Abstract:
Here are 10 Olympic headlines that, for a variety of reasons, seem out of place at the Summer Games.
The 2012 Summer Olympics have produced a number exciting headlines. Some of the athletes made the news by winning multiple medals. Other Olympians were media darlings because they overcame long odds just to make it to London. A few competitors became front page material when they failed to live up to pundits' expectations. We expect to see these types of stories appear in the news during the Olympic competitions. However, there are other story-lines that, for a variety of reasons, seem out of place at the Summer Games.
Here are 10 of these narratives:
1. Married but Living Apart: Before the Summer Games began, Australia's Olympic organization decided that two of its married athletes could not room together in the Olympic Village dormitories. The married couple did not take this decision well. The resulting brouhaha made the international headlines. This is probably not an Olympic story that most people would have expected to read about in the news.
2. The Wrong Flag: An untold amount of planning went into making the 2012 Summer Olympics a success. Even with all of this preparation, North Korea's women's soccer team, playing in its first match, was appalled to see the South Korean flag appear next to its players' photographs during the pregame introductions. The North Koreans refused to take the field until the problem was fixed. The snafu and subsequent team protest seem out of place somehow.
3. Gabby Douglas' Hair: The American gymnast won over Americans' hearts by claiming two gold medals in London. Apparently, she disappointed some fans because, of all things, her hair was not to their liking. It is amazing to think that some people would criticize Douglas for such a minor issue, especially given what she accomplished at the Summer Olympics.
4. "McKayla Is Not Impressed": A few moments after she claimed her silver medal in the women's vault competition, American gymnast McKayla Maroney was photographed looking disappointed. Someone digitally inserted this image into famous photos with the caption, "McKayla is not impressed." The images went viral. Maroney was probably not expecting her trip to the Olympics to yield that kind of fame.
5. Twitter Wars: Brandi Chastain, a soccer star turned NBC commentator, supposedly criticized a U.S. women's soccer player during one of NBC's telecasts. The squad's goalie, Hope Solo, took to Twitter to voice her displeasure with Chastain's remarks. Solo's Twitter comments made headlines, but should they have?
6. The Woman on Ryan Lochte's Lap: U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte won five medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Some of the storylines rightly focused on this worthy achievement. However, other media outlets were more interested in figuring out the identity of the woman sitting on Lochte's lap on a ride back from a bar. They were probably disappointed to learn that she was the swimming star's sister.
7. Poor Choice of Words: The U.S. women's soccer team won the gold medal by beating Japan. Immediately after the game, the players put on Nike T-shirts emblazoned with the words, "Greatness Has Been Found." Many people in the media criticized this decision. They argued that the slogan on the T-shirts demeaned other teams, and therefore did not conform to the ideal of sportsmanship espoused by the International Olympic Committee.
8. Was It Cheating?: Many Olympics fans were shocked to learn that four women's badminton teams had been disqualified for intentionally trying to give away one of their matches. The athletes may have been justified in attempting to throw their contests, especially if doing so would have given them a better chance of winning a medal. Nonetheless, their actions seemed to go against the Olympic ideal of fair play.
9. The Best Athlete Ever: Jamaican Usain Bolt made history at the 2012 Summer Olympics by winning back-to-back gold medals in both the 100- meter and 200-meter events. He followed those victories up by proclaiming himself the best athlete in history. Even if he were correct, Bolt's proclamation could be seen as an act of poor sportsmanship, which is not in keeping with Olympic ideals.
10. Missing Cameroon Olympians: Seven Cameroon athletes left their country's Olympic team without notice. Some media reports contend that the athletes are attempting to defect from Cameroon to England (or some other country in Europe) in order to secure good paying jobs. That fact may come as a shock to people who do not realize that some Olympic athletes live in poverty.
-- Anthony Hopper
#Olympics #London #SummerOlympics #2012Olympics #SummerGames #games #sports
Showing posts with label Summer Olympics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer Olympics. Show all posts
Friday
Summer Olympics: Five Best Summer Olympic Athletes from Virginia (Written in 2012)
Abstract:
Numerous Olympic athletes, both past and present, have roots in Virginia. Here is some information on five of the best Olympians to come from the state. The article also lists Olympians with ties to Virginia who are competing in London.
Numerous Olympic athletes, both past and present, have ties to Virginia. Here is some information on five of the best Summer Olympians to come from the state. All of these individuals have won at least one gold medal in the Summer Games. Four of them have won multiple Olympic medals. This article also provides a list of the athletes from Virginia who are participating in the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games (and who did not make the top five).
Gabrielle (Gabby) Douglas (Two Golds)
Name: Gabrielle (Gabby) Douglas
Country: United States
Born: Dec. 31, 1995
Sport: Artistic gymnastics
Connection to Virginia: Born in Virginia Beach, Va. and lived in the state until she was 14.
Olympic Success: Gabby Douglas is part of the women's gymnastics squad, which is competing at the 2012 London Summer Games. While in London, She became the first American gymnast to win a gold medal in both the team competition (with her four teammates) and the individual all-around event. Douglas is also the first African American to win the gymnastics individual all-around event.
Jeffrey (Jeff) Rouse (Three Golds, One Silver)
Name: Jeffrey (Jeff) Rouse
Country: United States
Born: Dec. 6, 1970
Sport: Swimming
Connection to Virginia: Born in Fredericksburg, Va. and currently lives in Stafford, Va.
Olympic Success: Jeff Rouse participated in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, where he won a silver medal in the men's 100 meter backstroke and a gold medal in the men's 4X100 meter medley relay. Rouse came back four years later to win gold in both the men's 100 meter backstroke and the men's 4X100 meter medley relay.
Thomas (Tom) Dolan (Two Golds, One Silver)
Name: Thomas (Tom) Dolan
Country: United States
Born: Sept. 15, 1975
Sport: Swimming
Connection to Virginia: Born in Arlington, Va. and currently runs a swim school located in Dulles, Va.
Olympic Success: Tom Dolan competed in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where he won a gold medal in the men's 400 meter individual medley event. Four years later, at the Sydney Games, he won a second gold in the 400 meter individual medley competition and also snagged a silver medal in the men's 200 meter individual medley race.
Frank Havens (One Gold, One Silver)
Name: Frank Havens
Country: United States
Born: Aug. 1, 1924
Sport: Canoe/Kayak
Connection to Virginia: Born in Arlington, Va.
Olympic Success: Frank Havens was a member of the U.S. canoe team that participated in the 1948 London Summer Olympics. He won a silver medal in the men's Canadian 10,000 meter singles and almost medaled in the men's Canadian 1000 meter singles event (he finished fourth). At the 1952 Helsinki Games, Havens won a gold medal in the men's Canadian 10,000 meter singles competition. He made appearances in the next two Olympics but was not able to medal. The canoe events that were Havens' specialty are no longer part of the Olympic program; however, that fact does not diminish his accomplishments.
Benita Fitzgerald Mosley (One Gold)
Name: Benita Fitzgerald Mosley
Country: United States
Born: July 6, 1961
Sport: Track and Field
Connection to Virginia: Born in Warrenton, Va.
Olympic Success: Benita Fitzgerald Mosley won the gold medal in the women's 100 meter hurdles at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. In doing so, she became the first African American woman to ever win the event.
