London 2012 unveils Olympic medal bearers' costumes and bouquets - The Guardian
The final piece of the London Olympics design jigsaw has been unveiled, with the first appearance of the Games podiums, the costumes worn by medal bearers and the bouquets presented at medal ceremonies.
In a distinct break with previous events, all but the floral arrangements have been created by students, a decision organisers say highlights the intention to provide a legacy to the city's young people.
Similarly unprecedented is the fact that the majority of the designers are not British nationals. Of the five co-creators of the "royal purple" podiums, which feature a zigzag edge to mimic the jagged lines of the official 2012 logo, two are South Korean, one from China, one is French and the other is a US national. All were Royal College of Art (RCA) students when Olympic officials launched a design contest.
The designer of the two outfits for female medal bearers and athlete escorts, fitted one-piece creations in the same colour, is another overseas RCA student, Trine Hav Christensen, from Denmark, whose final MA show at the college opened this week. The accompanying hat was created by a Briton, Zara Gorman, who left RCA in 2010.
For the first time at an Olympics, some of the medal bearers – all of whom are volunteers – will be male. Their sharply cut purple suit was designed by another recent RCA graduate, Tom Crisp from Kent.
London 2012 bouquets by Jane Packer The only established designers were used for the flowers, created by the studio of celebrated London-based florist Jane Packer, who died part-way through the process late last year.
Niccy Hallifax, who is organising victory ceremonies at London 2012, said the decision to use students was based on London's promise at the bidding process for the event to use the Games to help the city's young.
"The designs are very contemporary, very British, but also take on board our brand and/or stories," she said. "It was really important for us that, certainly with the podium and the costumes, we're launching the next generation of designers."
Once the decision was taken to use RCA students, Hallifax said, it was inevitable that those involved would come from the range of backgrounds. "We are a multicultural country and the RCA in particular draws people from all over the world. The creative industry is very strong in the UK, and the art colleges in particular.
"It was very important to us that we were truly inclusive. It's about bringing the world to London. The designers reflect that."
The bulk of the attention is likely to be focused on the volunteers' outfits, which Hallifax described as having "a very fresh look, which doesn't overpower the athletes".
Medal-bearer outfits have had a chequered history at previous Olympics, with designers generally opting for a variant, or pastiche, of the national outfits, such as the close-fitted cheongsam-type dresses used in Beijing in 2008, or the traditional, rural-style outfits seen in Athens four years before.
This can have its perils for nations where the national outfit is less clear – for example the awkward-looking bushranger coats and hats seen in Sydney in 2000.
The 2012 outfits have opted for a modern look, albeit one that, at first glance, veers closely towards the sort of clothes usually seen on airline cabin crew.
The designers said they had attempted to incorporate British elements: Christensen said the zips dotted around her women's outfits referenced punk; Crisp said he was inspired by Savile Row. Gorman said her sleekly cut hats were influenced by the lines of Olympic buildings such as the velodrome.
Bolt plans to shock the world with record-breaking performance in London - Daily Mail
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Usain Bolt is aiming to wow the world with his performances at the Olympics.
Bolt got back into the groove on Thursday night with victory in the Rome Diamond League 100metres in 9.76 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year.
It was his fourth fastest time ever, with the previous three all world records.
Sharp: Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt wearing the 2012 Jamaican Olympic kit with Cedella Marley
Bolt will draw inspiration from London's Jamaican community during the Olympics, and he warned rivals like Tyson Gay and Yohan Blake that his Italian job was just the start
'I know I can go faster because this is the start of the season. I have a long way to go,' Bolt said.
'I'm really looking forward to competing here. I haven't competed in London for a while so I'm really looking forward to it.
'I know all the Jamaicans living here are looking forward to it also so I'm just preparing to put on a great show.
'At the end of the day I just want to wow people after this Olympics so I'm looking forward to it.'
Bolt was in London today to launch Jamaica's Bob Marley-inspired Puma kit for the Olympics.
Asked whether he will need to improve on 9.76secs to win gold, and whether he can go faster, Bolt said: 'That's what I do.
'The season is still early. Everybody is running 9.8 so that's good competition. 9.7 is also good so for me.
'I'm happy with the way it is and just want to continue working hard and run faster so I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready to go.'
Bolt's performance in Rome put to bed any questions about his form after he ran 10.04secs in Ostrava last week.
'I never doubt my ability, never. People forget, and I keep explaining to people, that athletes have bad days,' he said.
'Every athlete can - cricket, football, any sport - you have bad days and that was just one of mine and I got past it and now I'm just moving forward."
Bolt decided after Ostrava that he needed a few early nights, which clearly did the trick.
His triple Olympic triumph in Beijing was fuelled on a diet of chicken nuggets - but there will be no repeat of that in London.
'The good thing about the fact we are in London is there will be a lot of Jamaican food - the only thing I have to worry about is putting on weight,' he said.
'There will be no chicken nuggets this year.'
Bolt briefly experienced the immigration problems for which Heathrow has been roundly criticised by a member of the International Olympic Committee.
Barbara Kendall, 1992 Olympic windsurfing champion, wrote on Twitter: "Heathrow Airport Immigration is a nightmare!! took me 2 hours to get through and it is not Olympic time yet."
But being the fastest man ever to have walked the earth has its perks.
'I came in today on an Italian airline today just behind a flight from Asia. I think it was from India and there were so many people on the flight and I was at the back of the queue,' Bolt said.
'Surprisingly, somebody recognised me so I got to the front of the line.
'So, so far it's been pretty good!'
The Jamaican kit was designed by Cedella Marley, who drew inspiration for the outfits from her father and his music.
'We took the fit of what my dad would wear and updated it to 2012,' Marley said.
'You have the Iron Lion military jacket, the Buffalo Soldier shirt. I tried to incorporate the Bob Marley fit in as many pieces as possible where we were able to accommodate that.
'You did see dad on the jacket, right? So that's a little piece of him that's going to be in London.'
London 2012: Sarah Stevenson leads GB taekwondo team - BBC News
World champion Sarah Stevenson is among three taekwondo athletes named in Team GB, with Aaron Cook and Lutalo Muhammad vying for the last place.
Stevenson (-67kg), Jade Jones (-57kg) and Martin Stamper (-68kg) have had their places at London 2012 confirmed.
The British Olympic Association (BOA) vetoed GB Taekwondo's nomination of Muhammad ahead of world number one Cook, with a final decision imminent.
Stevenson, who won bronze in Beijing, is recovering from a cruciate injury.
The 29-year-old Doncaster-born athlete is the reigning world champion having regained her title in South Korea last year.
"This will be my fourth Olympics and me and the sport have come a long way since my first Games," said Stevenson. "When I went to Sydney in 2000, I was only 17 and hardly anyone knew what taekwondo was. But that's all changed and I don't even think you can class it as a so-called minority sport any more.
"If I win gold that will top everything I have ever achieved, but that might not happen because that's the way sport is. Just because you are the best doesn't mean you are going to win, but of course I will try like mad to win gold."
Jones, 19, won European Championships bronze in 2010 and took silver at the 2011 World Championships.
"I'm buzzing," said the Welsh athlete.
Sarah Stevenson's whirlwind 2011
"I had a big disappointment at the European Championships when I didn't win a medal, but I think it was a blessing in disguise. I have things to work on now and make sure I am 100% right for the Olympics."
Liverpudlian Stamper, 25, is an eight-time British champion and took World Championships bronze last year.
"If I fight my own game and fight to the best of my potential then I can achieve anything," he said.
"I don't want to put pressure on myself but I could get gold if I have four fights at my best and things go my way. It could happen."
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