Louis wasn’t able to recognise himself!”

Prize winners

Top boys team: ASK (Artistic Street Kids) - Kamal Hyman, Andy Ofusu, Liam Mizra, Kyle Maltby and Kane Hempson.
Top girls team: KS3 Badminton - Kyra Donnovan, Chloe Saunders, Andranno Ofosu, Amelia Jenkins.
Sports Boy of the Year: Dan Bannister.
Sports Girl of the Year: Jess James.
Girl Dancer of the Year: Emily Slack-Humphrey.
Boy Dancer of the Year: Kyle Maltby.
Top Official: Troy Slater.
Most Improved Boy: Vuyol Ngulube.
Most Improved Girl: Stacie White.
Girls Award for Outstanding Commitment to Extra Curricular Sport: Chloe Saunders.
Boys Award for Outstanding Commitment to Extra Curricular Sport: Ryan Venters.
Athlete of the Year: Kieran Jack.
Fair Play Award: Year 10 Cricketers - Jason Dunn, Martin Underwood, Josh Robinson, Mitchell Perridge, Troy Slater, Grant Cousins and Matt Edgell.

Gymnasts jumping high after Olympic medallist visits Akiva

2010-06-28T00:00:00

Young gymnasts were given the chance to perform in front of an Olympic medallist at a Finchley primary school, yesterday.

Zoe Harris, Hannah Bentwood, Chiara Whitefield and Ella Shindler from Akiva Primary School in East End Road put on a display for Louis Smith, who won a bronze medal at the 2008 games in Beijing.

He visited the school as part of it's involvement in National School Sports Week.

Mr Smith was the first British gymnast to win an olympic medal in the sport since 1908. He encouraged students to pursue their dreams, explaining that setbacks only make him more determined.

Headteacher Susy Stone said: "A young sports person like Louis is such a good role model for school children. We focus at Akiva on creating a positive mindset. His determination and commitment to fulfil his dreams is right on message."

Nearly 14,000 schools up and down the country are taking part in Lloyds TSB National School Sports Week in partnership with the Youth Sports Trust, and as part of the London 2012 Get Set education programme.

This aims to use the power of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to inspire children to take part in more sport.

A million school kids set the pace for a great sporting weekend

2010-06-18T00:00:00

Over a million sporty school kids have set the standard for our World Cup and Wimbledon warriors in what is promising to be an exciting few days of Great British sport.

With England's footballers facing Algeria later today in South Africa and Andy Murray beginning his quest for tennis glory on Monday, this week's sports headlines were hardly up for grabs.

But by completing the Tesco Great School Run earlier today and all this week, youngsters from 4,000 schools proved that we Brits do still have the desire for sporting success - and British sport legends including Colin Jackson and Tessa Sanderson were there to testify.

The former World and Olympic champions were in Newham, East London to cheer on hundreds of kids taking part in the annual 2km run.

Colin, along with current Olympic gymnast Louis Smith who won a bronze medal in Beijing, were later choppered out of East London as they went on an incredible helicopter tour to start runs in Wolverhampton, Sheffield and Hull.

Elsewhere, a series of grand finales at locations including Glasgow and Manchester hosted up to 5,000 children as 2010's races got well under way.

Former 10,000m World and Commonwealth Champion Liz McColgan was on hand to start the Glasgow race, while current Manchester Sale Harrier, Shaunna Thompson was joined by former 400m Olympic medallist, Katharine Merry to start the Manchester finale.

Thousands of schools around the country also staged their own runs, enabling many more children to enjoy the event.

Now in its sixth year, the Tesco Great School Run - organised by those behind the world famous Bupa Great North Run - aims to encourage children between the ages of five and 11 to get fit and healthy through exercise and nutrition advice.

Prior to the finale week, a five-week activation tour took place throughout the country which saw athletes including Colin and Katharine visit schools and promote the event to pupils.

Colin said: "It's been fantastic to see so many children in the UK get really enthusiastic about running. Schools have a vitally important role to play in ensuring our children remain fit and healthy and the teachers we've met over the past month have clearly taken their commitment to the Tesco Great School Run seriously."

John Mayock, former Olympic athlete and campaign manager for the Tesco Great School Run, said: "Every year this run gets bigger and better and we get more and more interest from schools in even the farthest corners of the UK. This year has exceeded our expectations and it's been so inspiring to see the effort that all of the children have put in."