The Opening Ceremony is now just hours away following seven long years of preparation from London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe and his team.

The three-hour spectacle in the Olympic Stadium in Stratford is set to be viewed by a global television audience of around a billion people but the IOC President has claimed that the Games has already bought huge benefits to the United Kingdom.

The Olympic Torch makes its final journey across London towards the Opening Ceremony

"The final judgement will be given at the Closing Ceremony but, as I speak today, I think that London 2012 and the general preparation have done a lot of good for Great Britain, in terms of reputation, in terms of confidence and in terms of sporting results, because the athletes have been very well prepared and I expect a very good medal tally for the Great Britain team," Rogge said at a press conference here.

"This morning we had a meeting with London 2012 and we reviewed all the operational items.

"I can say with pleasure that London is ready and that we are eagerly waiting the Opening Ceremony."

Rogge admitted that he has not yet seen the plans for the Opening Ceremony, which has been created by Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle, but he is confident in what he has heard about the show.

"I was not privy to the script of the Opening Ceremony because there's always a certain secrecy to be respected," he said.

"But my teams have been discussing with Danny Boyle and with all the organisers and they are happy there is a good balance between international and national absolutely.

The Beijing 2008 Opening Ceremony

"The Opening Ceremony here will be different and I believe it is wise for London not to emulate the Opening Ceremony of Beijing.

"The Beijing Opening Ceremony clearly also was the manifestation of the most populous country in the world, something that the United Kingdom cannot match, of course.

"But if you compare the two Opening Ceremonies, there was a part in the Opening Ceremony in Beijing, a beautiful part, about the history of the country; its long term tradition and culture.

"We will have the same here in London.

"You will see something about the history, about the way of life, about what I would call the Britishness, the same way you had the same situation in Beijing.

"So the teams are not that different; the size of the country is different.

"There's also something that London can bring and that no other country in the world can bring, is that Great Britain was the cradle of modern sport because you have invented modern sport in the second half of the 19th century."

Danny Boyle at today's IOC press conference

Rogge added that he did not know who will light the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony tonight despite British running legend Sir Roger Bannister being widely tipped to do the role.

Bannister, the first man to run a mile in under four minutes, competed only once at the Helsinki 1952 Olympics, where he finished fourth and therefore out of the medals in the 1500 metres despite being the overwhelming favourite for the gold medal, but Rogge said the person who lights the Olympic Flame at the Opening Ceremony does not have to be an Olympian.

"I would love to know [who will light the Olympic Flame] but, unfortunately, I don't know," said the IOC President.

"This is one of the best kept secrets and we have an arrangement with the Organising Committees always to say it is your responsibility.

"And we need not to know because the more people know, the bigger the danger of a leak.

"To be an Olympic champion, that would be nice.

"It is not a prerequisite, it is not an obligation, but yes, obviously you think of an Olympic champion to do that."

Boyle has also expressed his excitement ahead of the event.

"It is a very special day and very exciting," he said here.

"I'm more nervous for the volunteers in it than I am for myself because I will be taking a back seat but I am confident Britain and the UK will enjoy it."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]