Later this month the gates to the Olympic Park, or Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as it’s officially known, will open for the first time since London 2012 and host the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games. Celebrating - yep you guessed it – a whole year since the triumphant 2012 Olympic Games, this specially held event will last for three whole days between 26 – 28th July and feature some of the greatest names in athletics.
Unfortunately tickets sold out instantly back in April – within 75 minutes according to several national newspapers – so chances are you’ll have to plonk yourself down on the sofa and watch the comprehensive coverage on the BBC, like the rest of us. However, just like during the Olympics itself, there may be a chance to purchase re-sold tickets so it might be worth keeping a close eye on the official Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games website throughout the long weekend.
Over 100,000 spectators are expected to flock through the turnstiles and watch athletes recreate that same Olympic buzz which captured our hearts last summer. Of course many punters will be staking their claims and betting on the events as well; looking up online sport betting reviews to see which athletes are worth their weight in gold.
There’s a star-studded cast awaiting the starting gun. Mo Farah and Usain Bolt are just two of 29 Olympic medallists expected to perform in the IAAF Diamond League on the Friday and Saturday, while last year’s Paralympic champions are ready to thrill the crowds on the Sunday.
Can we expect these same athletes, so driven to chase the Olympic dream last August, to go all out, gung-ho once again? Well, you can expect Usain Bolt to put on a show regardless. The sprinter is the ultimate showman, whatever the occasion. Though he hasn’t been performing too well in minor athletics meets so far this summer – in fact he’s lost a few races recently - given a massive crowd (check), an electric atmosphere (check) and a medal to parade round at the end of the race (check) surely we’ll see that famous pose and big grin illuminated by camera flashes once again.
While the prospect of watching top-quality athletics lured people to hastily order tickets when they went on general sale in April, perhaps one of the reasons why the event sold out so quickly was to feel, be part of, that fantastic Olympic atmosphere once again; that spirit, which endeared the nation: One and all together; cheering our beloved athletes to victory. It’s going to be an awesome three days.
