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| Games chiefs 'unfazed by Beijing' | Games chiefs 'unfazed by Beijing' |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| Organisers of the 2012 London Olympics have not been intimidated by the dazzling Beijing Games, Mayor Boris Johnson has said. | |
| Mr Johnson was speaking ahead of the closing ceremony in Beijing, where London will formally receive the flame from China on Sunday. | Mr Johnson was speaking ahead of the closing ceremony in Beijing, where London will formally receive the flame from China on Sunday. |
| Mr Johnson said the Games had "blown away" what he called "Olympo-sceptics". | Mr Johnson said the Games had "blown away" what he called "Olympo-sceptics". |
| "Olympo-sceptics are being rapidly converted" he said, adding that London was in "a ferment of excitement". | "Olympo-sceptics are being rapidly converted" he said, adding that London was in "a ferment of excitement". |
| Mr Johnson said: "We have been dazzled, we have been impressed, we have been blown away by these Beijing Games, but we have not been intimidated." | |
| I want to commiserate most sincerely with the Australians Boris Johnson | |
| He added that the Beijing Games and the performance of the British team have converted many people in the UK. | |
| "I can tell you that the city is in a ferment of excitement about this. Olympo-sceptics are being rapidly converted and people who have never shown the slightest interest in a cycle race are hurling themselves at TV screens and yelling themselves hoarse with excitement." | |
| He also said that London will honour the team with a parade on 16 October and taking a dig at the Australians said "I want to commiserate most sincerely with the Australians". | |
| 'Wow' factor | |
| Speaking about the 2012 legacy for he said organisers were making sure how without crossing the "£9.3bn ceiling we can get lasting value for the colossal investment we are making in east London". | |
| Mr Johnson also called upon investors to help regenerate the area. | |
| "We are looking for ideas of how London's Olympic Park can become not just a great place to live, work and visit, but a place that retains a flavour of the extra-ordinary, a place with the 'wow' factor, a place of magic." | |
| The mayor who will be taking the handover from Beijing on Sunday said he has been in training for the ceremony adding "It will be a hugely proud moment for me." | |
| He also "paid tribute" to the former mayor Ken Livingstone for securing the Games for London. |