KEEPING TRACK ON Ahead of London 2012, a track was built at The Salvation Army’s Hadleigh Farm in Essex to host the Olympic mountain biking event. Estate director CIARAN EGAN recalls the atmosphere around the global event and reflects on what the Games inspired
PA IMAGES/ALAMY
Interview by Emily Bright
Julie Bresset in action for France at Hadleigh Farm in 2012 6 • WAR CRY • 13 August 2022
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N August 2012, Olympic mountain bike riders raced around the winding cross-country track in search of golden glory. Their trials and triumphs were taking place at The Salvation Army’s 900-acre Hadleigh Farm estate in Essex. That memorable sporting summer seems a long time ago as I nurse a cup of coffee and shelter from the pouring rain in Hadleigh Farm’s offices. But in my chat with estate director Ciaran Egan, he vividly recalls the buzz of being part of the London Olympics while at work for The Salvation Army. ‘I loved having so many people from all around the world here,’ he says. ‘Our team made everybody feel welcome. We had all the signage in so many languages, and Salvation Army shields to represent the different countries in which we work across the globe. ‘It had a real celebratory feel to it. Some of the teams were staying and training locally, so you’d bump into Olympic teams as you walked around.’ But the impact of London 2012 on Hadleigh Farm has lasted much longer than the competition itself. The track, which is maintained by Essex County Council, hosted World Championshiplevel events for four years after the Olympics, drawing
