Hundreds enjoy start of Olympics action on Chapelfield big screen in Norwich

by DAVID FREEZER Saturday, July 28, 2012
8:25 PM

The London 2012 Olympics got in to full swing today, and people in Norfolk were as intrigued by the early athletic competition as the rest of the watching world.

Shoppers sitting to watch the cycling men's road race on the big screen at Chapelfield. Photo: Steve Adams

Hundreds of people grabbed a seat in front of the big screen on Chapelfield Plain in Norwich throughout the day, with the city centre already busy thanks to Saturday shoppers and the annual Norwich Pride parade.

Today has seen the start of action in the swimming pool, the men’s cycling road race, beach volleyball, boxing, table tennis and much more, following last night’s triumphant opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium.

Two of our local Olympians have already been in action, with contrasting fortunes for Lowestoft boxer Anthony Ogogo and Norwich fencer Anna Bentley.

Bentley, a former Norwich High School for Girls pupil, saw her Olympic debut end in defeat, controversially losing to Canadian Monica Peterson in the individual foil at Excel Arena this morning.

Shoppers sitting to watch the cycling men's road race on the big screen at Chapelfield. Photo: Steve Adams

But Ogogo got his first taste of success, proving too strong for Dominican Republic’s Junior Castillo Martinez over the three rounds of his men’s middleweight 75kg opener.

The Chapelfield big screen will be screening all the action from the Olympic and Paralympic Games, offering seating and bean bags so that people can enjoy the games in comfort.

It is one of only 22 BBC big screen and live sites in the UK during the Games and is also free aerobics session between 7.30am and 8.30am every morning.

- The EDP has sports reporter Michael Bailey and photographer Nick Butcher based in Stratford for the duration of the Games. For full reports of both Ogogo and Bentley’s Olympic debuts, including extensive photo galleries, see the links at the top-right of this page.

- To follow all the local action from London 2012 throughout the day, follow our live blog through the link at the top-right of this page or by going to www.edp24.co.uk/sport/olympics/live-blog