As Olympic fever reaches boiling point in the lead up to the opening ceremony on 4 August, thousands of foreign journalists from every spot on the globe will provide news coverage for the sporting event of the year. Joining the professionals will be a team of 25 journalism students from Sheffield Hallam University.

After a gruelling selection process out of 200 candidates, the final 24 students were hand picked by the Olympic Committee. These students will be heading to Beijing in early July to report on the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games for the Olympic News Service (ONS). SkillsActive has engaged with two of the 24 students, David Stevenson and Charlotte Abbott, and they will be writing a weekly blog about their experiences as they live and breathe the Olympic spirit.

Arguably the greatest sporting event on the world stage, this years Olympic and Paralympic Games will continue to unite the world through the power of sport, and SkillsActive invites you to a front row seat and join David and Charlotte on a virtual journey to the other side of the world.

Watch this space as they start blogging here over the next few weeks.