Boxing legend Muhammad Ali is to lead a parade of sporting greats at the London 2012 opening ceremony on Friday. The parade will include David Beckham and long distance runner Haile Gebrselassie.
Spectators attending the opening ceremony rehearsals. They have been asked to keep tight-lipped over ceremony secrets although it is known that the British countryside has been recreated inside the Olympic Stadium for the event and is to have real sheep, shire horses and other animals.
Movie A-listers Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Posh and Becks are all due to attend Olympic charity events this week.
America’s First Lady Michelle Obama will be at the opening night and is to meet 1,000 kids at a London event.
Actors about to take part in the opening ceremony dress rehearsal
US basketball legend Michael Jordan, British rowing great Sir Steven Redgrave, gymnasts Larisa Latynina – the most successful Olympian ever with 18 medals – Nadia Comaneci, Olga Korbut, and swimmers Mark Spitz and Michael Phelps could also all play a part in the ceremony.
The Royal Family will also attend the opening ceremony. Princess Anne, the president of the British Olympic Association (BOA) has been tipped as a contender to light the cauldron at the event. Organisers want a former Olympian to have the honour. The Princess Royal took part in equestrian in the Montreal Games in 1976.
Great Britain's Olympic team will be the largest at London 2012 with 542 members, followed by the USA with 530 and then Russia.
London 2012 will be the first Olympics ever in which every team taking part has female athletes.
Big Ben is to chime non-stop for three minutes to help ring in the London 2012 Olympics
London 2012 photos:
Olympic Park flowers in full bloom: The wild flowers in the Olympic Park have sprung into full bloom just in time for the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games
Archery Training at Lord's Cricket Ground: Sung Jin Lee of South Korea warms up for the Olympics at Lord's Cricket Ground where that event is to be held
Beach Volleyball training at Horse Guards Parade: Marie-Andree Lessard of Canada prepares for the Olympic Beach Volleyball at Horse Guards.
10km Marathon Swimming training at Hyde Park: Open water swimmer Colin Hill swims past the Serpentine Pavillion, as he tests the 10km Marathon Swimming course at Hyde Park
Troops on guard at the entrance to the Park
Colourful path, Olympic Stadium and The Orbit
Basketball and handball arena
Testing the BMX arena
Here are some pictures of the Olympic Village at the Olympic Park in east London, which many of the athletes who have been arriving over the last week from around the world have described as the best there has ever been.
The London mayor took a tour of the athletes' village. The village has 2,818 apartments in 11 accommodation blocks, a 225x80m hall that can seat 5,000 at a time and will be open 24 hours a day, and recreation areas. About 16,000 men and women from 204 countries will converge on the village during the Games
Outdoor seating, with the Velodrome in the background
The Olympic rings in front of the open park area
Decorated balconies of athletes' rooms
The beds have London 2012 quilt covers
One of the bedrooms
The village gym
Bar and lounge area
://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/7/13/1342179225860/Music-booth-025.jpg
Music booth
Recreational area
A performance area for speakers and singers
The world's biggest dining room for the athletes
Detailed nutritional information is displayed above the food
Inside the world's biggest McDonald's restaurant
The mayor visits the salon, where staff have been trained to paint fingernails in all off the flags of the 204 competing nations
A giant Connect 4 game in the recreational area
://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/polopoly_fs/img_0599_1_1449325!image/332972916.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_490/332972916.jpg
Colourful footpath inside the village
Get the stats: Information Kiosks will provide instant results, schedules, medal ranking tables and transport news.
Games: Pretend to be at Olympics, in the Globe
Spectators attending the opening ceremony rehearsals. They have been asked to keep tight-lipped over ceremony secrets although it is known that the British countryside has been recreated inside the Olympic Stadium for the event and is to have real sheep, shire horses and other animals.
Movie A-listers Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Posh and Becks are all due to attend Olympic charity events this week.
America’s First Lady Michelle Obama will be at the opening night and is to meet 1,000 kids at a London event.
Actors about to take part in the opening ceremony dress rehearsal
US basketball legend Michael Jordan, British rowing great Sir Steven Redgrave, gymnasts Larisa Latynina – the most successful Olympian ever with 18 medals – Nadia Comaneci, Olga Korbut, and swimmers Mark Spitz and Michael Phelps could also all play a part in the ceremony.
The Royal Family will also attend the opening ceremony. Princess Anne, the president of the British Olympic Association (BOA) has been tipped as a contender to light the cauldron at the event. Organisers want a former Olympian to have the honour. The Princess Royal took part in equestrian in the Montreal Games in 1976.
Great Britain's Olympic team will be the largest at London 2012 with 542 members, followed by the USA with 530 and then Russia.
London 2012 will be the first Olympics ever in which every team taking part has female athletes.
Big Ben is to chime non-stop for three minutes to help ring in the London 2012 Olympics
London 2012 photos:
Olympic Park flowers in full bloom: The wild flowers in the Olympic Park have sprung into full bloom just in time for the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games
Archery Training at Lord's Cricket Ground: Sung Jin Lee of South Korea warms up for the Olympics at Lord's Cricket Ground where that event is to be held
Beach Volleyball training at Horse Guards Parade: Marie-Andree Lessard of Canada prepares for the Olympic Beach Volleyball at Horse Guards.
10km Marathon Swimming training at Hyde Park: Open water swimmer Colin Hill swims past the Serpentine Pavillion, as he tests the 10km Marathon Swimming course at Hyde Park
Troops on guard at the entrance to the Park
Colourful path, Olympic Stadium and The Orbit
Basketball and handball arena
Testing the BMX arena
Here are some pictures of the Olympic Village at the Olympic Park in east London, which many of the athletes who have been arriving over the last week from around the world have described as the best there has ever been.
The London mayor took a tour of the athletes' village. The village has 2,818 apartments in 11 accommodation blocks, a 225x80m hall that can seat 5,000 at a time and will be open 24 hours a day, and recreation areas. About 16,000 men and women from 204 countries will converge on the village during the Games
Outdoor seating, with the Velodrome in the background
The Olympic rings in front of the open park area
Decorated balconies of athletes' rooms
The beds have London 2012 quilt covers
One of the bedrooms
The village gym
Bar and lounge area
://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/7/13/1342179225860/Music-booth-025.jpg
Music booth
Recreational area
A performance area for speakers and singers
The world's biggest dining room for the athletes
Detailed nutritional information is displayed above the food
Inside the world's biggest McDonald's restaurant
The mayor visits the salon, where staff have been trained to paint fingernails in all off the flags of the 204 competing nations
A giant Connect 4 game in the recreational area
://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/polopoly_fs/img_0599_1_1449325!image/332972916.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_490/332972916.jpg
Colourful footpath inside the village
Get the stats: Information Kiosks will provide instant results, schedules, medal ranking tables and transport news.
Games: Pretend to be at Olympics, in the Globe
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