Here is a list of the athletes with ties to Virginia, other than Gabby Douglas, who are competing in the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games.
Equestrian
Will Coleman (U.S.)
Nina Ligon (Thailand)
Field Hockey
Claire Laubach (U.S.)
Caroline Nichols (U.S.)
Shannon Taylor (U.S.)
Rowing
Giuseppe Lanzone (U.S.)
Swimming
Matt McLean (U.S.)
Kate Ziegler (U.S.)
Taekwondo
Terrence Jennings (U.S.)
Track and Field
T'erea Brown (U.S.)
Francena McCorory (U.S.)
LaShawn Merritt (U.S.)
Kellie Wells (U.S.)
Volleyball
Reid Priddy (U.S.)
Basketball
Quanitra Hollingsworth (Turkey)
1. British Goverment. (1948). 1948 British stamps for the London Olympics overprinted for use in
Tangier. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons. The British Government has placed this scan
into the public domain.
-- Anthony Hopper
#SummerGames #SummerOlympics #Olympics #London #sports #history #sportshistory #VA #Virginia #athletes #Olympichistory
 |
| 1948 British stamps for the London Olympics (1) |
Numerous Olympic athletes, both past and present, have ties to Virginia. Here is some information on five of the best Summer Olympians to come from the state. All of these individuals have won at least one gold medal in the Summer Games. Four of them have won multiple Olympic medals. This article also provides a list of the athletes from Virginia who are participating in the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games (and who did not make the top five).
Gabrielle (Gabby) Douglas (Two Golds)
Name: Gabrielle (Gabby) Douglas
Country: United States
Born: Dec. 31, 1995
Sport: Artistic gymnastics
Connection to Virginia: Born in Virginia Beach, Va. and lived in the state until she was 14.
Olympic Success: Gabby Douglas is part of the women's gymnastics squad, which is competing at the 2012 London Summer Games. While in London, She became the first American gymnast to win a gold medal in both the team competition (with her four teammates) and the individual all-around event. Douglas is also the first African American to win the gymnastics individual all-around event.
Jeffrey (Jeff) Rouse (Three Golds, One Silver)
Name: Jeffrey (Jeff) Rouse
Country: United States
Born: Dec. 6, 1970
Sport: Swimming
Connection to Virginia: Born in Fredericksburg, Va. and currently lives in Stafford, Va.
Olympic Success: Jeff Rouse participated in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, where he won a silver medal in the men's 100 meter backstroke and a gold medal in the men's 4X100 meter medley relay. Rouse came back four years later to win gold in both the men's 100 meter backstroke and the men's 4X100 meter medley relay.
Thomas (Tom) Dolan (Two Golds, One Silver)
Name: Thomas (Tom) Dolan
Country: United States
Born: Sept. 15, 1975
Sport: Swimming
Connection to Virginia: Born in Arlington, Va. and currently runs a swim school located in Dulles, Va.
Olympic Success: Tom Dolan competed in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where he won a gold medal in the men's 400 meter individual medley event. Four years later, at the Sydney Games, he won a second gold in the 400 meter individual medley competition and also snagged a silver medal in the men's 200 meter individual medley race.
Frank Havens (One Gold, One Silver)
Name: Frank Havens
Country: United States
Born: Aug. 1, 1924
Sport: Canoe/Kayak
Connection to Virginia: Born in Arlington, Va.
Olympic Success: Frank Havens was a member of the U.S. canoe team that participated in the 1948 London Summer Olympics. He won a silver medal in the men's Canadian 10,000 meter singles and almost medaled in the men's Canadian 1000 meter singles event (he finished fourth). At the 1952 Helsinki Games, Havens won a gold medal in the men's Canadian 10,000 meter singles competition. He made appearances in the next two Olympics but was not able to medal. The canoe events that were Havens' specialty are no longer part of the Olympic program; however, that fact does not diminish his accomplishments.
Benita Fitzgerald Mosley (One Gold)
Name: Benita Fitzgerald Mosley
Country: United States
Born: July 6, 1961
Sport: Track and Field
Connection to Virginia: Born in Warrenton, Va.
Olympic Success: Benita Fitzgerald Mosley won the gold medal in the women's 100 meter hurdles at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. In doing so, she became the first African American woman to ever win the event.
Here is a list of the athletes with ties to Virginia, other than Gabby Douglas, who are competing in the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games.
Equestrian
Will Coleman (U.S.)
Nina Ligon (Thailand)
Field Hockey
Claire Laubach (U.S.)
Caroline Nichols (U.S.)
Shannon Taylor (U.S.)
Rowing
Giuseppe Lanzone (U.S.)
Swimming
Matt McLean (U.S.)
Kate Ziegler (U.S.)
Taekwondo
Terrence Jennings (U.S.)
Track and Field
T'erea Brown (U.S.)
Francena McCorory (U.S.)
LaShawn Merritt (U.S.)
Kellie Wells (U.S.)
Volleyball
Reid Priddy (U.S.)
Basketball
Quanitra Hollingsworth (Turkey)
1. British Goverment. (1948). 1948 British stamps for the London Olympics overprinted for use in
Tangier. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons. The British Government has placed this scan
into the public domain.
-- Anthony Hopper
#SummerGames #SummerOlympics #Olympics #London #sports #history #sportshistory #VA #Virginia #athletes #Olympichistory
Sunday
Summer Olympics: Best American Swimmers of All Time (Written in 2012)
Abstract:
The United States has produced a number of notable Olympic swimmers. Here are 10 of the best American swimmers of all time, as judged by their Olympic performances.
Men's swimming made its debut at the first modern Summer Olympics in 1896 and has been an integral part of the Summer Games ever since. In 1912, women's swimming was included in the Olympic program for the first time. Over the years, additional events for both men and women have been added to the roster. The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games feature a total of 36 swimming contests.
The United States has produced a large number of excellent Olympic swimmers over the years. These athletes' efforts have allowed the U.S. to win 489 Olympic swimming medals, which is by far the most of any country. Australia is a distant second with 177 total medals in swimming.
Here are ten of the best American swimmers of all time.
Michael Phelps (Olympics: 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012)
Michael Phelps is one of the greatest Olympians of all time. He has won 22 total medals over the course of his swimming career, which is an Olympic record. What is more, 18 of those medals are gold. That is an amazing figure, given that no other male swimmer in history besides Phelps has managed to win more than nine gold medals. Phelps is only 27 years old and could conceivably add to his medal count if he were to participate in the 2016 Olympics; however, the swimming star has decided to retire at the conclusion of the London Summer Games.
Jenny Thompson (Olympics: 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004)
Jenny Thompson is tied with two other American swimmers for the title of most decorated U.S. female Olympian (all three swimmers have 12 medals). More impressive, eight of her 12 medals are gold. Neither of the other two 12-time medal winners has won more than four gold medals.
Mark Spitz (Olympics: 1968, 1972)
Mark Spitz competed in the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games. Spitz is one of the best Olympians ever. He won a total of 11 medals (nine golds, one silver, one bronze). Until Michael Phelps came along, Spitz's nine gold medals were the most by any male swimmer. What is perhaps most impressive is that he accomplished all of this before he turned 23. He retired from swimming after the 1972 Munich Games when he was only 22 years old.
