BRITAIN'S sporting bodies yesterday expressed a collective voice of support and hope for the future after London was awarded the 2012 Olympics.
Some £2.375billion is set to be spent on new facilities for the Games following the announcement by International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge from Singapore at lunchtime yesterday - a surprise result as Paris had been an odds-on favourite.
The Olympics have not been staged in Britain since 1948 and the Lea Valley area of east London will now undergo a massive regeneration over the next seven years.
With a lasting sporting legacy set to be left for future generations to enjoy, it is hoped the London Games will act as a catalyst for the country to develop Olympic champions in 2012 and beyond.
British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes was in Singapore as part of the London delegation and said: "This will provide tremendous impetus for swimming in Great Britain.
"The work on constructing the Olympic pool in Stratford will start immediately and good progress has already been made on the design which is absolutely stunning and world class.
"It is a great day for London and a great day for sport. This is destined to become a catalyst for sport and swimming to move forward in Great Britain."
Four-times Olympic rowing gold medallist Matthew Pinsent, who sat on the International Olympic Committee from 2001 until after the Athens Games, said: "There are so many kids who have now got an Olympics Games in their future at home and that's so exciting - it's the beginning of something huge.
"A London Games will be the biggest thing for sport that there's ever been," he added..
"We've produced the best quality bid and now we start a seven-year campaign to produce the best Games we can."
