London 2012 medals under guard at the Tower of London

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic medals have arrived at the Tower of London, where they are being stored under lock and key. London 2012 chairman Lord Coe and Jan du Plessis, chairman of mining company Rio Tinto, and delivered the 4,700 medals to the vaults, where they were placed alongside the crown jewels, reported The Guardian. Olympics minister Hugh Robertson said was "fitting" the medals were being stored in the same place as the crown jewels. Winners of the men's and women's 10m air pistol should be the first to receive the medals.

NEWHAM 'WORSE OFF' DESPITE GAMES
The east London borough of Newham, host of the Olympic Games, is worse off in terms of income and unemployment since winning the Games bid in 2005, according to The Independent. Despite billions of pounds of public money invested in the borough, the London School of Economics says unemployment rose in Newham by 44 per cent between 2005 and 2010, compared to 21 per cent in the rest of London. Newham mayor Sir Robin Wales said the Olympics were "a spring board" for the borough, and the impact of the Games must be judged “in due course”.

VAN COMMENEE READY FOR APPEALS
Charles van Commenee, head coach of UK Athletics, is preparing himself for "a heap of appeals" after selecting his Olympic squad, said The Independent. Van Commenee is in the process of finalising the British track-and-field team for the Olympics and some high-profile athletes will be left out. "People find it more difficult to accept a decision," Van Commenee said. He admitted that he was puzzled by the fact that some athletes were already preparing their appeals. "You cannot appeal on everything," he said. The women's 800m, which Van Commenee acknowledged had "many variables", may prove the most difficult to resolve, many A standard athletes are struggling with form and fitness.

JACKSON: GB SPRINTERS WILL STRUGGLE
Colin Jackson, former world champion and Olympic hurdling medallist, thinks British sprinters will "struggle to compete" at the London Games. He told the BBC that British sprinting "doesn't feature" at world level. Teenager Adam Gemili is the only male to post the standard 'A' time for the 100m this season and the women's 4x100m failed to qualify for the Olympics. Jackson said he hoped other sprint stars like Usain Bolt would continue to "inspire" young people into working "a little bit harder".
          
TARMOH HANDS US OLYMPIC SPOT TO FELIX
US sprinter Jeneba Tarmoh has pulled out of a run-off with Allyson Felix for the final spot on the US Olympic women’s 100m squad, after the pair ran a dead heat at the national trials last month. The pair came equal third in the Olympic trials and were due to race again this week. The BBC reports that Tarmoh announced she was "standing down”. Her decision was met with disappointment from  Felix, who said she wanted to "earn" her spot on the squad.