Games chief Sebastian Coe, a gold-medal runner himself, says he's hearing the final lap bell as the London Olympics hit their halfway point.

In a column written for The Associated Press, Coe muses on the seven years he has spent heading the London organizing committee.

"The first half of the London Games has been a spectacular success that has transformed a naturally cautious British public into a nation of delirious cheerleaders," he writes. "Traditional British reserve has crumbled as strangers exchange Olympic news and watch each other's portable screens to catch the latest action."

He says the crowds have "prompted some to call these the People's Games." But he disagrees, saying "these are the Athletes' Games."

—Fergus Bell — Twitter http://twitter.com/fergb

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EDITOR'S NOTE — "Eyes on London" shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.