Marathon route revealed

London's 2012 Olympic marathon will be three laps of the centre of the capital, taking in landmarks such as St Paul's Cathedral, Tate Modern and Buckingham Palace, it was announced today.

The news raises the stakes in the battle between London and Paris for the right to stage the Games. London 2012 chose to unveil the race route on the day

Paris revealed details of its bid - a clear attempt to emphasise London's status as a city recognised by millions worldwide.

The 26.2-mile marathon would begin at Tower Bridge and end with a gruelling 4.6-mile home straight passing the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, Queen Mary and Westfields College and Mile End Park, before entering the new East London Stadium in Stratford.

London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe, himself a double Olympic medallist, said: "We wanted a marathon course based around spectacular London settings that will create lasting memories and moments for the athletes, spectators, television audience and the Olympic movement."

It was also confirmed today that several of London's existing sporting venues would be used to stage events: Wimbledon for tennis, the new Wembley stadium for football and Lord's for archery. Horse Guards Parade would host volleyball and Hyde Park the triathlon.

This is designed to keep down costs in line with the International Olympic Committee's desire to hold a Games which "deliver excellence without extravagance".

And London's Olympic transport plans will not be hit by delays in completing a suburban orbital railway, Ken Livingstone indicated today.

The Mayor said the partial construction of the East London line extension would make a major difference to connections between south and east London, where the Olympic park would be.

He said Phase One of the extension - north to Dalston Junction and south to Crystal Palace and West Croydon and costing ?900 million - would be complete by June 2010, two years before the Games.

Transport sources said the associated Clapham Junction link was never part of the Olympic offer and would be completed later.