YouTube, IOC to livestream Olympics to Asia, Africa

Before you start reading this post take a moment and watch the beach scene from Chariots of Fire. If that doesn’t get you in the Olympic spirit then nothing will.

If you’re all hyped up but afraid that you’ll be missing out on the action because you’re at work at all day, don’t worry, YouTube’s got your back. The video-sharing platform says that it will be broadcasting the Summer Games to 64 territories in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa on the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s official YouTube channel.

YouTube claims that the channel will offer fans in these countries over 2 200 hours of high-definition sporting event coverage from London 2012, including all the medal finals.

The IOC channel will have 10 HD live-feeds from the Games, running from 9am to 11pm London time, plus a 24-hour broadcast of the Olympic News Channel. There will also be highlight reels and full videos of events after they’ve finished — organised by the day, medal event, or the sport.

The service will be available to users in countries including Singapore, India, Malaysia, Nigeria, Uganda, and Kenya who will be able to tune in on their desktop computers, tablets, and mobile devices.