Dara Torres (Olympics: 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2008)
Dara Torres won 12 Olympic medals (four golds, four silvers, and four bronze medals) over the course of her Olympic career. No other American female swimmer has topped that figure (though two swimmers, Natalie Coughlin and Jenny Thompson have tied it). Torres should receive the most accolades for her ability to win medals in three different decades. She nabbed her first medal at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 and won her last three medals, all silver, at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. She was 41 when she accomplished this feat.
Matthew Biondi (Olympics: 1984, 1988, 1992)
Matthew Biondi is one of only three swimmers to capture at least seven gold medals. The other two athletes on this list are Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz. Biondi ended up winning a total of 11 medals over three Olympics. His most impressive outing came during the Seoul Summer Olympics where he won five gold medals and set four world records.
Natalie Coughlin (Olympics: 2004, 2008, 2012)
Natalie Coughlin holds the record (with Dara Torres and Jenny Thompson) for the most medals won by an American female swimmer. She earned her most recent medal, a bronze, on July 28, as part of the U.S. women's 400 meter relay team. While Coughlin's stats are impressive, only three of her medals are gold (four silver and five bronze).
Johnny Weismuller (Olympics: 1924, 1928)
Johnny Weismuller was swimming's first superstar. He competed in the 1924 Paris Olympics and in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. He netted a total of six medals, with five of them being gold. He might not have won as many medals as athletes like Spitz and Phelps, but that was due in large part to the limited number of swimming events on the Olympic programs in the 1920s.
Deborah Meyer (Olympics: 1968)
Deborah Meyer only won three medals; however, they were all gold. More impressively, she earned all of her Olympic medals at the 1968 Summer Games. She was the first woman to garner three individual gold medals at one Olympics. She was only 16 when she accomplished this feat.
Ryan Lochte (Olympics: 2004, 2008, 2012)
Ryan Lochte went into the London Olympics having already won six medals at previous Summer Games. He collected another five medals in London. His total count now stands at five golds, three silvers, and three bronze medals.
Mary Meagher (Olympics: 1984, 1988)
Mary Meagher won three golds, one silver, and one bronze medal over the course of her Olympic career. She likely would have won additional medals if she had been allowed to compete at the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow. However, the United States boycotted that Olympics to protest Russia's attack on Afghanistan.
Sources
1. Photographer: Sander.v.Ginkel
Date: July 31, 2012
Title/Description: Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Men's 200m Breaststroke heat 5
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Unported license (click on the title or the caption to see the photo, credits, and permissions).
The Olympic Movement's official website
Sports Reference
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #SummerGames #Olympics #SummerOlympics #history #sportshistory #swimming
 |
| 2012 Summer Olympics, Men's 200 m Breaststroke - Heat 5 (1) |
The United States has produced a large number of excellent Olympic swimmers over the years. These athletes' efforts have allowed the U.S. to win 489 Olympic swimming medals, which is by far the most of any country. Australia is a distant second with 177 total medals in swimming.
Here are ten of the best American swimmers of all time.
Michael Phelps (Olympics: 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012)
Michael Phelps is one of the greatest Olympians of all time. He has won 22 total medals over the course of his swimming career, which is an Olympic record. What is more, 18 of those medals are gold. That is an amazing figure, given that no other male swimmer in history besides Phelps has managed to win more than nine gold medals. Phelps is only 27 years old and could conceivably add to his medal count if he were to participate in the 2016 Olympics; however, the swimming star has decided to retire at the conclusion of the London Summer Games.
Jenny Thompson (Olympics: 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004)
Jenny Thompson is tied with two other American swimmers for the title of most decorated U.S. female Olympian (all three swimmers have 12 medals). More impressive, eight of her 12 medals are gold. Neither of the other two 12-time medal winners has won more than four gold medals.
Mark Spitz (Olympics: 1968, 1972)
Mark Spitz competed in the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games. Spitz is one of the best Olympians ever. He won a total of 11 medals (nine golds, one silver, one bronze). Until Michael Phelps came along, Spitz's nine gold medals were the most by any male swimmer. What is perhaps most impressive is that he accomplished all of this before he turned 23. He retired from swimming after the 1972 Munich Games when he was only 22 years old.
Dara Torres (Olympics: 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2008)
Dara Torres won 12 Olympic medals (four golds, four silvers, and four bronze medals) over the course of her Olympic career. No other American female swimmer has topped that figure (though two swimmers, Natalie Coughlin and Jenny Thompson have tied it). Torres should receive the most accolades for her ability to win medals in three different decades. She nabbed her first medal at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 and won her last three medals, all silver, at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. She was 41 when she accomplished this feat.
Matthew Biondi (Olympics: 1984, 1988, 1992)
Matthew Biondi is one of only three swimmers to capture at least seven gold medals. The other two athletes on this list are Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz. Biondi ended up winning a total of 11 medals over three Olympics. His most impressive outing came during the Seoul Summer Olympics where he won five gold medals and set four world records.
Natalie Coughlin (Olympics: 2004, 2008, 2012)
Natalie Coughlin holds the record (with Dara Torres and Jenny Thompson) for the most medals won by an American female swimmer. She earned her most recent medal, a bronze, on July 28, as part of the U.S. women's 400 meter relay team. While Coughlin's stats are impressive, only three of her medals are gold (four silver and five bronze).
Johnny Weismuller (Olympics: 1924, 1928)
Johnny Weismuller was swimming's first superstar. He competed in the 1924 Paris Olympics and in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. He netted a total of six medals, with five of them being gold. He might not have won as many medals as athletes like Spitz and Phelps, but that was due in large part to the limited number of swimming events on the Olympic programs in the 1920s.
Deborah Meyer (Olympics: 1968)
Deborah Meyer only won three medals; however, they were all gold. More impressively, she earned all of her Olympic medals at the 1968 Summer Games. She was the first woman to garner three individual gold medals at one Olympics. She was only 16 when she accomplished this feat.
Ryan Lochte (Olympics: 2004, 2008, 2012)
Ryan Lochte went into the London Olympics having already won six medals at previous Summer Games. He collected another five medals in London. His total count now stands at five golds, three silvers, and three bronze medals.
Mary Meagher (Olympics: 1984, 1988)
Mary Meagher won three golds, one silver, and one bronze medal over the course of her Olympic career. She likely would have won additional medals if she had been allowed to compete at the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow. However, the United States boycotted that Olympics to protest Russia's attack on Afghanistan.
Sources
1. Photographer: Sander.v.Ginkel
Date: July 31, 2012
Title/Description: Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Men's 200m Breaststroke heat 5
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Unported license (click on the title or the caption to see the photo, credits, and permissions).
The Olympic Movement's official website
Sports Reference
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #SummerGames #Olympics #SummerOlympics #history #sportshistory #swimming
The 'Magnificent Seven' vs. 'The Fab Five': 2012 Olympic Champions
Abstract:
The American women's gymnastic team has won the gold medal for the first time since 1996. One can see shades of the 1996 squad in the 2012 gymnasts; however, the two teams differ in important ways.
