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

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

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

“My thought, like many Olympians, has all the time been to have the ability to present it to my children after which they may ultimately prefer 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 isn’t a assure that they are going to be that excited to see it.”

“So I believed it will be higher for the package to go to a house that can undoubtedly recognize it – while funding the wonderful work of the charity, The True Athlete Project, which has reworked the lives of younger athletes and has a mission to create higher wellbeing, social affect an a extra compassionate tradition by means of sport.”

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

The present value of the package, which might 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 yr a jersey worn by the previous Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan within the 1998 NBA finals offered for £8.85m, whereas signed package and footwear worn by prime athletes are often offered for 1000’s of kilos.

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

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