2012 Summer Olympics

When London 2012 unveiled their brand logo / emblem for the 2012 Olympic Games, there was widespread dislike of its design.

But this is what the organisers said...

"The number 2012 is universal and understandable worldwide.

Our emblem is simple, distinct, bold and buzzing with energy. Its form is inclusive yet consistent and has incredible flexibility to encourage access and participation. It can communicate with anyone from commercial organisations to kids playing sport.

It feels young in spirit. Full of confidence, certainty and opportunity. Not afraid to shake things up, to challenge the accepted. To change things.

For the first time, the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be part of the same brand family.

Our brand will have impact across everything we do, there are huge possibilities, but we have a clear ambition.

Our Games will be for everyone."

My first ticket for the 2012 Olympic Games

Tickets for the 2012 summer olympics didn't go on sale until 2011 but, subject to availability, remained on sale until the start of every event.

Tickets were available through various Authorised Ticket Resellers depending on your country of residence.

If you were not a resident of the UK or European Economic Area, regardless of citizenship, you had to apply for tickets via your National Olympic Committee (NOC) or National Paralympic Committee (NPC). Some NOCs or NPCs appointed an Authorised Ticket Reseller (ATR) in order to obtain tickets and services.

London 2012 said that they aimed to give as many people as possible the chance to attend the Games - thereby ensuring a great atmosphere for all the events - so they said that tickets would be priced fairly.

They were also aiming to repeat the success of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, where 90 per cent of tickets were sold.

Each ticket also included free travel on public transport in London for the day of the event, to encourage spectators to use the transport system and take in the festivities throughout the city.

I was fortunate to get tickets for two days of the table tennis events.

The London 2012 Olympic Games table tennis events were held at the ExCeL London.

Opened in 2000, it's a large multi-purpose venue which incorporates several large event halls and has room for thousands of visitors.

The ExCeL London also sits in a stunning location. With it's own 100-acre waterfront campus in the heart of east London's Royal Docks, it's adjacent to Canary Wharf and close to the City.

It also has five on-site hotels and dozens of on-site bars and restaurants. There's also easy access to railway stations and airports, plus parking for 4,000 cars, so it made a great venue for the Olympic Games.

This venue also staged boxing, fencing, judo, taekwondo, weightlifting and wrestling.

After the Olympic Games, ExCeL London reverted back to its role as one of Europe's largest and most versatile exhibition and conference spaces.

Security was tight at the Olympic venues, so we had to go through several checks before getting into the Excel London...

But when we made it into the arena there was a large crowd for the table tennis...

And we all had a great view of the action...