IAAF President Lamine Diack and LOCOG chairman Lord Sebastian Coe take the Javelin Train from London St Pancras to the London 2012 Olympic stadium in Stratford, on August 5, 2011 in London (© Getty Images)
Visiting London to attend this weekend's Aviva London Grand Prix, the 12th stop of the Samsung Diamond League series, IAAF President Lamine Diack used the opportunity to the catch a sneak peak of the Javelin Train which will be transporting him and other members of the IAAF Family to Olympic Park when the British capital hosts the 2012 Olympic Games next August.
The newly-refurbished Renaissance Hotel, which rises above the St. Pancras Station in the centre of London, will house the IAAF Family during the Games next year, less than a ten minute journey to London's Olympic Park, thanks to the high speed Javelin Train.
"It was a real pleasure to catch the javelin train this morning and arrive six minutes later at the Olympic Park," President Diack said. "As we plan to use this San Pancras hotel as our hotel during games time, I look forward to joining members of the IAAF family on the train as we can be at the stadium within 15 minutes which is fantastic."
The high speed connection drastically reduces travel time to Olympic Park, a journey which otherwise can take 30 minutes or more by car or London's Underground.
President Diack also said he was impressed by the progress of the athletics facilities with the Games set to begin in just under one year's time.
"I was also very impressed to see the athletics track now virtually installed and believe that the stadium, which will have the decorative wrap, is certain to be an iconic landmark of the Olympics. The team led by my friend and IAAF colleague Seb Coe has done an extraordinary job over the past four years to create a venue fit for Olympic dreams to come true, and I can"t wait to come back in a year's time."
IAAF
