One hundred days until London 2012

Join the University of Cambridge in one of the many cultural events, from track and field to maths and materials. Be inspired by London 2012 and see the treasures from China, the science of sport and explore our local heritage through excavations and 2012 tours of the City.

Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge said: “We have a proud history of achievement in sports, from the long-running Varsity rivalry to the generations of Olympians we have produced. People at Cambridge strive for academic excellence and some go on to achieve sporting greatness. Our alumni and current students brought home a larger medal hoard at Beijing 2008 than 30 countries. We are all hopeful this accomplishment can be matched this year. I am delighted that the University can celebrate London 2012 with such a broad programme of activities.”

As part of the Cultural Olympiad, University Museums will be welcoming new exhibits. From 5 May, the Fitzwilliam Museum will host ‘The Search for Immortality’. The exhibition will feature over 350 treasures from the Han Dynasty and the Kingdom of Nanyue, making it the largest and most remarkable collection of ancient royal treasures ever to travel outside China. On 21 June, the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology will be opening Unlimited Global Alchemy, a series of sketches, large scale paintings and portrait films. It is a collaboration between British and South African artists, focusing around the themes of a shared positive survivalist instinct, human frailty and resilience.

Dr Carenza Lewis, of the Department of Archaeology and presenter of ‘Time Team’, will lead a programme of region-wide excavations as part of the Cultural Olympiad event ‘On Landguard Point’, inviting members of the public to search for traces of historical homes.

Cambridgeshire Competes, a cooperation between museums and sports centres across the region, aims to explore the county’s history and connections with past and future Games, providing inspiring collections giving insights into different aspects of Olympic History. The Museum of Classical Archaeology will tell the story of the classical Olympics, whilst the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences will explore how raw materials can be used for different sporting equipment, such as rowing boats or bicycles.

On its journey toward London, the Olympic Torch will pass through the city during The Big Weekend, an annual weekend of festivities at which the University’s Public Engagement Team will be running Fun Lab, featuring hands-on science and sports related activities. The Torch will then set off again the next day starting at Trinity College, travelling in a punt down the Backs. King’s College Choir will perform the premiere of a new work to mark the Torch’s passage, performed in the world famous College Chapel on 6 July.

Walk Cambridge in 2012 will be showcasing the Olympic history of the city. A series of walking routes will highlight the characters and histories of some of the University members who have competed in the Games. Ranging from the ‘Black Route’, stretching over 11 miles long, to the shorter ‘Yellow Route’, there are walks for all members of the family, including those requiring level access.

Maths and Sport: Countdown to the Games, from the award-winning Millennium Mathematics Project, is on-going throughout the year. An exciting project designed to educate young people about the links between sport and maths; it includes both online resources and a Schools Roadshow suitable for Key Stages 2-5.The first modern Olympic Games in 1896 featured a Cambridge University athlete. This long connection with sport has flourished, with the University being associated with over 300 Olympians and 123 medal winners, including Max Woosnam, often regarded as Britain’s greatest sportsman. Eleven current and former students competed at Beijing 2008, winning six medals. Join us in cheering on the 24 current and former students hoping to bring home gold from London 2012; for more information, please click here.