‘It’s been in my mum’s attic’: iconic GB London 2012 package set for charity public sale | Staff GB
Ten years on, it stays one of the universally liked moments in British sporting historical past. And now, for the primary time, a Staff GB athlete has put their iconic package from the London 2012 Olympics’ spectacular opening ceremony up for public sale.
The fencer Laurence Halsted, who reached the quarter-finals within the workforce foil competitors in 2012, mentioned he had determined to promote his Staff GB jacket, T-shirt, shorts and sneakers from the ceremony to boost cash for a charity that helps younger athletes.
“My concept, like many Olympians, has at all times been to have the ability to present it to my youngsters after which they could ultimately wish to inherit it,” Halsted advised the Guardian. “However for the previous 10 years it has additionally been sitting in my mum’s attic, gathering mud, and it additionally struck me that there is no such thing as a assure that they are going to be that excited to see it.”
“So I believed it might be higher for the package to go to a house that may positively recognize it – while funding the wonderful work of the charity, The True Athlete Project, which has remodeled the lives of younger athletes and has a mission to create higher wellbeing, social impression an a extra compassionate tradition by sport.”
Halsted mentioned he had spoken to the British Olympic Affiliation, who mentioned it had not heard of any of its package from the Danny Boyle-directed ceremony beforehand being offered.
The present value of the package, which can be available to bid on for the following 11 days, is £250, which might be a cut price given how a lot the marketplace for sports activities memorabilia has grown.
Earlier this yr a jersey worn by the previous Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan within the 1998 NBA finals offered for £8.85m, whereas signed package and sneakers worn by prime athletes are commonly offered for 1000’s of kilos.
“The 2012 Video games will at all times stay one of many best highlights of my life,” mentioned Halsted. “Representing your nation at a house Video games is a big privilege and I’ve so particular recollections that I revisit usually. However for the previous six years of being concerned with the True Athlete Programme, I’ve seen the lives of younger athletes being remodeled.”
Nevertheless the excellent news for Halsted’s youngsters is that he plans to maintain his competitors package – alongside along with his closing ceremony outfit.
