OLYMPIC gold medallist triple jumper Jonathan Edwards believes the 2012 Games will get Weymouth and Portland residents feeling ‘in the centre of the world’ for two weeks next summer.

The British star, who is the athletes representative on the London Organising Committee board, said the borough ‘had no idea what is going to hit it’ during the Olympic and Paralympic sailing events and should anticipate a carnival party atmosphere.

He threw his support behind the Bring on the Games sticker campaign while being guest of honour at the ‘topping out ceremony’ of the Olympic sailing village on Portland.

The 10,000 new window stickers have been produced by the Dorset Echo, the Weymouth and Portland 2012 Operations group, the borough’s Chamber of Commerce and NHS Dorset’s Team Dorset Challenge.

Edwards, who is now retired from competitions but has held the world record in triple jumping since 1995, said: “The sticker’s very patriotic and captures what we want to see in 2012 – British boats ruling the waves.”

He described the home Games as being ‘magical’ for the home athletes and joked that at the Sydney 2000 Games he had struggled to inspire a clap from the crowd prior to his winning jump – a stark contrast to the overwhelming home support for Australian runner Cathy Freeman.

Edwards, 45, said: “Here in Weymouth and Portland, you haven’t quite got an idea of what is going to hit you.

“The Olympic and Paralympic Games is the greatest show on earth and the interest that goes around it can be quite overwhelming, when you see the media operation that goes on around it, and the spectators who want to see it.

“There’s an energy around what is the most important regatta in the world, the athletes have the edge and there’s a sense from the local community that they’re hosting something very, very important.

“There’s nothing really to compare it to, you’re part of a much bigger event that’s happening in London and around the United Kingdom.

“I think people who live in Portland and indeed Weymouth will get the sense of really being in the centre of the world for the two weeks of the regatta, see some amazing scenes of celebration particularly from the British point of view because we have some brilliant sailors.

“Then hopefully once the show has left town, what is left afterwards in terms of the investment that’s gone on like the sailing village, Portland Marina, the sailing academy and transport infrastructure, will be something that leaves a very positive feeling and memory for many years to come.”

He added: “There will be a lot of activities that will happen around the event itself, there will be a real carnival party atmosphere.

“We’re acutely aware in the organising committee of a lot of imposition that’s been caused for local residents in terms of getting Portland and Weymouth ready to host the Games.

“In a way it’s a little bit similar to the athletes, we have to go through some short term pain hopefully for longer term gain.

“One of the beliefs of 2012 is to leave a positive legacy and we certainly hope once the show has left town that there will be things that local residents can say ‘We got this, this, this and this because of the Games which wouldn’t have happened otherwise’.”