Despite the heavy showers and very un-tropical temperatures experienced in historic Horseguards Parade on Thursday — it was hard to argue with the enthusiasm of Angelo Squeo, who has been involved in four Olympics with the FIVB.
Just a hefty smash from Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and flanked by Prime Minister David Cameron’s Downing Street residence on one side and the imposing old Admiralty Citadel on another, the FIVB are clearly delighted to have landed a venue that could be one of the defining images of London 2012.
“The setting is amazing, it’s the best venue ever for beach volleyball. We have never had anything like this,” the FIVB’s events director Squeo told Reuters.
“In Atlanta it was 40 minutes from downtown, Bondai was far away from Sydney even if it was prestigious, Athens was in Piraeus, nothing really historic and in Beijing it was on the outer ring of the city.”
In a week in which England has made worldwide headlines for the rioting and looting that started in London and spread across the country, players taking to the sandpit for the 2012 Games test event proved a welcome distraction for ticket holders.
Next year the stands will be much bigger with 15,000 crammed around a court positioned on a square where King Henry VIII once used to enjoy jousting competitions.
“Beach volleyball has always been sent off to the outskirts and now, in a country new to beach volleyball, this is the first time we are in the center of a city and we are very proud,” Squeo said.
“Sometimes organizing committee’s promise a fantastic venue when they bid for the Games, then change their mind. In 2003 LOCOG called me here to show me three venues — when I saw this one I said I don’t even need to see the others. I could never imagine a better venue than this.”
He even suggested that the Queen’s Horseguards, with their distinctive red tunics, can play a role next year.
“It would be fitting,” he said. “Of course beach volleyball has the rock music and the young audience but we can combine that with London’s traditions.”
The players, who have been strutting their stuff to a backdrop of the latest thumping dancehall tunes, were also enjoying the unique stage.
“The sand is great, it’s different at every tournament we play but this is very soft and the location is one of the most beautiful we have played in,” China’s Xue Chen said.
Brazil’s Lili Maestrini, who partnered Angela Vieira to victory on Thursday in the test event which finishes on Sunday, said London had produced a perfect arena for a sport that is massive back home but is still in its infancy in Britain.
“I think it will be great next year,” she said. “The organization has been great. I think they are trying to make it the best ever beach volleyball venue and I think you will see next year when it’s much bigger that it will be.
“Here is beautiful. I’m loving this, it’s the best view in the world to play and hopefully the people who come will learn something.
“It’s sad what we’ve seen on TV this week with the problems here... but we are here to play and hopefully we’re making people a bit happy today.”
The beach volleyball test event, one of a raft of events which are part of the London Prepares program, sees 24 pairs compete in six groups with the finale on Sunday.
The basketball arena in the main Olympic Park will also get its first action next week along with the BMX venue.
