New stamps showcase 2012 events

First-class stamps which champion the different Olympic and Paralympic sports at the London 2012 Games were unveiled today.

Events ranging from track athletics to the Paralympic sport of boccia are among the first 10 sports being showcased in the stamps. They go on sale on October 22.

Royal Mail is launching 30 stamps to mark the 30th Olympiad in the run-up to the London 2012 Games. Artists are designing images of 20 another sports for stamps that will go on sale in 2010 and 2012.

Julietta Edgar, Royal Mail's head of special stamps, said: "We hope these stamps play their part in the countdown to the Games, but also to highlight both the sporting and cultural legacy of this wonderful event."

London 2012 chairman Lord Coe said: "It is a huge honour to have stamps created in celebration of the Games and we look forward to working with Royal Mail over the next three years.

"These stamps will be a wonderful way to celebrate the London 2012 Games and mean that the whole country can get involved in this fantastic festival of sport between now and 2012."

The first set of stamps include an action packed illustration of canoe slalom by John Royle and Paralympic archery illustrated by George Hardie.

There is a track athletics collage by Nathalie Guinamard and a diver by illustrator Julian Opie.

Boccia is illustrated by David Doyle while the judo image was drawn by Paul Slater and the Paralympic Dressage by Andrew Davidson.

A shuttlecock by David Holmes was used as the image for badminton, while weightlifting was featured by Guy Billout and basketball by Huntley Muir.