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Countdown to London 2012 begins with Surrey School Games and Surrey Youth Games launch

15 March 2011

Surrey Sports Park today hosted the launch of the 2011 Surrey School Games and Surrey Youth Games, 500 days ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The event saw school children from a host of schools across the county join in and celebrate with a launch event which included an Olympic-style flag ceremony, displays of music and dance from the Surrey Arts Team and inspirational presentations from Olympic silver medallist and GB badminton player Gail Emms and Olympic bronze medallist and GB Paralympic rower, Vicki Hansford.

Hansford, a former sports employee at the University of Surrey, said, "It's great to be back here at Surrey as the countdown begins to London 2012. The Olympics offers the biggest opportunity for us all to build on sport in this country and I encourage everyone to make the most of it. I'm hoping to make it to some of the events and hopefully more people will be doing the same."

Gail Emms said, "It has been fantastic to be here at Surrey Sports Park today with just 500 days until the start of London 2012. It's been great to speak to all the Surrey school children and hopefully we have some future potential Olympic stars here today."

The event marks the launch of 100 Days of Sport in Surrey that incorporates both the P&G Surrey School Games and the P&G Surrey Youth Games - due to be held at Surrey Sports Park on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 June. A Para Games Day and other exciting events will also be taking place during this period.

Tickets for the London 2012 Olympics have gone on sale, with some 6.6 million tickets available from the London 2012 website over a six-week period. Prices range from £20 to £2,012 and oversubscribed events will be decided by a ballot.