The countdown to the London 2012 Olympics has reached the final month, and to mark the occasion a set of Olympic Rings have been unveiled by the Mayor of London on Tower Bridge.

With exactly one month to go, the Main Press Centre (MPC) has today been officially opened - the first operational venue for the Games.

The Olympic Park venue will host up to 6,000 accredited press and photographic media during the Games. It will provide 31,000 square metres of office space across four floors of workspace for journalists, photographers, accredited non-rights holding broadcasters, as well as International Olympic Committee and London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) staff.

LOCOG Chair Seb Coe said: ‘Like the athletes competing at London 2012, the world’s writers and photographers who will be based in the MPC are at the top of their profession. We will offer them state of the art facilities so they can tell the extraordinary stories that will come out of the Games.

‘This is our first venue to open for business and we are ready to welcome the world’s media as they come and set up their office.’

The MPC will be open for 52 days across the Games, becoming a ‘home from home’ for the world’s media with state-of-the-art facilities.

With the sporting action a mere month away, LOCOG has also announced today that spectators attending the Games will be treated to a programme of comprehensive and innovative sport presentation for the Games, including in-ear commentary, music, presenters for different sports - and a few other surprises.

The sports presentation experience for spectators is set to entertain and educate, reflecting the London 2012 vision of connecting more young people with sport. Each venue will have a tailored sports presentation programme offering different experiences best suited to sports - ensuring the spectator experience is as good as possible.

LOCOG today has also issued ‘5 top tips’ for ticket holders coming to the Games.  These are:
1. Be prepared for security checks when you arrive: this will be like taking an international flight at an airport. It will be busy and you will have to queue, so get there early – check www.london2012.com for your recommended arrival time.

2. Bring as little as possible with you: the more you bring, the longer it will take to go through security. One small soft-sided rucksack or handbag is allowed per person – this must fit under your seat. If you have a ticket for Football, we strongly suggest you do not bring a bag – if you do, your entry will be delayed and you may miss your event.

3. Read the lists of prohibited and restricted items before you leave: You cannot bring in liquids over 100ml*, including water – but you can bring an empty plastic water bottle and fill it up at water points inside venues. There is a wide range of food available to buy, but if you need to bring your own food, it must fit inside your bag.

4. Leave plenty of time to travel to your venue: London and the UK will be extremely busy and very different to what you’re used to. Use the spectator journey planner to find the best route and, where necessary, book your travel to make sure you get to your event on time. Ticket holders for events in and around London can use their Games Travelcard for travel in London zones 1-9. 

5. Please remember the only way to pay is by Visa (debit, credit or prepaid card) or cash. For details about the services and facilities available in your venue please go towww.london2012.com

The Triathlon competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games will be held on Saturday 4 August and Tuesday 7 August 2012 at Hyde Park in central London.

With files and photos from LOCOG