London Olympics 2012: 'Ready To Welcome The World' In 100 Days (GALLERY)

London 'Ready To Welcome World' In 100 Days (GALLERY)
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London 2012 organisers say they are ready to welcome the world to the Olympics in 100 days' time.

A series of events have been planned to highlight the landmark as the countdown to the Games begins in earnest.

London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton said the preparations are proceeding according to plan - being both on time and within budget.

Deighton told the Press Association: "We are absolutely where we want to be with 100 days to go - we are ready to welcome the world to London.

"Millions of people around the UK are getting ready to celebrate the biggest event in sport.

"Eight million of the 11 million tickets have been sold to people in Britain and we are sure that Brits will get hold of a chunk of the other three million too."

Many of the test events have already been held at the venues, but a big one comes on the first weekend of May with a cluster of events in the Olympic Park where 80,000 people are expected to attend, including 50,000 spectators in the Olympic Stadium to watch the London Disability Athletics Challenge.

Deighton said many lessons had already been learned from the test events, including in relation to security procedures.

There have also been opportunities to improve some of the venues for sports.

The BMX track has been altered to cut the effect of high wind at the first jump, and the surface has also been changed after rain at the test event last August caused problems for the cyclists.

Modern pentathlon have brought in changes to their shooting event, while the basketball arena has been altered so that players do not have to go outside when walking from their waiting area into the arena.

Countdown To The Olympics Games - 100 Days To Go
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Children wave Union Flags from the top of a giant sandcastle adorned with the Olympic rings and flags built to celebrate 100 days to go to the 2012 London Olympic Games on the beach at Weymouth on April 13, 2012. London marked on April 18, 100 days to go until Queen Elizabeth II declares the 2012 London Olympics open, making the British captial the first city in the modern era to host the Games three times. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS
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Dancers from the show Chicago (left to right) Lauren Brooke, Emma Harris, Sarah Soetaert, Jenny Gayner and Laura Tyrer add a bit of glamour to the Olympic countdown clock which shows 100 days until the start of the London 2012 games, in Trafalgar Square in central London. (credit:John Stillwell/PA Wire)
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Members of the public arrive at the Olympic Park to watch the synchronised swimming, London. London 2012 marked 100 days to go to the start of the Olympics today by launching the slogan for the Games: "Inspire a generation." (credit:Anthony Devlin/PA Wire)
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Media watch as Lord Coe plants an oak tree to celebrate the UK's role in the birth of the modern Olympic movement 100 days before the London 2012 Olympics, at Kew Gardens, London. (credit:Lewis Whyld/PA Wire)
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Media watch as Lord Coe plants an oak tree to celebrate the UK's role in the birth of the modern Olympic movement 100 days before the London 2012 Olympics, at Kew Gardens, London. (credit:Lewis Whyld/PA Wire)
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Media watch as Lord Coe plants an oak tree to celebrate the UK's role in the birth of the modern Olympic movement 100 days before the Olympics, at Kew Gardens, London. (credit:Lewis Whyld/PA Wire)
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Giant Olympic rings made up of 25,000 flowers are unveiled at Kew Gardens in London with Torchbearers, Games Makers, London 2012 Festival participants and parents of TeamGB athletes to mark 100 days until the Olympics. (credit:Lewis Whyld/PA Wire)
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General view of the Olympic Stadium, London as seen through a nearby fence. London 2012 marked 100 days to go to the start of the Olympics today by launching the slogan for the Games: "Inspire a generation." (credit:Anthony Devlin/PA Wire)
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WEYMOUTH, ENGLAND - APRIL 18: Boats are moored in waters just off Portland in Weymouth Bay, which will be the venue for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Sailing competitions on April 18, 2012 in Weymouth, England. One hundred days from today the opening ceremony will commence The London 2012 Olympic Games on July 27. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 18: Lord Sebastain Coe prepares to address Olympic officials and the media in Kew Gardens on April 18, 2012 in London, England. Kew Gardens unveiled today a Giant Olympic rings installation made up of at least 20,000 plants and flowers to celebrate one hundred days till the opening ceremony of The London 2012 Olympic Games on July 27 and to announce the official motto as 'Inspire a generation.' (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 18: Tourists take photographs of The London 2012 Olympic countdown clock showing 100 days to go in Trafalgar Square on April 18, 2012 in London, England. The opening ceremony of the games will take place on July 27, 2012. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 18: The London 2012 Olympic countdown clock shows 100 days to go in Trafalgar Square on April 18, 2012 in London, England. The opening ceremony of the games will take place on July 27, 2012. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 18: A man takes a photograph of The London 2012 Olympic countdown clock showing 100 days to go in Trafalgar Square on April 18, 2012 in London, England. The opening ceremony of the games will take place on July 27, 2012. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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Deighton said: "The test events have done what we really wanted them to do which was to give a real test on the field of play, to make sure that the surfaces and technology is right.

"It also gives an opportunity to bring the workforce for that venue together in an operational sense, and experience how the team operates at that venue.

"It has been quite reassuring. Things have gone wrong, because things always do go wrong at events, and the issue is to have the teams in place to fix these things.

"Nothing however has made us radically change our plans."

Organisers have also been able to monitor the speed of queues while spectators are going through security checks. This was tested rigorously at the beach volleyball event at Horse Guards Parade, a stone's throw from the House of Commons, where it emerged that even the weather could have an effect on the movement of the queues.

"We have been forensic with what we have tested, where," added Deighton.

"At Horse Guards Parade with beach volleyball we did a very careful test of the security screening and understanding what makes lines go faster and slower.

"It is very helpful to know the effect of rain on the speed of the lines for example."

Deighton is also supremely confident that all revenue targets will be exceeded - the remaining ticket sales alone should easily cover the £200m gap to reach the revenue target.

Income from sponsors has already exceeded the target and merchandise sales will add to that.