Is London Ready For the Olympics?

152 days until the Olympics, the still-in construction aquatics centre in Stratford is hosting the diving world cup this February.
But just across the river from the aquatics centre, diving spectators could clearly see temporary storage containers, porta-loos and helmeted builders surrounding the adjacent Olympic arena, the spectator tower in-cased in scaffolding and the media centre all but a crane-attended skeleton of an Olympic worthy structure. As bags are searched in airport style security, the meet and greet gazebos to the Olympic swimming pools are constructed before sports fans. For a country which is holding the ‘greatest games on earth’ in less than 4 months, it’s a worrying portrayal.

Inside the affectionately named ‘pringle’ however, the atmosphere is every millimeter Olympian. The blue tinted water and lottery logoed diving platforms with flags and press and of course – Olympians. Despite the squeamish scenes outside, inside the venue is more than ready to host the world’s best athletes. Whilst waiting for the diving world cup men's 3m springboard, the crowd is entertained with an omnipresent voice telling facts about the building – how some of the spectator halls are surprisingly temporary structures and a video is played of the aquatic centre being built in super speed. In just three years the pringle has been made into an echoing, chlorine aroma filled international sports centre. The tiles are multi-coloured and the water reflecting sparkling newness and anticipation all around, perfect for Great Britain's Olympic hopefuls, divers Jack Laugh and Christopher Mears as they qualify for the semi-finals of the world cup.

Best of all, when the grand games are all gone, the temporary spectator stalls are taken away and the entrance downsized, it will make one heck of a local leisure centre.