The pinnacle of his career is how Tuam native Neil Carney describes the recent announcement that he will play a major role in orchestrating the biggest sporting event on the planet — the 2012 London Olympics.
Mr Carney, who was operations director for the Galway stage of the Volvo Ocean Race in 2009 and logistical manager for the Asian Games, is relishing the prospect of being lead planner in the Olympic Park. His responsibilities will include overseeing where the opening ceremony and all the major events take place.
“I’m looking forward to it and I suppose it is good to have got the job at the Olympic Games after doing a number of other major events over the past few years.”
Prior to this Carney also worked as a Special Olympics co-ordinator in Dublin and recently completed nine months in charge of operations at the Special Olympics All-Ireland Games.
“Everybody will be waiting to see the 100 metres final at the Olympic Games and I will be somewhere backstage for that.
“While I will not be running in the 100 metres it is my task to make sure the track is clean and clear for the athletes,” he says light-heartedly. “We are lucky to have the Olympic Games being held so near to us and it is doubtful if they will ever be this close again,” he says.
Once the Olympic Games are over, Mr Carney will turn his attentions to the Paralympics which begin less than two weeks after the Olympics. “Once the Olympic Games are over I will be in charge of the Paralympics which are for physically challenged people and they are the next biggest event to the Olympic Games. There will not be much time to relax once the Olympics are over as there is only 10 days of a gap until the Paralympics start,” he adds.
Mr Carney will also have the expertise of a 30-strong team working with him and he could have upwards of a few thousand people regularly reporting to him on differential operational requirements developments.
Mr Carney will also be in charge of management teams, will be responsible for directing operation plans, and will be expected to keep up regular communication with construction companies as he prepares to leave his mark on the global showpiece.
