Giant set of Olympic rings unveiled in London

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London:  A giant set of Olympic rings has been unveiled at one of London's busiest train stations with less than 17 months to go before the start of the 2012 Games.

The five intersecting aluminium rings - measuring 20 meters wide and 9 meters high and weighing 2,300 kilograms - were suspended on Thursday from the roof of a platform at St. Pancras International station in central London.

London Mayor Boris Johnson marked the launch in his usual humorous style as the giant Olympic rings were unveiled at London's St Pancras station.

"The first thing anyone sees when they arrive on the Eurostar (international trains) is a gentle and tactful reminder to our French friends that London won the right to host the games in 2012 - and every single day I am more glad than ever that we did," he said.

Olympic organisers will place more rings at other iconic landmarks across London over the course of the next year.

St. Pancras was selected as the first site because many visitors to the games will pass through the station on their way to the Olympic Park in east London.

Many fans from Europe are expected to head to London on the train, and the rings will be e first thing they see when they arrive.