Olympic movement sweeps the nation (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Olympic movement sweeps the nation

LONDON 2012: David Hemery lived out every athlete's dream at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics winning a gold medal in world record time.

He is now vice-chairman of the British Olympic Association and is fully involved in bringing the Games to London in 2012. Sports Editor STUART WHITE met him at his family home in Fyfield to discuss the bid that has gripped a nation.

"DAVID Hemery," said the tall, lean man who opened the glass door to his country house. From behind, his lively and energetic dog Leo came rushing to greet me.

It is a wonderfully secluded home, his instructions to follow the drive until 'the end' forced me to think I was cruising straight into the great wilderness. His only neighbours are a farmer, and a herd of cows. It is not a property which attracts double glazing salesmen.

"I can run for three hours and only cross one road," he told me, pointing out to the undulating Wiltshire countryside that surrounded us.

He carries the same weight as he did when he finished seven metres clear of the field on that night in Mexico City. Daily runs, often with his wife Vivian, or V as she likes to be known, keeps his figure at fighting weight. V, I should say, rides her horse Cali, who just happens to trot at Hemery's 60-year-old running pace.

They have lived at the same rural abode since the Los Angeles Olympics. "I remember sitting on crates watching it on television," was Hemery's recollection of the time they moved in.

The Olympics taking priority over any desire to furnish their newly purchased property.

Like 1984, his thoughts now are all about the Games which made him, and doing his utmost to make sure they will be held less than a hundred miles down the M4 in the capital in seven years time.

He flies out to Singapore on Sunday to jump the final hurdle, bend a few International Olympic Committee ears, and ultimately hear the verdict.

Bookies place London as second favourite behind Paris, with Madrid, New York and Moscow in that order making up the numbers.

Hemery believes London has the best technical bid, stating he was staggeringly impressed with its structure. But what the nation wants to know is can we win?

"Stranger things have happened," he said. "The preparation and attention to detail has been absolutely outstanding. They have put together a brilliant bid."

Wednesday's result will be beamed live to Trafalgar Square, where a giant screen will send the most patriotic of fans into hysteria. If we win.

That is how it has been viewed by Great Britain. It is us, we, against the world and no other contender can boast greater national support.

"The momentum that has been picked up I hope will carry beyond these shores. Support has been brilliant. It has climbed hugely from 60 per cent to 79 per cent nationally. It has been a slow burner in a way.

"People generally thought it was good, now a lot of people recognise it is not just a spin off for London but the whole country. And virtually all the top athletes are on board."

The top, top athlete is Lord Sebastian Coe, London 2012 chairman. He has been the figurehead, driving force and inspiration behind the campaign, combining a unique blend of knowledge and notoriety.

An Olympic champion and politician, Lord Coe has given the bid an edge the other cities cannot keep pace with.

"Seb has done an outstanding job. There was a question as to whether he would grasp it because of his many interests, but he has taken it on almost like the training that would endeavour him to get a gold medal in running.

"He has spoken well and with passion, been there every day with a level of commitment that probably very few people apart from an athlete could have sustained. He has shown a tremendous amount of vigour, passion and articulation of what is needed. This bid is very athlete centred, athlete run.

"Most of the other bids are run by their mayor, or bureaucrat, or politician administrator, and yes we have those but we are saying this is an athletes Games.

"And having someone who is an athlete, but who understands the politics, is a very big plus for us."

Those who think back to last summer will remember the great impact the British support had on Athens, and the world. Second in number, and volume, to the 2004 host nation, the Brits made the ancient city their place in the sun. Never was a stadium deprived of the Union Jack, and all the Olympians from these shores took time to pay tribute to those who had invested in spending their summer holiday to help deliver the nine golds.

"One of the things I hope the IOC recognise is that the British fans are phenomenal. They identify and give credit to effort, achievement and excellence, and are incredibly supportive.

"I really hope it gets through to those who are voting because the aura of the Olympics with a predominantly British crowd would create a fabulous spectacle. Added to which, the BBC do a world-renowned job in broadcasting. It would be on their home soil and I know they would be a fabulous home broadcaster.

"I have no doubt we would do a great job if we win it, I just hope they recognise how great we could be."

With so much to shout about, surely William Hills, Coral and company have it wrong; London must win, we have a faultless bid. What could Paris have that we haven't?

Well, the Stade de France is already standing proud in the suburbs of Saint Denis for one. Our site, in the deprived Lea Valley area of East London, is merely an artist's impression. It is also The French capital's third attempt at winning the bid to host the Games, and Hemery fears a sympathy vote.

But far worse than that is the dark, immovable shadow of Picketts Lock. Like a recurring nightmare, the memory will not go away.

"I was hoping you weren't going to mention that," said Hemery, who thought he'd escaped the curse for another day. To summarise, London had won the bid to stage the 2005 World Athletics Championships but had to forfeit the right after the government withdrew their support because of apprehension over the escalating costs.

Hemery, then president of UK Athletics, was responsible for persuading Tony Blair and his men to join the start line, and once the gun had fired he sold the city. Four years on, the mere mention of the name Picketts Lock sent a shiver down his spine. "It could count against us badly. There was an actual promise from Government it would happen. I said when we were going to bid now, how do we get around it, how can we be trusted, can the government be trusted?

