This week marked another important milestone in the countdown to the London 2012 Olympics. In under 50 days time, 204 nations and over 10,000 athletes will descend on the Olympic Park as the curtain is raised on the Greatest Show on Earth. While we have come incredibly far in reaching this milestone, the remaining days ahead, though few, are among the most important as we put the finishing touches on delivering a truly memorable performance at our home Olympic Games.

Last weekend's fantastic Diamond Jubilee celebrations were a fitting preview of what to expect come July 27, and indeed throughout the entirety of the Games. To me, the support shown by the British public for Her Majesty the Queen was breathtaking and I was truly impressed by the level of patriotism on show. It fills me with pride and excitement to know we are in the process of delivering another large-scale event which promises to unite the United Kingdom in such a special way. London wholeheartedly embraced the Jubilee celebrations, and I know it will do the same with the Olympics.

Another event which has galvanised the support of the British public is the Olympic Torch Relay, and the mass crowds welcoming the runners along each leg of the route are a true testament to this. I was honoured to be able to run with the Torch through my home town of Cheltenham on May 23, and did it on behalf of all the passionate and dedicated staff at the British Olympic Association (BOA) and National Governing Bodies (NGBs), who are working round the clock to deliver the team. Watching Zara Phillips (pictured below) carry the flame into a packed Cheltenham racecourse while riding her horse, Toytown, was an iconic moment and one which I felt incredibly privileged to be a part of.


While support for Our Greatest Team continues to grow, so does the team itself. We have now selected 178 athletes across 14 sport disciplines to represent Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics, and this number continues to rise. Royal Windsor was a fitting venue for the Team GB rowing team announcement, and a fine reflection of the sport's strong British heritage and tradition.

Our rowing team is the largest and strongest we have ever assembled for an Olympic Games, leading Team GB's quest for medals at London 2012, just as the rowing boats led the Diamond Jubilee Pageant along the River Thames last Sunday. The team includes a number of young athletes who have graduated from British Rowing's acclaimed Start Programme, reflecting its success in both attracting greater grass-root level participation, and delivering elite athletes capable of performing at the highest level. The programme, overseen by British Rowing performance director David Tanner is a blueprint for success and deserves praise for what it has achieved, and continues to achieve.


Rowing is not alone in delivering excellence. Across the Olympic sports, British athletes continue to dedicate themselves in training and preparation for the 16 days of competition this summer, which will define their sporting careers. We will be there to support them every step of the way in the vital final days and weeks to ensure that when they reach the start line in London they are fully prepared, focused and ready to inspire the nation with their performances.

Our ambition remains to win more medals, from more sports at London 2012 than we have done in more than a century. With fewer than 50 days to go, we are confident that we are on track to deliver.

Andy Hunt is Team GB Chef de Mission and chief executive of the British Olympic Association (BOA). Follow him on Twitter here.