News
Olympics Kick Off with Women’s Football
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July 25, 2012 The Fresh Outlook  |
The Olympic Games will kick off this afternoon in Cardiff as Great Britain face New Zealand in the women’s football.
Cardiff’s Millennium stadium will host the first act of the Olympics, as 35,000- 40,000 fans are expected for the match’s 16:00 start. Ordinarily, women’s football attracts a much smaller crowd, but excitement is growing over the Olympic match which kicks off the football competition two days before Friday’s opening ceremony. While ticket sales were slow to start with, a spokesman from LOCOG, the London organising committee, is convinced that “at least three days will sell out”.
Used to holding large sporting events, Cardiff has wholly embraced the opening of the Games. Welsh secretary Gillan Hunt is “immensely proud that the world’s greatest sporting event starts in Wales”.
“Wales is playing a leading role in London 2012 – the medals and the athletes’ numbers are all made in Wales as well as elements of the Olympic Park itself. I want the whole country to showcase everything that’s great about Wales,” she added.
There are hopes that not only will this event prove a positive moment for Wales, but that giving the women’s football the honour of opening the Games will raise awareness of – and enthusiasm for – the sport as a whole.
By Lucy England
[Image courtesy of Cardiff University International Office]
