London 2012: Over 5 million spectators so far
As the Olympic Games pass the half way mark, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today confirmed that over 5 million spectators had passed through its venues so far. The Olympic Park alone has seen more than one million visitors since the Games began.
As Team GB celebrated its haul of six gold medals yesterday, LOCOG’s website has also become the world’s most visited sports website with 25 million visits alone yesterday – 25% of which came from the UK. London 2012’s combined social media following also climbed over 4 million people across Facebook, Twitter and Google +. Across the Games, 428 medals have been won by athletes from 58 countries and 85 Olympic records, including 32 world records have been set.
Outside of the venues, big screens across the UK are attracting huge crowds as people cheer on the athletes. Yesterday saw around 300,000 visitors watching sport in city centre locations. It is estimated that 60,000 spectators came out on to the streets of London to watch the Women’s Triathlon event in central London.
LOCOG Chair Sebastian Coe said, ‘The most pleasing part of the first week of the Games has been feedback from athletes and team officials who have said they have rarely, if ever, witnessed sport that has been so well presented, attended or so compelling. Our vision has always been to stage Games for the athletes, and we are thrilled that we have been able to deliver an electrifying and uplifting experience and environment for the best athletes of the world’
LOCOG CEO Paul Deighton said, ‘My overwhelming feeling is one of pride. I’m very proud of the show the UK is putting on, of the tremendous performance of our athletes and I’m very proud of my team which has given its heart and soul to these Games over the last seven years. I am also very proud of our brilliant volunteers who seem to be having an extraordinary impact on everyone they meet. The stars of the Games so far are the athletes and we are delighted to give them the stage to shine on, but they are telling us the stars are the crowds – their passion and the atmosphere they are creating is just incredible.’
Source: International Olympic Committee
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