The Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) led a Team Leader recce to London on the 29/30 November.
Team Leaders, those with the responsibility for high performance sport, accompanied the experienced OCI Olympic Games headquarters team led by Chef de Mission Sonia O’Sullivan, CEO Stephen Martin, Sports Director Martin Burke, and Press Officer Jack McGouran .
It was an excellent visit and achieved its objectives of continuing to build the team ethos, planning colllectively and individually with OCI and LOCOG staff, and solidifying operational plans for St Marys pre Games training Camp and Olympic Games performance strategies.
During the two day visit Team leaders met key LOCOG sports competition managers, visited the Olympic Park, and in particular the Aquatics Centre, Velofrome and Athletics Stadium.
The group stayed in the accommodation which will be used for a multi sport training base at Lensbury Hotel, near St Mary’s Twickenham, and discussed policy, planning and preparation issues.
Team leaders and OCI HQ at LOCOG offices being briefed by OCI and LOCOG on Village operations
Jack McGouran, Ken Lynch, Sonia O’Sullivan, Peter Banks, and Karl Dunne
St Mary’s Institute of Sport indoor badminton and strenght and conditioning facilities
Team leaders Richard Vaughan, Peter Banks, Chris Jones, and Lindsey Weedon with Sonia O’Sullivan in the conditioning area
10 platforms available
Performance Laboratory withi the EIS science and medical suites
On the 5/6th December, a group of Irish Media who will be accredited at the games will also get an opportunity to access the Olympic Park site and key venues of Irish interest.
The media recce has been a collaborative venture bewteen the OCI and ISC 2012 communication group: Stephen Martin, Jack McGouran (OCI) and Finbarr Kirwan and Paul McDermott (ISC).
They will also meet International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) and Main Press Centre (MPC) officials to understand their working environment during the 2012 Games.
The OCI group will be joined by LOCOG Chair Seb Coe for the Olympic Park tour.
On day two journalists will visit the multi sport training base in Twickenham and be briefed on all aspects of the Olympic Team’s planning and preparation for London. Irish Boxing head coach Billy Walsh , and Darren O’Neill and AAI Performance Director Kevin Ankrom will join the group for specific sessions at Excel and St Marys.
In December 9/10 athletes in contention for London 2012 will have briefing and team building sessions in Tollymore Mountain/Conference Centre in Newcastle, Co Down.
Athletes will be joined by staff from the IIS and SINI together with the OCI‘s Olympic Athlete Commission
