TODAY’S the day.

Olympic fever will sweep the nation tonight, as the London 2012 Olympic Games are officially launched at a spectacular opening ceremony.

And this Hampshire family are gearing up to cheer on Southampton ’s own Olympic diving star, Pete Waterfield , when he takes centre stage at the Games, during the next two weeks.

Mark and Debbie Brewer, the parents of Pete’s wife, Tania, have decked their Southampton home in Union flags, in a patriotic tribute to their son-in-law.

Pete, who lives in Southampton and trains at The Quays, will take part in the 10m platform event on August 10.

And on Monday he will compete in the 10m synchronised platform, alongside his diving partner, Tom Daley.

Pete’s family will be cheering them on to glory, as he bids to go one better than the silver medal he picked up in Athens eight years ago.

Mark and Debbie will host a party for friends and family on Monday afternoon.

And Tania, 30, will be among the home crowd at the Aquatics Centre on the day, alongside her eldest son Lewis, 11.

She said: “It’s a really exciting time for the whole family. This is Pete’s fourth Olympic Games and just to achieve that is outstanding, but for it to be in London, where Pete was born, makes it that much more special.

“He’s really looking forward to it, but I don’t think it’s really sunk in that this is a home Olympics yet. It’s all a bit surreal until they get to the Olympic village and compete in front of a home crowd.

“He loves the home crowd. He said after the Commonwealth Games in Manchester that it was the atmosphere of the home crowd that got him the gold, so if he performs the way he can, we could be looking at a medal again.

“Pete’s a quiet person, he’s not big headed, so he doesn’t talk about medalling as such, but I think he’s got what it takes to do well in both events.”

Pete will take to the world stage alongside his Team GB colleagues tonight when they are paraded around the Olympic Stadium, in London, as part of the opening ceremony.

The multi-million pound event, put together by world-renowned film director, Danny Boyle, is expected to be watched by a global audience topping a billion.