Test run at main stadium

Thousands of sports fans braved the rain and cold at the Olympic Park in London on Saturday as organizers staged the final test events ahead of the Summer Games

Thousands of sports fans braved the rain and cold at the Olympic Park in London on Saturday as organizers staged the final test events ahead of the Summer Games. Student athletes competed in water polo,wheelchair tennis,field hockey and track and field events,watched by around 75,000 spectators.

Saturday marked the first time the main stadium in the heart of the Olympic Park in east London was open to the public for an athletics competition. Organizers said about 40,000 people are expected to attend the official opening of the 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium on Saturday evening.

The final days of test events come after the British military performed a series of operations to test Olympic security,including flights over London by fighter jets and helicopters earlier this week. This is the one big opportunity,particularly with the number of people weve got in the park,to test our venues,to test the park management,the security and tickets, said Sebastian Coe,who heads the local organizing committee.

Story continues below this ad

With about 140,000 people attending test events over the past six days,the organizers also assessed the movement of spectators across the sprawling Olympic Park. We are actually in a very good shape,but with a mountain of work still to do, Coe said. With just over 80 days before Olympic competition begins,the organizers main focus is the athletes,Coe said.

Test events are used to gauge reaction from participants to fine tune any changes ahead of the Olympics.