THE foundations of the 2012 handball arena have now been completed, say Olympic chiefs.

The 7,000 seater stadium in Hackney will host handball and pentathlon fencing.

After the Games it is hoped it will host a range of sports including five-a-side football, netball, boxing and basketball.

Work is now underway on the 1,000-tonne steel frame of the arena, which is being built in Bolton, Lancashire.

It is hoped the frame will be completed by the summer.

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