‘It’s been in my mum’s attic’: iconic GB London 2012 equipment set for charity public sale | Workforce GB

Ten years on, it stays probably the most universally liked moments in British sporting historical past. And now, for the primary time, a Workforce GB athlete has put their iconic equipment from the London 2012 Olympics’ spectacular opening ceremony up for public sale.

The fencer Laurence Halsted, who reached the quarter-finals within the group foil competitors in 2012, mentioned he had determined to promote his Workforce GB jacket, T-shirt, shorts and footwear from the ceremony to lift cash for a charity that helps younger athletes.

“My concept, like many Olympians, has all the time been to have the ability to present it to my children after which they may ultimately wish to inherit it,” Halsted instructed the Guardian. “However for the previous 10 years it has additionally been sitting in my mum’s attic, gathering mud, and it additionally struck me that there is no such thing as a assure that they are going to be that excited to see it.”

“So I assumed it might be higher for the equipment to go to a house that can undoubtedly admire it – while funding the wonderful work of the charity, The True Athlete Project, which has remodeled the lives of younger athletes and has a mission to create higher wellbeing, social affect an a extra compassionate tradition via sport.”

Halsted mentioned he had spoken to the British Olympic Affiliation, who mentioned it had not heard of any of its equipment from the Danny Boyle-directed ceremony beforehand being offered.

The present worth of the equipment, which will probably be available to bid on for the following 11 days, is £250, which might be a cut price given how a lot the marketplace for sports activities memorabilia has grown.

Earlier this 12 months a jersey worn by the previous Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan within the 1998 NBA finals offered for £8.85m, whereas signed equipment and footwear worn by prime athletes are commonly offered for 1000’s of kilos.

“The 2012 Video games will all the time stay one of many best highlights of my life,” mentioned Halsted. “Representing your nation at a house Video games is a large privilege and I’ve so particular reminiscences that I revisit usually. However for the previous six years of being concerned with the True Athlete Programme, I’ve seen the lives of younger athletes being remodeled.”

Nevertheless the excellent news for Halsted’s children is that he plans to maintain his competitors equipment – alongside along with his closing ceremony outfit.