Building work on London 2012 handball arena starts early; all permanent venues now under way

Work starts early on London 2012 handball arena

LONDON — Construction work on a handball venue for the London Games has begun two months early, meaning all permanent venues for the 2012 Olympics are under way, organizers said Monday.

The copper-clad arena in Olympic Park will host qualifying matches in the handball competition, the fencing discipline in modern pentathlon and goalball during the Paralympics. It is scheduled to be completed one year before the games start.

Work has already begun on the 80,000-capacity main stadium, aquatics center, athletes’ village, broadcast center and velodrome, plus roads, bridges and other infrastructure across the Olympics site in east London.

“The ‘big build’ is on track and the permanent venues that will host a fantastic festival in 2012 and provide a sporting legacy for elite athletes and communities are taking shape,” John Armitt, chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, said in a statement.

After the Olympics, the handball arena will be converted into a multi-sports venue with a capacity for up to 6,000 spectators.

“This facility will be a high-quality venue at games-time but also provides a legacy for sport in London and the UK,” Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London 2012 Organizing Committee, said.