2012 Olympics Welcome Fellow 49ers

It’s one of the biggest honors you can enjoy when you are an athlete and an event everyone dreams of being a part of. Fluorescent lights shine their way for miles around while people from over 205 countries gather in one place for the same occasion: the 2012 London Olympics.  

This will be the third time London will host the Olympics.  The last time was in 1948 and before that, it was 1908.  The majority of the events this summer will be held in the Old Park in Stratford, East London.  The Olympic Stadium, where 208 events will be held, was built in May 2008 and completed in April 2011.  

According to the official site for the London Olympics, “The London 2012 Olympic Stadium is the most sustainable ever built. With steel a resource in short supply, the building was made 75 percent lighter in terms of steel use than other stadiums. It also features a low-carbon concrete, made from industrial waste and containing 40 per cent less embodied carbon than usual.” 

The games are just under 100 days away from now and will be an exciting thing to watch.  Happening once every four years, this event is rare to watch as well as being a part of.  Olympic training begins far in advance and is something almost every athlete dreams of being invited to.  

What makes this so special to Long Beach and you as a student is it’s more than just another sporting event to watch.  There are three athletes competing this summer that are California State University, Long Beach alumni -- all of which will be competing in the Volleyball portion of the games at the Earls Court in West London near the Natural History Museums.  The games begin on July 28, so be on the look out for them.