For many years, the United States was an afterthought in women's artistic gymnastics team competitions. Perusing the sport's records, one notes that, from the debut of the women's event in 1928 until the 1990s, the United States rarely shows up in the medal standings.
For most of this period, the best gymnasts usually hailed from various parts of the old Soviet Union, from the Czech and Slovak Republics, and from Romania. That situation changed at the Atlanta Summer Olympics in 1996 when the U.S. women finally broke through and won a gold medal in the team competition. They did not accomplish this feat again until 2012. The two gymnastic squads share things in common; however, they are also different in some key respects.
Here are five key similarities and five differences between the 1996 U.S. squad, nicknamed the "Magnificent Seven," and the one that recently won the team competition at the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, the "Fab Five."
Similarities
Gold Medal: The United States won the gold medal in the women's gymnastics team competition in 1996 with the Magnificent Seven and again in 2012 with the Fab Five. The Magnificent Seven and the Fab Five share something else in common: They are the only women's squads to win a gold medal in the gymnastics team event.
Teenagers: Every member of the 1996 women's team was under 20 when they competed in Atlanta. The oldest member of the team, Domonique Dawes, did not turn 20 until Nov. 20, 1996, which was well after the Atlanta Games ended. Like their Magnificent Seven counterparts, all of the individuals on the Fab Five are also under 20 years of age. The team's captain, Aly Raisman, is only 18 years old.
California Well Represented: Both the Magnificent Seven and the the Fab Five were well represented by Californians. Two of the seven members of the 1996 squad, Amy Chow and Domonique Moceanu, were from California. Coincidentally, two of the women on the 2012 U.S. women's gymnastics team, Kyla Ross and McKayla Maroney, hail from California.
Same Ending: The team standings in 1996 and in 2012 are exactly the same. The United States won gold, Russia earned the silver medal, and the Romanians came away with bronze.
All-Around Heartbreak: In the 1996 Olympics, Kerri Strugg was selected to represent the United States in the individual all-around gymnastics competition. However, she had to withdraw from that event when she injured herself during the team competition. Jordan Wieber's tale is just as sad in some ways. Wieber, who many considered to be the most talented member of the 2012 U.S. squad, finished fourth in all-around qualifying but was not able to compete in the finals of the event because two of her American teammates, Aly Raisman and Gabrielle Douglas, finished ahead of her. Only two gymnasts from each country are allowed to compete in the individual all-around finals.
Differences
The U.S. Dominated in 2012: The Magnificent Seven could have lost the Olympic team competition if it were not for the fact that an injured Kerri Strug somehow managed to land her final vault. She scored just enough to allow the Americans to come away with the gold medal. By contrast, the Fab Five dominated their competition. They beat the Russians by 5.066 points, which is a fairly large margin in gymnastics.
Home vs. Away: The Magnificent Seven had a significant advantage in the 1996 Olympics. They did not have to leave the United States in order to compete in the Summer Games, which were held in Atlanta, Ga. By contrast, the 2012 squad had to travel halfway across the Atlantic Ocean to London, England.
All-Around Gold: The Magnificent Seven may have been fabulous in the team competition; however, none of the members of that squad were able to win a medal in the individual all-around event. By contrast, the Fab Five not only won the gold in the team competition, one of their members, Gabrielle Douglas, snagged the gold medal in the individual all-around contest.
State of U.S. Gymnastics: The Magnificent Seven are still remembered in part because they were an aberration, at least at the time. Up to that point, the American women had rarely found themselves on the medal stand at the end of the team competition (though they did win a bronze medal in 1992). Since 1996, the United States has medaled in the women's gymnastics team event at every Olympics. Unlike the Magnificent Seven, the Fab Five could look back at their country's recent gymnastic past and draw inspiration from it.
Styles Change: Compare this video of the 1996 squad with these photos of the 2012 team, and you will notice some differences. For one thing, the white uniforms with a stars and stripes imprint, worn by the Magnificent Seven (at least during the team competition) differ significantly from the red uniforms donned by the Fab Five for its team event. Hairstyles have changed as well.
Sources:
The Olympic Movement's official website
The official website of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games
1. Cliff. (2008, Sept. 28). 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games Torch (Replica). Retrieved from
Wikimedia Commons (see linked title for photo/credits). The author has released this image
into the public domain via a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
-- Anthony Hopper
#gymnastics #Olympics #SummerGames #London #U.S. #games #SummerOlympics #sports #history #sportshistory
For many years, the United States was an afterthought in women's artistic gymnastics team competitions. Perusing the sport's records, one notes that, from the debut of the women's event in 1928 until the 1990s, the United States rarely shows up in the medal standings.
 |
| 1996 Summer Olympic Games Torch (Replica) [1] |
Here are five key similarities and five differences between the 1996 U.S. squad, nicknamed the "Magnificent Seven," and the one that recently won the team competition at the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, the "Fab Five."
Similarities
Gold Medal: The United States won the gold medal in the women's gymnastics team competition in 1996 with the Magnificent Seven and again in 2012 with the Fab Five. The Magnificent Seven and the Fab Five share something else in common: They are the only women's squads to win a gold medal in the gymnastics team event.
Teenagers: Every member of the 1996 women's team was under 20 when they competed in Atlanta. The oldest member of the team, Domonique Dawes, did not turn 20 until Nov. 20, 1996, which was well after the Atlanta Games ended. Like their Magnificent Seven counterparts, all of the individuals on the Fab Five are also under 20 years of age. The team's captain, Aly Raisman, is only 18 years old.
California Well Represented: Both the Magnificent Seven and the the Fab Five were well represented by Californians. Two of the seven members of the 1996 squad, Amy Chow and Domonique Moceanu, were from California. Coincidentally, two of the women on the 2012 U.S. women's gymnastics team, Kyla Ross and McKayla Maroney, hail from California.
Same Ending: The team standings in 1996 and in 2012 are exactly the same. The United States won gold, Russia earned the silver medal, and the Romanians came away with bronze.
All-Around Heartbreak: In the 1996 Olympics, Kerri Strugg was selected to represent the United States in the individual all-around gymnastics competition. However, she had to withdraw from that event when she injured herself during the team competition. Jordan Wieber's tale is just as sad in some ways. Wieber, who many considered to be the most talented member of the 2012 U.S. squad, finished fourth in all-around qualifying but was not able to compete in the finals of the event because two of her American teammates, Aly Raisman and Gabrielle Douglas, finished ahead of her. Only two gymnasts from each country are allowed to compete in the individual all-around finals.
Differences
The U.S. Dominated in 2012: The Magnificent Seven could have lost the Olympic team competition if it were not for the fact that an injured Kerri Strug somehow managed to land her final vault. She scored just enough to allow the Americans to come away with the gold medal. By contrast, the Fab Five dominated their competition. They beat the Russians by 5.066 points, which is a fairly large margin in gymnastics.
Home vs. Away: The Magnificent Seven had a significant advantage in the 1996 Olympics. They did not have to leave the United States in order to compete in the Summer Games, which were held in Atlanta, Ga. By contrast, the 2012 squad had to travel halfway across the Atlantic Ocean to London, England.
All-Around Gold: The Magnificent Seven may have been fabulous in the team competition; however, none of the members of that squad were able to win a medal in the individual all-around event. By contrast, the Fab Five not only won the gold in the team competition, one of their members, Gabrielle Douglas, snagged the gold medal in the individual all-around contest.
