LONDON 2012: Chris Hoy and Boris Johnson christen Olympic velodrome

By Sportsbeat staff

 SIR Chris Hoy has celebrated London 2012 two years to go milestone by christening the velodrome which he helped design in east London.

NUMBER ONE: Sir Chris Hoy is the first to take to the track at the London 2012 Olympic velodrome (Getty Images)

The four-time Olympic champion, who was knighted after collecting three gold medals at Beijing 2008, completed several laps of the infield of the 2012 velodrome.

"It already feels like an Olympic venue," said Hoy. "You can really feel what it will be like when it is full to the rafters during the Games.

"This is where it is going to take place and hopefully where I will win one more Olympic gold medal."

Mayor of London Boris Johnson also took to his bicycle to test out the track on the day he launched a programme to recruit 8000 London 2012 Ambassadors, who will man key points across the city, such as railway stations and tourist spots, to help guide visitors around the capital.

Meanwhile, figures released today show that Londoners are more in favour of the Games than they were four years ago.

In the weeks ahead we'll get used to these landmark Olympic dates. Two years to go, 500 days to go, one year to go, one month to go....the list goes on and on with each accompanied by some positive news and powerful imagery. Latest London 2012 column by Sportsbeat's James Toney

According to a BBC London poll almost one in three people felt more positive about the Games now than in 2005, while 54 per cent had not changed their views.

Earlier this month 1000 people were contacted, aged 17 and above and living in London, and asked identical questions to a survey carried out in November 2006.

Of those asked 73 per cent said they were in support of London hosting the sporting event compared with 69 per cent four years ago.

Sports and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson added: "Two years to go and London 2012 is in excellent shape. The construction phase is 70 per cent complete.

"Locog have attracted an unprecedented level of commercial sponsorship and has captured the hearts and minds of children across the UK with the launch of mascots Wenlock and Mandeville.

"The Olympic Park Legacy Company is talking to key investors about securing a future for the Park and we are making real strides in developing a meaningful sports legacy which will be announcing in the Autumn.

"Today we enter another new phase of London 2012 - bringing the Great British public on-board.

"Volunteers are the heartbeat of every Olympic and Paralympic Games and are crucial to their success.  We need skilled and passionate people who have the commitment to make 2012 the best Olympic and Paralympic Games ever."