Construction work on the copper-clad handball arena for the 2012 Olympic Games has begun two months ahead of schedule.
The arena in Hackney is due to host the handball qualifiers, the modern pentathlon fencing and the Paralympic goalball tournaments.
Olympic Delivery Authority chairman John Armitt said: “The vibrant handball arena will provide a great experience for competitors and spectators during the Games and offer a new sustainable and flexible facility for local people to enjoy a wide range of sports in legacy.”
The stadium’s retractable seating can accommodate about 6,000 spectators enabling it to function, after the Games, as a multi-sports venue for games like basketball, wheelchair basketball, boxing, handball, badminton, judo, netball, futsal and volleyball.
London 2012 chair, Lord Coe, lauded the “high-quality” Olympics venue as “a legacy for sport in London and the UK”.
Hackney Mayor Jules Pipe said the stadium would provide Londoners with world-class infrastructure to participate in a variety of sports.
The work on all venues for the Games, including the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre, Olympic Village and the media and broadcast centre has now started.
