London set to rival Beijing in "own sweet way"

BEIJING (Reuters) - After the firework smoke has cleared and the flame goes out on Beijing's spectacularly successful Olympics on Sunday, all eyes turn to next host city London and the inevitable question "how do they follow that?"

The sheer scale of the Beijing project, from the iconic venues to the armies of smiling volunteers and the clockwork efficiency of the transport network, has left a team of around 100 observers from the London Organizing Committee awe-struck.

LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe, a veteran of many Olympics as both a world class athlete and sport's administrator, described the initial reaction of many of his team of observers as like young children waking up to see snow for the first time.

"They probably found it difficult to comprehend," Coe told reporters inside the main press centre in Beijing which caters for a large chunk of the 20,000 media working at the Games.

"But we don't sit here cowed by anything we've seen."

London Mayor Boris Johnson said he had been "blown away" by Beijing's achievements, but both he and Coe said London would deliver an Olympics to rival the one about to finish.

"We have been dazzled, we have been impressed, we have been blown away by these Beijing Games, but we have not been intimidated and in our own sweet way, without wasting tax payers' money, I am convinced that we can do just as well in 2012," Johnson told reporters.

Transport, security and a slowing world economy represent tough hurdles for London but Coe believes his city will stage a Games that will become the blueprint for the future.

"I think we accept that it is unlikely you will see a Games on this size and scale and stature again," Coe told reporters.

"The IOC in 2001 reached the conclusions that the focus must be much more on sustainability, that big is not necessarily better.

"Beijing has been very good. The venues were superb, the planning was clearly in place. We knew the city would dress for a Games, embrace the biggest show on earth.

"But I like to think that London, had it not already been the IOC's blueprint, would have instinctively got there. To remain relevant the Games must go on providing benefits long after the show has left town."

EYE-POPPING

While the gaze of the sporting world has focused on Beijing, the earth movers and concrete mixers have been trundling around London's Olympic Park site.

Unlike the eye-popping Bird's Nest in Beijing, what will rise from the former industrial wasteland in east London will appear tame in comparison but Coe says it underlines the philosophy that under-pinned London's successful bid.

"Our stadium is an interesting concept," Coe said of the 80,000-seater that will be scaled down to 25,000 post Games.

"There is no possible justification for leaving a second 80,000-seater stadium in London.

"The temporary nature of over 55,000 of those seats, built on five rings means you can be very creative the way you wrap it, with moving images. It's actually very exciting for us."

Security in Beijing has been extraordinary, with huge chunks of the city effectively caged in. Coe said on Friday that London would not be "locked down" during the Games.

"It will be under-pinned by all the security you expect but also recognizing that we want this to be a celebration in our own back yard, that's the balance you are always striking," he said.

Coe wants London to become the first "public transport" Games with fast new "javelin" trains whisking fans from central London to the Olympic Park in 7 minutes. Mayor Johnson even hopes to see fleets of river buses on the Thames.

No doubt Coe, his team, and the various stakeholders involved in London 2012 face some anxious times ahead.

But Coe boiled it all down to raw sport this week after savoring a superb performance by British sportsmen and women.

"I sense a real thirst to stage the Games and what we've seen in Beijing inspires us," Coe said. "We will do a fantastic job. I'm less moved by where we finish in the medals table, what I do want in 2012 are big British moments."

(Editing by Alison Williams)