State of U.S. Gymnastics: The Magnificent Seven are still remembered in part because they were an aberration, at least at the time. Up to that point, the American women had rarely found themselves on the medal stand at the end of the team competition (though they did win a bronze medal in 1992). Since 1996, the United States has medaled in the women's gymnastics team event at every Olympics. Unlike the Magnificent Seven, the Fab Five could look back at their country's recent gymnastic past and draw inspiration from it.
Styles Change: Compare this video of the 1996 squad with these photos of the 2012 team, and you will notice some differences. For one thing, the white uniforms with a stars and stripes imprint, worn by the Magnificent Seven (at least during the team competition) differ significantly from the red uniforms donned by the Fab Five for its team event. Hairstyles have changed as well.
Sources:
The Olympic Movement's official website
The official website of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games
1. Cliff. (2008, Sept. 28). 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games Torch (Replica). Retrieved from
Wikimedia Commons (see linked title for photo/credits). The author has released this image
into the public domain via a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
-- Anthony Hopper
#gymnastics #Olympics #SummerGames #London #U.S. #games #SummerOlympics #sports #history #sportshistory
2012 Summer Olympics Athletes: Rafael Nadal, Spanish Tennis Player
Abstract:
The 2012 London Summer Olympic men's tennis tournament is right around the corner. Get to know Rafael Nadal, who is one of the favorites to win a medal in the tennis competition.
Per the official website of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, the Olympic tennis tournaments will take place between Saturday, July 28, and Sunday, Aug. 5. The sport debuted at the first modern Summer Olympics in 1896; however, it was removed from the list of events after the 1924 Paris Olympics. Tennis was reintroduced at the 1988 Seoul Summer Games. The events consist of men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles. A country is only allowed to enter a maximum of 12 athletes (6 men and 6 women) in the tennis competitions, though its players can compete in more than one event.
Most of the world's best tennis players will compete in at least one of these events. Rafael Nadal is a favorite to win an Olympic medal in tennis at the London Games. Here is more information on the Spaniard.
All of the data comes from the ATP World Tour's official website unless otherwise noted.
Full Name: Rafael Nadal Parera
Nickname: Rafa
Country: Spain
Age: 26
Height: 6 feet, 1 inches
Weight: 188 pounds
Coach: Toni Nadal (Rafael's uncle)
Ambidextrous: Rafael Nadal plays tennis left-handed; however, he uses his right hand when writing.
Hometown: He was born in the city of Manacor, located on the Spanish island of Mallorca. He still calls that city home.
Personal Website: RafaelNadal.com
Twitter Name: @RafaelNadal
Hobbies: Fishing, golf, video games, and movies (per Reuters)
Rafa Nadal Foundation: Per its official website, Rafael Nadal helped to found the Rafa Nadal Foundation in November 2007. The non-profit organization helps children and teenagers who suffer from social discrimination. The foundation achieves its mission by using sports to help deprived children develop the social skills necessary to succeed.
Professional Success: Rafael Nadal turned pro in 2001. Since that time, he has won 50 tournaments and has earned over $50 million in prize money. Per Sports Illustrated, Nadal has won 11 Grand Slam titles, including seven French Open championships, two Wimbledon tournaments, one U.S. Open title, and one Australian Open championship. He is currently ranked third in the world.
Olympics: According to Reuters, Rafael Nadal competed in the 2004 Olympics (in men's doubles) but did not medal. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Nadal won the gold medal in men's singles. He will try to earn his second gold medal in the event at the London Olympics; however, per The Guardian, a knee injury may hamper his ability to achieve this feat.
-- Anthony Hopper
#Spain #tennis #Olympics #SummerOlympics #games #SummerGames #sports
Per the official website of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, the Olympic tennis tournaments will take place between Saturday, July 28, and Sunday, Aug. 5. The sport debuted at the first modern Summer Olympics in 1896; however, it was removed from the list of events after the 1924 Paris Olympics. Tennis was reintroduced at the 1988 Seoul Summer Games. The events consist of men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles. A country is only allowed to enter a maximum of 12 athletes (6 men and 6 women) in the tennis competitions, though its players can compete in more than one event.
Most of the world's best tennis players will compete in at least one of these events. Rafael Nadal is a favorite to win an Olympic medal in tennis at the London Games. Here is more information on the Spaniard.
All of the data comes from the ATP World Tour's official website unless otherwise noted.
Full Name: Rafael Nadal Parera
Nickname: Rafa
Country: Spain
Age: 26
Height: 6 feet, 1 inches
Weight: 188 pounds
Coach: Toni Nadal (Rafael's uncle)
Ambidextrous: Rafael Nadal plays tennis left-handed; however, he uses his right hand when writing.
Hometown: He was born in the city of Manacor, located on the Spanish island of Mallorca. He still calls that city home.
Personal Website: RafaelNadal.com
Twitter Name: @RafaelNadal
Hobbies: Fishing, golf, video games, and movies (per Reuters)
Rafa Nadal Foundation: Per its official website, Rafael Nadal helped to found the Rafa Nadal Foundation in November 2007. The non-profit organization helps children and teenagers who suffer from social discrimination. The foundation achieves its mission by using sports to help deprived children develop the social skills necessary to succeed.
Professional Success: Rafael Nadal turned pro in 2001. Since that time, he has won 50 tournaments and has earned over $50 million in prize money. Per Sports Illustrated, Nadal has won 11 Grand Slam titles, including seven French Open championships, two Wimbledon tournaments, one U.S. Open title, and one Australian Open championship. He is currently ranked third in the world.
Olympics: According to Reuters, Rafael Nadal competed in the 2004 Olympics (in men's doubles) but did not medal. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Nadal won the gold medal in men's singles. He will try to earn his second gold medal in the event at the London Olympics; however, per The Guardian, a knee injury may hamper his ability to achieve this feat.
-- Anthony Hopper
#Spain #tennis #Olympics #SummerOlympics #games #SummerGames #sports
2012 Summer Olympics Athletes: Neymar, Brazilian Soccer Player
Abstract:
The Olympic men's soccer tournament starts on Thursday, July 26, and the team from Brazil has a good chance to win a gold medal. Get to know more about Neymar, a key member of Brazil's Olympic soccer team.
Per the official website of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, the first men's soccer matches will take place on Thursday, July 26, which is one day before the Olympic Games officially begin. The soccer tournament will conclude on Saturday, August 11. 16 men's teams (one per country) will compete in the event. All but three of the players on each squad have to be under 23 years of age. The soccer contests will take place at a number of different stadiums located throughout Britain.
As ESPN notes, Brazil's soccer team is a favorite to win the gold medal. Some of the best young players in the world are members of this squad. One of them is Neymar. This article provides some information on Neymar that may be useful to anyone who plans to follow the Olympic soccer matches.
All of the information comes from ESPN Soccernet unless otherwise noted.
Full Name: Neymar da Silva Santos Junior
Country: Brazil
Age: 20
Position: Forward
Height: 5 feet, 9 inches
Birthplace: Mogi das Cruzes, Sao Paulo (province), Brazil
First Name Only: Per The New York Times, it is customary for individuals in Brazil to use only one name. That is the reason that Neymar da Silva Santos Junior is simply referred to as Neymar by the media.
