Britain is set to host a world-class sporting event every two weeks from now until the London 2012 Games. Skip related content
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Festival of sport before Olympics
The UK's elite sporting agency, UK Sport, plans to host 64 events in 20 cities in the 1,000 days before the 2012 Games begin, beginning with the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Manchester.
The £32 million programme covers 30 different Olympic and Paralympic sports with over 17,000 international athletes expected to compete.
UK Sport's chief executive John Steele said: "We believe this is the most comprehensive programme of major events leading into a Games that any host country has ever put together.
"It will provide British athletes with the opportunity to perform in front of a home crowd and the public with a chance to experience world-class sporting action in their local area."
It will also be a try-out for the thousands of volunteers and officials, described by London 2012 chair Lord Coe as "a vital part of the preparations for making sure that we hold a first class Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012".
Tributes have been paid to a schoolgirl who died after slipping in her high heels and falling under a train while waving goodbye to her friends.
