POSTED: Wednesday April 6th 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIENDSHIP UNITES IN LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC PARK
Katarina Witt and Sebastian Coe: two-time Olympic champions linked by sporting glories and legacy goals
London, 6 April 2011: Chair of the Munich 2018 Bid Committee, Katarina Witt, was today guided around London’s Olympic Park by the Chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee, Sebastian Coe, with the Olympic gold medallists’ thoughts on the unparalleled power of Olympism top of the agenda.
Katarina Witt, a gold medallist in figure skating at the ‘84 and ‘88 Games, and Sebastian Coe, who topped the podium in 1980 and 1984, have a close friendship forged over many years’ shared experience in the international sports movement. Together they visited all of the key venues in the Olympic Park, including the velodrome, the aquatic centre, the IBC/MPC and the Olympic Stadium.
For Katarina Witt, the experience was a stirring confirmation of the Olympic and Paralympic Games’ remarkable capacity to transform a city:
‘I am so grateful that Seb took the time to give me this personal tour of the Olympic Park. London is such an exciting place to be right now. The tickets are on sale and they’ve passed that magical 500-day barrier; you can really feel this huge, multicultural and richly diverse city united in a sense of anticipation. You can tell the people are inspired by the chance to celebrate their country and traditions with the world and that is what the Olympic Games is all about.
‘Perhaps what I found most interesting, and the most relevant to Munich 2018’s bid, is London’s vision for the Olympic Park after the Games. I believe their urban regeneration plans will make a tangible difference to people’s lives in this part of London. Munich 2018 is also committed to addressing a real social need by providing green, affordable housing for young low- and middle-income families in the city.’
Munich 2018’s sustainable concept means all permanent structures will serve a valuable purpose post-Games and contribute to their social, environmental and economic legacy. The Olympic Village will be developed into energy-plus housing targeted at overcoming the chronic shortage in the city. The Bavarian capital has already experienced the sweeping, long-term impact of an Olympic Games in 1972; Katarina Witt and the Munich 2018 Bid Committee are eager to reinvigorate the city’s Olympic heritage:
‘The people of Munich have been living the legacy of the Olympic Games every day for forty years,’ said Witt. ‘Everything from world-class infrastructure, to a global reputation for operational excellence, to an Olympic Park that has now staged over 10,000 sporting, cultural and community events. Our dream is to give that legacy a new lease of life and ensure the spirit of Olympism lives on in Munich for another 40 years. Imagine - an 80-year story of Olympic sustainability!’
Munich 2018 will deliver its latest presentation to the Olympic family on Thursday morning at the SportAccord Convention, buoyed by this latest important learning experience. After that, the focus will turn to the all-important Technical Presentation in Lausanne in May, before the final straight towards the IOC Session in Durban on 6 July begins.
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Keywords · 2018 · Winter · Olympic · Bids · Munich · Germany · SportAccord · Convention · Katarina Witt · LOCOG · Olympic Park · Sebastian Coe
Name: Simone Seefried
Organization: Munich 2018 Bid Committee
Email:
Phone: 4989540428317
URL: http://www.muenchen2018.org
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