Two years to go and today in Stratford the 2012 Games are celebrated

27 July 2010

Two years to go is marked at the Olympic Park as workers mingle around the whale-like Aquatics Centre and Stadium

TWO years today the World's sporting eyes will fall on Stratford and the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic Games

And to celebrate the milestone multi-medallist Sir Chris Hoy, the Golden Boy of British cycling, will be riding the first laps in the Velodrome where TeamGB will be hoping to emulate the success in Beijing last time out by winning a hatful of medals.

While athletes young and old will be joining one of the greatest Olympians, Michael Johnson, running inside the Olympic Stadium on a specially laid track.

Organising Committee Chair Seb Coe, ODA Chairman John Armitt, Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson and London Mayor Boris Johnson will take the train from St Pancras International to Stratford International before touring the Olympic Park and, for the first time, step inside venues to witness first-hand the progress being made in construction, which is on time and on budget.

They will also walk across the main spectator bridge which will be the 'front door' to the Olympic Park in 2012, joined by 70 Visa-sponsored athletes.

Another highlight will be former NBA star John Amaechi and young basketball players shooting the first hoop inside the Basketball Arena, dubbed The Mattress because of its quilt-like canvas covering.

Panasonic will relay the activities on a giant screen in Trafalgar Square while the Royal Mint has issued a commemorative '2 Years to Go' £5 coin - the second in a series of four coins being launched annually until 2012.

And the Royal Mail has issued the latest set of London 2012 stamps featuring 10 Olympic and Paralympic sports.

Today also marks the opening of the London 2012 Volunteer Programme, seeking to recruit up to 70,000 volunteers or 'London 2012 Games Makers'.

Pre-identified people wanting to become a London 2012 Games Maker can now apply for specialist positions such as doctors, anti-doping personnel and scoreboard operators.

And people can also sign up to be a London Ambassador, to help guide the millions of visitors who will travel to London for the Games get around and enjoy a truly memorable stay in the capital.

Mayor Johnson said: 'The summer of 2012 is a unique opportunity for London, when the world will come to our city and we want them to have a really awesome experience. The capital will be literally bursting with hundreds of thousands of visitors. Many will be here to watch the Games and many more will come to experience the electric atmosphere of the world's best big city.