"I have never been more embarrassed because I have been brought up believing a British person's word is his bond, and I absolutely believe that. If you have promised to deliver you have to. My view is you have to live your life with as much integrity as you can."

The Hatfield rail disaster, War on Terrorism and Wembley Stadium's spiralling expense unsettled the Houses of Parliament and Blair took the decision which some believed ended Britain's hopes of staging a major sporting event again.

However, sandwiched in between may be resting a get out of jail free card. Those who were in Manchester for the Commonwealth Games will know what the British can deliver given the chance, and Hemery hopes the success of 2002 could go someway to blurring the memory.

"It was brilliant, absolutely phenomenal. I hope Commonwealth members voting will remember that and recognise what can happen in Britain."

So, perhaps, it is advantage Paris, but only just. The vote is tight and, even in defeat, Hemery would still like to see Team GB take on the French on the track, in the pool, on their horses, and in each and every other diverse Olympic sport should Les Bleus triomphe.

"My appeal, my hope will be the momentum built up will be sustained and maybe we should say to ourselves, if they happen to get it, can we win more medals than France in Paris that would be a great quest. My preference, however, would be we get it."

So just what would it mean to win the bid. We know costs are sky high, figures as great as £2.5 billion to stage the Games have been quoted, but what is so amazing about being host? Hemery is one of the biggest supporters of the movement and firmly believes the spin off effect would have incredible impact.

"There will be a nationwide talent ID. Every school, local authority, business, will support it and want someone in our Games.

"The government is already keen and enthusiastic and it would be the push needed to turn around the under-investment that has happened to sport in this country.

"The move is currently going on to put more investment into school sport. It also needs to be linked to community sport to allow the whole of the country to be looking far more at all the benefits sport can give.

"The Olympics could be the catalyst for this and it has certainly woken up the politicians' recognition that sport has a huge effect on the morale of the country."

Hemery said sport can teach teamwork, mutual respect, and many underpinning values that are good, and if it is handled well children can learn discipline and respect.

He would also expect to see the nation's obesity problem move in the opposite direction to that of our friends in America, where he grew up. (Incidentally, had he been raised in England he probably would have been running in football boots and not spikes.)

"It could have a huge effect on the health of the nation, psychologically and physically, and provide the investment needed to put sport at the heart of education, health, social inclusion and crime reduction.

"There is also a huge amount of evidence that crime is reduced in the areas where there is a high level of sport participation. Academically, people perform better when they have had physical exercise."

He would also expect the whole structure of sport in this country to be shaken up.

"There is tremendous wastage and duplication in sport in the UK. There are so many bodies and pockets of things and to simplify and structure that in a way to help us save money again the Olympics could be a catalyst for that to happen.

"There is so much untapped potential. In every big school, I believe there are three people who could be in the British athletics team, it is either that they are not recognised, not identified or do not have the facilities or coaching, backing and support.

"My hope is to use this opportunity to persuade government that a greater investment in sport could be a hugely beneficial contribution to the country. Money should be put into enthusiastic and competent coaches. Not just elite sports, Olympic sports, but also those on the recreational side, like dance, just to get people taking part."

Case closed the Olympics can only be positive, for London and the entire country. Hemery and 100 other British representatives arrive in Singapore having left no stone unturned. Every minor detail has been given precise attention.

This time, Blair is fully on board and will even fly out to south east Asia to attend the conference the day before hosting the G8 summit in Scotland to prove his support.

A total of 115 IOC members will vote, with the outcome expected to hit Trafalgar Square by 3pm.

Win or lose, the Olympic movement is spreading across the nation.

LONDON 2012 TIMELINE

January 2003: London's bid debated in Parliament.

February 2003: The Cabinet defers its decision on whether to back the bid due to the looming war in Iraq.

April 2003: Tony Blair reported to have decided to back the bid but the Government makes no official comment.

May 2003: Cabinet Minister Tessa Jowell announces the Government will 'back London to the hilt' and will set aside £2.375bn to pay for the staging of the Games.

11 July 2003: The British Olympic Association officially notifies the International Olympic Committee that London will bid.

15 July 2003: The deadline for cities to inform the IOC passes, leaving London, New York, Paris, Madrid, Moscow, Leipzig, Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro and Havana to do battle for 2012.

15 January 2004: BOA hands the IOC further details of its plans for venues, transport and security.

16 January 2004: London unveils its plans at a launch at the Royal Opera House.

18 May 2004: The IOC cuts down the shortlist to five cities London, Paris, Moscow, Madrid and New York.

19 February 2005: Bid leader Lord Coe says London has "a very good chance" of winning the right to host the 2012 Games after the IOC's evaluation commission completes a four-day inspection of the city's bid.

23 April 2005: London withdraws an incentives package, which included free flights for athletes and financial help for Olympic teams, after an investigation into whether the promises contravened bidding rules.

6 June 2005: IOC's evaluation commission reports its findings following its inspection of the five bidding cities in February and March. Paris and London are said to have "very high quality" bids. There is hope for Madrid and New York, but Moscow faces criticism.

6 July 2005: The IOC's members meet in Singapore to choose the host city for the 2012 Games.

See this week's Gazette & Herald for a two-page feature on the Olympic bid.