Handball Picks Up Pace Ahead Of Test Event
The London Handball Cup, part of the London Prepares series and a test
event for London 2012 sees six of the world’s top women’s teams battle
it out in the new Handball Arena in the Olympic Park, which will be streamed live online.
The test event, running from 23rd to 27th November, will be used to test vital operations by London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) including testing of competition equipment, scoreboards, results, workforce and officials, all an integral part of preparation for the Games.
The event sees a strong international line as part of the first competitive action in the new Handball Arena.
Great Britain, who will compete in their first Olympic Games next years as hosts, will face tough opposition in the form of Austria, Angola, China, Poland and Slovakia in the competition, that will be streamed live on GBsport.tv
GBsport.tv has partnered with LOCOG and British Handball to produce and stream the GB matches at the London Handball Cup this week, live from the new Handball Arena in the Olympic Park.
The GB Women’s Team take on Angola on Wednesday at 1300 and then face Austria on Friday at 1030, with a place in the Semi-Final against Slovakia, Poland or China to play for.
A total of 10,000 tickets over a period of five days have been donated by LOCOG to local residents, schools and colleges, providing an indication of the rising popularity of Handball in the UK.
Debbie Jevans, director of Sport at LOCOG said: ‘Running a test event in the Handball Arena is not only vital for us in terms of testing the venue and our operational readiness, it is also a chance for local people to witness world class sport in an Olympic venue. The Handball Arena is an amazing facility which will be used as a multi-sports venue after the Games. It is exciting to see it being tried out competitively for the first time.’
Meanwhile, the British Handball Association has appointed KTB PR to provide PR support to help the national governing body achieve its objectives.? ?
KTB PR has won a 12-month retainer to raise awareness of the sport, its men’s and women’s elite teams, as well as leveraging its sponsorship and partner activity to generate significant momentum in the build-up to the London 2012 Olympic Games and beyond.?
?2012 will mark the first year that Great Britain will compete in handball at an Olympic Games after the country’s men’s and women’s teams were handed guaranteed places as hosts of the London Games.? ?
Chief executive at the British Handball Association, Paul Goodwin said: ‘With the interest in British Handball growing ahead of next year, we felt the time was right to enlist PR support and capitalise on this exciting time for the sport.’
The Handball Arena was the third Olympic Park venue to be completed in May 2011 and will have up to a 6,500 capacity at Games time. After the Games, capacity will be increased to accommodate up to 7,500 spectators as it becomes a multi-use venue for community use, athletic training and events.
