Sport

Cue pandemonium in Trafalgar Square.

Cue dejection in Paris.

Jubillation in Trafalgar Square

Cue the launch of the Kent Olympic strategy.

Though there will be no events taking place in the Garden of England, the county has a massive part to play in the Olympic Games.

With the opening of Ebbsfleet station, Kent will be the transport hub of the games, taking people to the main Olympic site in Stratford in just 10 minutes. Prior to the games, teams will be practicing in some of the county's top sporting facilities. And before, during and after the games, the tourism industry can expect a massive boost, with a predicted income of £324 million. These plans have been in place for many years, even before London was awarded the games.

Within minutes of the final decision being made, the Kent Olympic team, led by Chris Hespe, head of Sport, Leisure and Olympics at Kent County Council, had contacted 204 countries, selling Kent to the world.

World stars in your back yard

In all, 120 facilities, which range from your local football club’s home ground, to the secondary school which you attended, have been put forward to the London Organising Committee, with the view to becoming a team base prior to the games.

“There are only a handful of facilities which meet international federation standards at the moment. But over the years leading up to London 2012 these will be improved and that means they will be more likely to attract international teams,” said Hespe.

Chris Hespe, head of Sport, Leisure and Olympics

Top of the list are the Julie Rose athletics stadium in Ashford, Rebound Centre for trampolining in Gillingham, the Polo Farm hockey facility in Canterbury and the new martial arts centre in Dartford - which are already more than capable of hosting some of the world’s top athletes.

But of course not every nation has the money of USA, Canada and Russia to ensure they receive the top practice facilities. This is where the other venues around Kent will play their part.

Over 50% of nations will send less than 10 athletes and will not be able to demand the top facilities that the larger nations require; they will just be looking for somewhere welcoming and supportive of their needs. So who knows, come 2012 you may see some Olympians running around your village green, or doing chin-ups on the same bar that you did at school.

Elite events

In recent months the county has been trying desperately hard to show the world that Kent is ready to host world-class athletes and events. “We have had a number of nations training in Kent: Romanians, Estonians, United States and Canadians,” said Hespe. “And of course we have had a number of major events, we have had the Le Tour de France, the World Cup Archery and the World Hand Cycling championships, which was the biggest ever Paralympic event held in Kent.” All of these events have been received enthusiastically by everyone involved.

The Archery World Cup, which was held in early August at the Duke of York's school in Dover, showed how well the county could put on these world class events. Great Britain head coach Eun Suk said: "The facilities are excellent and it is a fantastic venue, I think there should be a World Championships here. It is very close to London, the weather is great, I am confident teams will practice here."

As well as hosting teams, Kent may also be given the distinguished task of welcoming the most iconic of Olympic symbols, the Olympic torch.

The team have submitted a bid for the torch to arrive in the country via Dover, as it did when London last hosted the games in 1948. “We are confident that it is going to happen, we are working hard on it. It is very early days at the moment as there will not be a decision made until 2009,” Stephanie Holt, Kent manager for the 2012 games, told me. “We think we have a very strong case for why it should enter via Dover, especially as the re-generation efforts of Dover mimic those happening in the east-end of London."

Stephanie Holt, Kent manager for 2012

Podium success

At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Kent produced the best individual performance in Tonbridge’s Kelly Holmes. But outside of this, there was little success for Kent’s athletes, the situation was even worse in the Paralympics, with only one athlete from the county competing.

By 2012, it is hoped that three Olympians and six Paralympians from Kent will be participating. The Paralympic movement began in Kent and Hespe is keen for this proud heritage to continue: “We are confident that we will beat that target of six, we think the number could even be as high as even 10 or 12.

"We are helping these athletes in many ways; we have a scheme which gives national level sportsman to free access to over 50 leisure centres across the county. We will also help them by subsidising their equipment and travel costs.”

It will not be just the acclaimed events of the Olympic movement that Kent will be looking to take advantage of. The team are looking to maximise every aspect that the games brings with it. In terms of tourism Holt said: “We are expecting a growth of 2% growth in our tourism economy which is £324 million over the nine-year period of the games.”

The six weeks period of the games is not the main tourism window that the team are targeting. “The main tourism opportunity will be the four years leading up to the games and the four year legacy of the games. We have to ensure that people are interested in visiting Kent and know what we have to offer.”

Regardless of your skills, experience and age (as long as it is over 14) you can get involved in volunteering. You can register your interest in volunteering at the games on www.london2012.com, but be warned, you will be up against some strong competition as 150,000 people have already offered their services.

It is hoped that a legacy of volunteering will be created within the county. “Within Kent and the Kent 2012 campaign, we want the legacy benefit of people staying in volunteering after 2012, so to be involved in 2012 you’ve got to be involved in volunteering now,” explained Holt.

Padraig Herlihy, of the South East England Development Agency further explained: “Sure the Olympic Games will need you, but your local sports clubs need volunteers now, so why wait until 2012 to begin volunteering in sport?”

As well as volunteering, there will be paid work available with 3,000-7,000 jobs over a period of 12-18 months prior to the games. “This is a fantastic opportunity, in particular for young job seekers who are coming out of college to get their first step into the real world to get to work within an Olympic Games is fantastic, so we are working with out skills department to make sure they take advantage of the opportunities,” said Holt.

Light years ahead

Kent may just be one county in a great number hoping to make the most of the Olympic Games, but Herlihy believes that Kent are very well placed to reap the rewards: “Of all the counties, I believe the enthusiasm and the speed they are working at puts them at a big advantage.” Hespe agrees with these sentiments, describing Kent as being “light-years” ahead of other counties.

The Olympics may seem a long way off, and in reality they are, but when attention turns to London after Beijing next summer, Kent will be in the box seat in attracting tourists and athletes alike to the Garden of England.

All the people of Kent need to do is take advantage of these once in a lifetime opportunities - and there is no reason why the county should not take gold.