| Did you know a shuttlecock can travel up to | | | | * Tickets for the Olympic and Paralympic Games |
| 200mph? Or that London 2012 will be the first | | | | go on sale in 2011. 7.7 million tickets will be |
| year a 200 metres Canoe Sprint has taken place? | | | | available for the Olympic Games and 1.5million for |
| Discover the weird and wonderful side to the | | | | the Paralympic Games. |
| Olympic and Paralympic Games with these fun | | | | London 2012 Infrastructure and Venues |
| facts | | | | * There will be seven sporting venues in the |
| The Ceremonies | | | | Olympic Park, 12 in London and nine outside |
| * The Torch bearers who carry the Olympic | | | | London, plus two non-sporting venues: the |
| Flame are selected through a ballot process. The | | | | Olympic Village and the International Broadcast |
| flame will travel all over the UK before London | | | | Centre/Main Press Centre. |
| 2012 begins. | | | | * More than 30 new bridges are being built within |
| * The Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the | | | | the Olympic Park. One bridge, measuring 250 |
| Games are watched by a worldwide audience of | | | | metres along and 40metres across, will form the |
| one in three people. | | | | main pedestrian route into the Olympic Park and |
| Olympic sports | | | | the roof of the Aquatics Centre training pool. |
| *There are 26 different sports in the Olympic | | | | * 21 big screen and event spaces have been set |
| Games, and 20 sports in the Paralympic games. | | | | up in urban centres around the UK. London sites |
| * Regulations state that the Olympic pool must be | | | | include Waltham Forest Town Square and General |
| at least three metres deep and the water | | | | Gordon Place, Woolwich. |
| temperature 26 degrees Celsius (plus or minus | | | | Wildlife in the Olympic Park |
| one degree). | | | | * The northern side of the Olympic Park will |
| * In Mountain Bike events, contestants can carry | | | | contain wildlife habitats for hundreds of existing |
| their own tool kits. But they're only allowed to | | | | and rare species, ranging from kingfishers to |
| receive outside assistance for mechanical | | | | otters. |
| problems in dedicated assistance zones. | | | | * Around 2,000 trees are being planted in the |
| * Equestrian events are the only Olympic sport in | | | | Olympic Park and a further 2,000 on the Olympic |
| which men and women compete against each | | | | Village site. They are mostly native British species |
| other on equal terms, and humans and animals | | | | such as willow, birch, ash, alder, hazel, cherry, |
| compete together. | | | | poplar, London plane and lime. |
| * Blind Paralympic swimmers are required to wear | | | | * The Olympic Park will be the UK's largest ever |
| blackened goggles to ensure a fair contest. Their | | | | urban river and wetland planting area, containing |
| goggles are removed at the end of the race and | | | | more than 300,000 wetland plants. |
| checked by an official. | | | | Transport during London 2012 |
| * Top-level wheelchair basketball players use | | | | * The organisers of London 2012 are aiming to |
| specially-designed titanium chairs, which cost more | | | | encourage 100 per cent of spectators to travel |
| than 3,500 pounds. During periods of high-level | | | | to the Games by public transport, walking or |
| competition, the chairs can last as little as six | | | | cycling. |
| months. | | | | * Around 10 per cent of spectators will get to |
| Organisation and funding of London 2012 | | | | the London 2012 Games by bus or coach. |
| * The staging and hosting of London 2012 is being | | | | London 2012 legacy |
| organised by the London Organising Committee of | | | | * After the Games have finished, the new |
| the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games | | | | Olympic Park will become one of the largest urban |
| (LOCOG). It has a budget of 2 billion pounds, | | | | parks created within Europe for more than 150 |
| mostly raised from the private sector. | | | | years. |
| * The building of new infrastructure and venues is | | | | * The Olympic Village will be converted into |
| being coordinated by the Olympic Delivery | | | | homes after London 2012, with many made |
| Authority (ODA). | | | | available for London key workers such as nurses |
| * The National Lottery has provided 2.2bn pounds | | | | and teachers. |
| of the funding for the Games. | | | | |