Twitter Name: @Njr92
Motto: The motto on Neymar's twitter page is, "Feliz, Ousado, Pai e Filho de Deus!" The phrase in English means "Happy, Bold, Father and Son of God!"
Personal Website: NeymarOficial.com
Idol: Growing up, Neymar idolized Brazilian soccer star, Robinho (per The New York Times)
Phenom: Many soccer experts think that Neymar has the potential to develop into one of the best players ever.
Children: Neymar has one child, a boy named Davi (per The New York Times).
Professional Career: Neymar was signed by Santos in 2003 and has been part of its farm system since that time. He made his debut with Santos FC in 2009 and played so well that he quickly attracted the attention of some large European teams. For instance, in 2010, Chelsea offered him a significant sum of money to join its squad. For now, Neymar has decided to remain with Santos FC.
Favorite Foods: Besides traditional dishes, Neymar likes Italian and Japanese foods (per The New York Times).
Olympics: Neymar will be making his first appearance in the Olympic Games.
-- Anthony Hopper
#Brazil #Olympics #SummerGames #SummerOlympics #games #sports #soccer
Per the official website of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, the first men's soccer matches will take place on Thursday, July 26, which is one day before the Olympic Games officially begin. The soccer tournament will conclude on Saturday, August 11. 16 men's teams (one per country) will compete in the event. All but three of the players on each squad have to be under 23 years of age. The soccer contests will take place at a number of different stadiums located throughout Britain.
As ESPN notes, Brazil's soccer team is a favorite to win the gold medal. Some of the best young players in the world are members of this squad. One of them is Neymar. This article provides some information on Neymar that may be useful to anyone who plans to follow the Olympic soccer matches.
All of the information comes from ESPN Soccernet unless otherwise noted.
Full Name: Neymar da Silva Santos Junior
Country: Brazil
Age: 20
Position: Forward
Height: 5 feet, 9 inches
Birthplace: Mogi das Cruzes, Sao Paulo (province), Brazil
First Name Only: Per The New York Times, it is customary for individuals in Brazil to use only one name. That is the reason that Neymar da Silva Santos Junior is simply referred to as Neymar by the media.
Twitter Name: @Njr92
Motto: The motto on Neymar's twitter page is, "Feliz, Ousado, Pai e Filho de Deus!" The phrase in English means "Happy, Bold, Father and Son of God!"
Personal Website: NeymarOficial.com
Idol: Growing up, Neymar idolized Brazilian soccer star, Robinho (per The New York Times)
Phenom: Many soccer experts think that Neymar has the potential to develop into one of the best players ever.
Children: Neymar has one child, a boy named Davi (per The New York Times).
Professional Career: Neymar was signed by Santos in 2003 and has been part of its farm system since that time. He made his debut with Santos FC in 2009 and played so well that he quickly attracted the attention of some large European teams. For instance, in 2010, Chelsea offered him a significant sum of money to join its squad. For now, Neymar has decided to remain with Santos FC.
Favorite Foods: Besides traditional dishes, Neymar likes Italian and Japanese foods (per The New York Times).
Olympics: Neymar will be making his first appearance in the Olympic Games.
-- Anthony Hopper
#Brazil #Olympics #SummerGames #SummerOlympics #games #sports #soccer
2012 Summer Olympics Athletes: Andrei Kirilenko, Russian Basketball Player
Abstract:
The 2012 London Summer Olympic men's basketball competition is right around the corner. The Russian team will be in the tournament this time around. Get to know one of Russia's star basketball players, Andrei Kirilenko.
Per its official website, the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will start soon, and basketball will once again be one of the medal events.
Twelve teams (one per country) are entered in the men's Olympic basketball tournament, which begins on Sunday, July 29. They are divided into two groups of six teams. Each squad will play all the other teams in its pool. Teams will earn two points for every win and one point for each loss. The top four squads from each division qualify for the single elimination playoffs. The competition will be fierce as some of the best players in the world vie for Olympic glory.
Russia is one of the 12 nations that will take part in the Olympic men's basketball tournament. Per the official website of the Olympic Movement, the country has not won a medal in men's basketball since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Russian team hopes to end that streak at the London Olympics. Get to know Andrei Kirilenko, one of the key players on Russia's men's basketball team.
All of the data comes from the NBA's official website unless otherwise noted.
Name: Andrei Kirilenko
Country: Russia
Age: 31 (born Feb. 18, 1981)
Height: 6 feet 9 inches
Position: Forward
Birthplace: Izhevsk, Russia
Wife: Marina (Masha) Lopatova, a Russian singer
Nickname: AK-47
Favorite Hobbies: Playing video games and reading
Charity Work: Andrei Kirilenko has worked with several charities. In fact, The Sporting News crowned him the NBA's No. 1 Good Guy in 2006 due to his philanthropic work.
Interesting Facts: Andrei Kirilenko was the youngest athlete to ever play in the Russian League. He was the first Russian player to be selected in the first round of an NBA draft. He was the youngest player, up to that time, to ever be drafted into the NBA (at 18 years, 4 months, 12 days).
Professional Career: Andrei Kirilenko's professional career began in 1996 when he signed on with a Russian team, Spartak St. Petersburg. In 1998, he joined another Russian team, CSKA. Kirilenko played with CSKA for three seasons, from 1998 through the spring of 2001. In 2001, he was drafted by the Utah Jazz and remained with that team from the fall of 2001 through the spring of 2011. Per the Toronto Sun, Kirilenko rejoined CSKA during the NBA lockout and remained with that team for the entire 2011-2012 season.
Olympic History: According to Basketball Reference, he participated in both the 2000 and 2008 Olympics as a member of the Russian men's basketball team. Russia did not garner a spot in the 2004 Olympic basketball tournament.
-- Anthony Hopper
#basketball #NBA #SummerOlympics #Olympics #London #sports #Russia
Per its official website, the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will start soon, and basketball will once again be one of the medal events.
Twelve teams (one per country) are entered in the men's Olympic basketball tournament, which begins on Sunday, July 29. They are divided into two groups of six teams. Each squad will play all the other teams in its pool. Teams will earn two points for every win and one point for each loss. The top four squads from each division qualify for the single elimination playoffs. The competition will be fierce as some of the best players in the world vie for Olympic glory.
Russia is one of the 12 nations that will take part in the Olympic men's basketball tournament. Per the official website of the Olympic Movement, the country has not won a medal in men's basketball since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Russian team hopes to end that streak at the London Olympics. Get to know Andrei Kirilenko, one of the key players on Russia's men's basketball team.
All of the data comes from the NBA's official website unless otherwise noted.
Name: Andrei Kirilenko
Country: Russia
Age: 31 (born Feb. 18, 1981)
Height: 6 feet 9 inches
Position: Forward
Birthplace: Izhevsk, Russia
Wife: Marina (Masha) Lopatova, a Russian singer
Nickname: AK-47
Favorite Hobbies: Playing video games and reading
Charity Work: Andrei Kirilenko has worked with several charities. In fact, The Sporting News crowned him the NBA's No. 1 Good Guy in 2006 due to his philanthropic work.
