A FORMER youth Chard hockey, football and cricket club player has enjoyed the sporting experience of a lifetime in London this summer.

Adam Down left Chard seven years ago and since then has been working for Transport for London (TfL) and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).

Adam has been involved in the preparations for the Olympics since 2007, when he started working as a Project Manager in charge of the design of the Games’ Transport Coordination Centre.

The centre provided the information hub of all of the Games-time transport providers connected with the Government, security and games organisations.

Having successfully helped to deliver this and recruited a senior operations team to run the TCC, Adam moved on in 2011 to head up the Command, Control and Communications team for the Olympic Park, ceremonies and road events.

Adam said: “It’s being an amazing five years watching the Olympics develop in London and a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience to see the London 2012 Games from behind the scenes.”

“The opportunity to plan and deliver such an event is more than a job ... it’s a real honour with many unforgettable moments.

“However one thing I will never forget is touring the Stadium the day before the opening ceremony and having to swiftly leave the lounge as I saw the president of the IOC coming in to practice his speech!”

Adam’s Olympic journey has now come to an end – after the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games on Sunday.