EXCITEMENT is building in Rio as the Olympic Games are officially opened tonight.

Beginning at 8pm local time - midnight in the UK - there are high expectations for the Brazilian opening ceremony, and it has a hard act to live up to, following on from the highly-acclaimed opening ceremony in London four years ago.

Essex had its own part to play in the London Games, with Hadleigh Park hosting the mountain bike competition, the Japanese Olympic swimming team training at Basildon Sporting Village and staying at Festival Leisure Park when the Games commenced.

Hadleigh Park has since been transformed into a top level competition and leisure facility for mountain bikers, building on the Olympic legacy.

Shortly after the event was held at the park, a planning application was accepted for a public cycling track, bike hire shop, cafe, larger pay and display car park and new walking and cycling routes in the park.

The park still holds a number of events, including mountain bike competitions and activities over the summer holidays such as bat walks, kite making and raft building.

Chris Hyde, from Hadleigh Park Mountain Bike Club, said: “The idea for the club came before the Olympics, but the club was really started off the back of the legacy.

“It has been massive.

“We have had about 700 members through the club since the Olympics.

“We usually have about 350 to 400 members per year and currently we have more than 350.

“The venue was closed after the Olympics for a while, but after it opened we have seen a lot of people want to come and give it a go.

“It is not just people wanting to compete, but also those wanting to try it out.

“The park hosted the UCI MTB Junior Series World Cup on Sunday and after that my emails have exploded.

“I get up to ten emails a day from people asking about joining or wanting to come and give it a go.

“It is really good to see.”

Mr Hyde, of Leigh, said the park was one of the top venues in the area.

The closest venues before Hadleigh Park was built were in Kent and Surrey, meaning it has bought a much-needed facility to Essex.

“It is the only mountain bike track that is still in use after the Olympics in the world,” Mr Hyde added.

“I hope it encourages other countries to keep their tracks open as well.

“The people involved in designing the track here have also been involved in the one in Rio, so hopefully that will be kept open.”

Mr Hyde, who has been mountain biking since he was 15, said the club was a great opportunity for people to get out in the fresh air, get some exercise and enjoy the great outdoors.

As well as the cycle track, Hadleigh Park also provides open water swimming, walking and horse riding opportunities to people in the area.

Allison Pearson, of the Badminton Academy, which practices at the David Lloyd Centre, in Basildon, agreed with him.

She added: “I would say that during the build-up and after the Olympics we saw a definite increase in the number of people that wanted to play badminton.

“It is always busy because it is a popular sport, but badminton being shown on the television during the Olympics means that people who don’t usually watch the sport do.

“During the 2012 Olympics we had a mini Olympic event and will be running the same thing this year.

“I do definitely think the Olympics has left a legacy in the area.

“Rio 2016 has come about so fast that I think we have been able to maintain that interest and hopefully this will continue.”

Councillor Ray Gooding, Essex County Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for sport and physical activity, said the Olympics had left a “significant legacy’ in Essex.

“There is always a concern that it will tail off, but in some ways that in inevitable.

“However, in Essex we have been left with some great facilities which has enabled us to keep a much higher level of involvement in sport.”

Visit hadleigh-park.co.uk