Interesting Facts: Andrei Kirilenko was the youngest athlete to ever play in the Russian League. He was the first Russian player to be selected in the first round of an NBA draft. He was the youngest player, up to that time, to ever be drafted into the NBA (at 18 years, 4 months, 12 days).
Professional Career: Andrei Kirilenko's professional career began in 1996 when he signed on with a Russian team, Spartak St. Petersburg. In 1998, he joined another Russian team, CSKA. Kirilenko played with CSKA for three seasons, from 1998 through the spring of 2001. In 2001, he was drafted by the Utah Jazz and remained with that team from the fall of 2001 through the spring of 2011. Per the Toronto Sun, Kirilenko rejoined CSKA during the NBA lockout and remained with that team for the entire 2011-2012 season.
Olympic History: According to Basketball Reference, he participated in both the 2000 and 2008 Olympics as a member of the Russian men's basketball team. Russia did not garner a spot in the 2004 Olympic basketball tournament.
-- Anthony Hopper
#basketball #NBA #SummerOlympics #Olympics #London #sports #Russia
2012 Summer Olympics Athletes: Pau Gasol, Spanish Basketball Player
Abstract:
The 2012 London Summer Olympic men's basketball competition is right around the corner. Spain is one of the teams in the tournament and will be looking to take home the gold medal. Get to know one of the Spanish team's star athletes, Pau Gasol.
Per its official website, the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will start on Friday, July 27. The Olympic men's basketball tournament will begin two days later, on Sunday, July 29, and run until Sunday, Aug. 12.
Men's basketball has a long Olympic history, having been introduced as a medal sport at the 1936 Berlin Games. Per USA Basketball, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) instituted a major change to the event in 1992 when it allowed NBA players to take part in the Olympic basketball competitions. This was an important move, because, at that time, many of the best players in the world were in the NBA (and that is still the case today). As a result of the IOC's decision, some countries were able to field much better teams than they had in the past.
NBA players from a number of different countries will take part in the Olympic basketball tournament being held in London. One of these athletes is Spain's Pau Gasol. Here is some information on this Olympic basketball star.
All of the data comes from the NBA's official website unless otherwise noted.
Name: Pau Gasol
Country: Spain
Date of Birth: July 6, 1980
Height: 7 feet
Positions: Forward, center
Hometown: Barcelona, Spain (per NBC)
Currently Resides: Los Angeles, Calif. (per NBC)
Twitter Name: @paugasol
Personal Website: PauGasol.com
NBA Brother: Pau Gasol's younger brother, Marc Gasol, plays for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Multilingual: He speaks English, Spanish, and Catalan.
Philanthropist: Pau Gasol has worked with a number of charities, including UNICEF, Memphis City Schools, and the Boys and Girls Club.
Did You Know?: For most of his youth (until he was about 13 years old), Pau Gasol played point guard.
Professional Career: Per NBC, Pau Gasol began his professional career with the Spanish team, FC Barcelona, in 1999. He played for two seasons with FC Barcelona before moving on to the NBA. He was drafted in the first round in 2001 by the Atlanta Hawks, but was subsequently traded to the Memphis Grizzlies before the season began. The Grizzlies shipped Gasol off to the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2007-2008 season, and he has played for that team ever since. He has made three NBA Finals and won two of them during his tenure with the Lakers.
NBA Awards: Rookie of the Year in 2001, selected as an NBA All-Star four times (per NBC), All-NBA Third Team in 2009 and 2010, All-NBA Second Team in 2011.
Career with Spain's Basketball Team: Per NBC, Pau Gasol's first significant stint with the Spanish national basketball team was in 2001. He has represented Spain in most major basketball competitions since that time. In 2006, Gasol helped Spain win a gold medal in basketball at the FIBA World Championships. He was also named MVP of that tournament. The Spanish team, with Gasol on board, won the Eurobasket Championship in 2009.
Olympic History: Per Fox Sports, Pau Gasol played for Spain in both the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. In 2008, his Spanish team won the silver medal.
-- Anthony Hopper
#Spain #basketball #NBA #Olympics #SummerGames #SummerOlympics #sports #games #London #Gasol
Per its official website, the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will start on Friday, July 27. The Olympic men's basketball tournament will begin two days later, on Sunday, July 29, and run until Sunday, Aug. 12.
Men's basketball has a long Olympic history, having been introduced as a medal sport at the 1936 Berlin Games. Per USA Basketball, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) instituted a major change to the event in 1992 when it allowed NBA players to take part in the Olympic basketball competitions. This was an important move, because, at that time, many of the best players in the world were in the NBA (and that is still the case today). As a result of the IOC's decision, some countries were able to field much better teams than they had in the past.
NBA players from a number of different countries will take part in the Olympic basketball tournament being held in London. One of these athletes is Spain's Pau Gasol. Here is some information on this Olympic basketball star.
All of the data comes from the NBA's official website unless otherwise noted.
Name: Pau Gasol
Country: Spain
Date of Birth: July 6, 1980
Height: 7 feet
Positions: Forward, center
Hometown: Barcelona, Spain (per NBC)
Currently Resides: Los Angeles, Calif. (per NBC)
Twitter Name: @paugasol
Personal Website: PauGasol.com
NBA Brother: Pau Gasol's younger brother, Marc Gasol, plays for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Multilingual: He speaks English, Spanish, and Catalan.
Philanthropist: Pau Gasol has worked with a number of charities, including UNICEF, Memphis City Schools, and the Boys and Girls Club.
Did You Know?: For most of his youth (until he was about 13 years old), Pau Gasol played point guard.
Professional Career: Per NBC, Pau Gasol began his professional career with the Spanish team, FC Barcelona, in 1999. He played for two seasons with FC Barcelona before moving on to the NBA. He was drafted in the first round in 2001 by the Atlanta Hawks, but was subsequently traded to the Memphis Grizzlies before the season began. The Grizzlies shipped Gasol off to the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2007-2008 season, and he has played for that team ever since. He has made three NBA Finals and won two of them during his tenure with the Lakers.
NBA Awards: Rookie of the Year in 2001, selected as an NBA All-Star four times (per NBC), All-NBA Third Team in 2009 and 2010, All-NBA Second Team in 2011.
Career with Spain's Basketball Team: Per NBC, Pau Gasol's first significant stint with the Spanish national basketball team was in 2001. He has represented Spain in most major basketball competitions since that time. In 2006, Gasol helped Spain win a gold medal in basketball at the FIBA World Championships. He was also named MVP of that tournament. The Spanish team, with Gasol on board, won the Eurobasket Championship in 2009.
Olympic History: Per Fox Sports, Pau Gasol played for Spain in both the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. In 2008, his Spanish team won the silver medal.
-- Anthony Hopper
#Spain #basketball #NBA #Olympics #SummerGames #SummerOlympics #sports #games #London #Gasol
2012 Summer Olympics Athletes: Five Australian Athletes to Watch
Abstract:
Australia will be sending a large contingent of athletes to London for the Summer Olympic Games, which begin on Friday, July 27. Get to know five of these Olympic hopefuls.
