When the London 2012 bid team made their final presentation in Singapore last Wednesday they had one message for the members of the International Olympic Committee: London's bid was on behalf of the youth of today and the athletes of tomorrow.

It was a statement which commentators say won London the Olympics.

Now work begins in earnest so that the capital is ready to stage what is the greatest sporting event on earth.

The spotlight may be on Stratford, where the Olympic stadium will be built, but in Croydon there is just as much to cheer about.

Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has said construction work will start next year on the long-awaited East London Line (ELL) extension which will bring the Tube to West Croydon and much-needed investment that will regenerate that part of the town.

Housing experts predict that house prices along the route of the ELL line will rise as a result of improved transport links to the city.

Facilities like the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre which is in need of upgrading could benefit from increased investment in sport.

The London Development Agency, which takes over the management of the centre next February, is preparing to consult the public on plans to build a new state-of-the-art sports centre within Crystal Palace Park.

And the developer behind the Gateway arena plans is confident that once built an arena in Croydon could become a training venue for athletes from across the world.

Talks between Arrowcroft, the British Olympic Association and British Paralympic Association have paved the way for the venue to be considered as a training facility for paralympic athletes and national teams.

Councillor Stuart Collins, Croydon's cabinet member for culture and sport, said London's success was fantastic news for Croydon. "This is fantastic news for London, for Croydon, for the whole country. I'm absolutely thrilled."