London Latest - Mayor Tweets; Handball Draw; New Zealand Judoka

5/31/2012

Boris Tweets

Mayor Boris Johnson has warned Londoners to “be vigilant” this summer in terms of security.

Johnson was answering questions via Twitter on Thursday afternoon, inviting Londoners to ask about the impact of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics on the capital using the hashtag "#askboris".

The Mayor was asked questions ranging from the cost of public transport to his opinion on current high-rise construction work going on in the city.

However, one of the most anxious questions was about how sure he was that there would not be a terrorist attack on London this summer.

“We can never be complacent but security servs doing all they can...be vigilant folks” Johnson said.

Johnson also promised that the Olympics would greatly help the city's economy and was quite specific on the figures that this summer would generate.

“$1.5billion dollars in spend over the Games period plus 8.5 billion extra revenue for London,” he tweeted.

In the 45-minute session, Johnson also added that a “big effort” was underway to stop delays on the underground and that “swat squads” would be deployed to get to any breakdowns that occurred.

Handball Draw

British handball teams will face an especially tough road to Olympic glory in London.

The women were paired with the four semifinalists of the European Handball Championships, and the men were grouped with defending Olympic and world champions France at Thursday's draw for the 2012 Olympic tournament.

“We will see attractive matches and decision in London, both in the men’s and the women’s tournament,” International Handball Federation president Hassan Moustafa said in his opening speech. “I hope that the teams of Great Britain will show their improvement since they started seven years ago.”

The handball competition takes place from July 28 to Aug. 12 and is one of the first sports to be sold out in London.

Women’s Tournament:
Group A: Montenegro, Russia, Croatia, Great Britain, Brazil, Angola
Group B: Norway, Spain, Denmark, France, Sweden, Korea

Men’ Tournament:
Group A: France, Sweden, Iceland, Great Britain, Argentina, Tunisia
Group B: Spain, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, Denmark, Korea

New Zealand Taps Judoka

Moira de Villiers will represent New Zealand in the U70kg women’s judo event at the London 2012 Olympics.

“I am so proud to be representing New Zealand and I just love hearing the national anthem,” de Villiers said in a statement. “Especially when it means we’ve beat the Aussies…”

This is de Villier’s first Olympic Games.

New Zealand has never medaled in judo.

Written by Christian Radnedge in London and Hannah Reid in Atlanta.

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