Marketing Report London 2012 - International Olympic Committee

12 Chapter One / INSPIRE A GENERATION
“The superlatives created here in London will live on long after
the cauldron is finally extinguished.”
Jacques Rogge, IOC President
After bursting into life with an eccentric and enthralling Opening Ceremony that celebrated the best
of British culture, the London 2012 Olympic Games provided 17 unforgettable days of world-class
sport and unbridled celebrations.
IOC President Jacques Rogge said that London was “the beating heart of the world” for the duration
of the Games, with billions of television viewers tuning in across the globe and passionate fans
showing their support in each and every Olympic venue.
And from spectacular sporting performances to landmark moments in Olympic history, there was
plenty for them to enjoy.
In the Olympic Stadium, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt successfully defended the three Olympic titles
he won in Beijing in 2008, becoming the first man to ever win back-to-back gold medals in the 100m,
200m and 4x100m relay.
American swimmer Michael Phelps also secured his place in Olympic folklore by becoming the most
decorated Olympian in the history of the Games, winning four golds and two silvers in the Aquatics
Centre to take his total Olympic medal tally to 22.
The host nation also had its own sporting heroes to celebrate, with long distance runner Mo Farah
winning both the 5,000m and the 10,000m and track cyclist Chris Hoy claiming two gold medals
in the Velodrome – the fifth and sixth golds of his career – to become the most successful British
Olympian ever. Backed by enthusiastic supporters in every venue, the British team as a whole
enjoyed its most successful Games for 104 years.