Per its official website, the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will start on Friday, July 27 and run through Sunday, August 12. Australia is one of 17 countries from the Oceania region that will take part in the Olympic competitions. The nation made its debut at the Athens Summer Olympic Games in 1896, and, per NBC, is one of only four countries to have fielded a team at every Summer Olympics.
According to the NBC article, Australia has done well at the Summer Olympics over the years, having won 443.5 medals since 1896. Only eight countries have won more Olympic medals. In 2008, Australian athletes outperformed all but four other countries by winning 46 medals at the Beijing Olympics. Per information on its official website, Australia's Olympic team is likely to snag a bevy of medals at the London Olympics.
Here are five Australian Olympic hopefuls that fans should watch during the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games. They are representative of the diverse array of experiences and skills possessed by the members of Australia's Olympic squad.
Glenn O'Shea (Men's Cycling-Track)
Per the Australian Olympic team's official website, Glenn O'Shea is only 23 years old and will be making his first trip to the Olympic Games. Nonetheless, he is one of the best cyclists in Australia and has a chance to medal in two Olympic competitions - the men's team pursuit and the men's omnium (in which riders compete in six different events).
Fans of cycling can tune in to watch the Olympics' first ever omnium racing competition. O'Shea placed first in the men's omnium at the 2012 World Championships and is favored to take the gold medal in this multi-event race. O'Shea has an excellent chance to win another medal in men's team pursuit, though its color might not be gold.
Sally Pearson (Women's Track and Field)
Sally Pearson will compete in the 100 meter hurdles at the London Olympics. The Telegraph put her on its list of the 10 Australian athletes who are most likely to leave London with a medal. Per the Australian Olympic team's official website, that is probably the case. Pearson is currently the best in the world in the 100 meter hurdles, having placed first in the event at both the 2011 World Championships and the 2011 World Challenge. In that same year, she won the Female World Athlete of the Year award from the International Association of Athletics Federations.
Fans of Olympic track and field should tune in to watch this Australian athlete in action. They will likely come away impressed with Pearson's speed and agility. The gold medal is hers to lose.
Jamie Dwyer (Men's Field Hockey)
Jamie Dwyer has been part of the Australian national field hockey squad for 10 years and has scored over 170 goals during that period. Per the Australian Olympic team's official website, the 33 year old has been named Best (Field) Hockey Player in the World five times. Dwyer has helped his country's national team win the gold medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004, the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and first place in the 2010 World Cup.
Field hockey fans will want to view the Australian team's matches so they can see Jamie Dwyer's electrifying performances. They will also have the opportunity to watch one of the best men's field hockey teams in the world in action. According to an NBC article, the Australians are favored to win the gold medal at the London Olympics.
Stephanie Rice (Women's Swimming)
As the Australian Olympic team's official website notes, Stephanie Rice is only 24 years old; however, she has already made waves in the swimming world. She won three Olympic gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, breaking three world records in the process. She followed up that performance by winning three medals at the 2009 World Championships. An injury in 2010 sidelined her for a while; however she came back to secure a couple of third place finishes at the 2011 World Championships.
At the London Olympics, she will compete in the 400 meter individual medley and the 200 meter individual medley swimming events. According to The Telegraph article, she may also get the chance to participate in a team relay race. She might earn multiple medals in London; however, they probably will not be gold.
Malcolm Page (Men's Sailing)
As The Telegraph article notes, Malcolm Page may be a few years older than many of the other Olympic athletes; however, the 40 year old is still one of the best (if not the best) in the world with regards to the men's 470, a type of sailing contest pitting two-man teams against each other. Per the Australian Olympic team's official website, he and his partner, Matthew Belcher, are currently the top ranked team in the world in the men's 470, having placed either first or second in the last eight major sailing events they have entered.
People interesting in the Olympic sailing events will want to watch the men's 470 competition to see if Malcolm Page can win his second gold medal in a row (he won a gold medal in the event in Beijing). He is the odds on favorite to accomplish that feat.
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #Olympics #SummerOlympics #SummerGames #London #Australia
Per its official website, the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will start on Friday, July 27 and run through Sunday, August 12. Australia is one of 17 countries from the Oceania region that will take part in the Olympic competitions. The nation made its debut at the Athens Summer Olympic Games in 1896, and, per NBC, is one of only four countries to have fielded a team at every Summer Olympics.
According to the NBC article, Australia has done well at the Summer Olympics over the years, having won 443.5 medals since 1896. Only eight countries have won more Olympic medals. In 2008, Australian athletes outperformed all but four other countries by winning 46 medals at the Beijing Olympics. Per information on its official website, Australia's Olympic team is likely to snag a bevy of medals at the London Olympics.
Here are five Australian Olympic hopefuls that fans should watch during the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games. They are representative of the diverse array of experiences and skills possessed by the members of Australia's Olympic squad.
Glenn O'Shea (Men's Cycling-Track)
Per the Australian Olympic team's official website, Glenn O'Shea is only 23 years old and will be making his first trip to the Olympic Games. Nonetheless, he is one of the best cyclists in Australia and has a chance to medal in two Olympic competitions - the men's team pursuit and the men's omnium (in which riders compete in six different events).
Fans of cycling can tune in to watch the Olympics' first ever omnium racing competition. O'Shea placed first in the men's omnium at the 2012 World Championships and is favored to take the gold medal in this multi-event race. O'Shea has an excellent chance to win another medal in men's team pursuit, though its color might not be gold.
Sally Pearson (Women's Track and Field)
Sally Pearson will compete in the 100 meter hurdles at the London Olympics. The Telegraph put her on its list of the 10 Australian athletes who are most likely to leave London with a medal. Per the Australian Olympic team's official website, that is probably the case. Pearson is currently the best in the world in the 100 meter hurdles, having placed first in the event at both the 2011 World Championships and the 2011 World Challenge. In that same year, she won the Female World Athlete of the Year award from the International Association of Athletics Federations.
Fans of Olympic track and field should tune in to watch this Australian athlete in action. They will likely come away impressed with Pearson's speed and agility. The gold medal is hers to lose.
Jamie Dwyer (Men's Field Hockey)
Jamie Dwyer has been part of the Australian national field hockey squad for 10 years and has scored over 170 goals during that period. Per the Australian Olympic team's official website, the 33 year old has been named Best (Field) Hockey Player in the World five times. Dwyer has helped his country's national team win the gold medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004, the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and first place in the 2010 World Cup.
Field hockey fans will want to view the Australian team's matches so they can see Jamie Dwyer's electrifying performances. They will also have the opportunity to watch one of the best men's field hockey teams in the world in action. According to an NBC article, the Australians are favored to win the gold medal at the London Olympics.
Stephanie Rice (Women's Swimming)
As the Australian Olympic team's official website notes, Stephanie Rice is only 24 years old; however, she has already made waves in the swimming world. She won three Olympic gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, breaking three world records in the process. She followed up that performance by winning three medals at the 2009 World Championships. An injury in 2010 sidelined her for a while; however she came back to secure a couple of third place finishes at the 2011 World Championships.
At the London Olympics, she will compete in the 400 meter individual medley and the 200 meter individual medley swimming events. According to The Telegraph article, she may also get the chance to participate in a team relay race. She might earn multiple medals in London; however, they probably will not be gold.
Malcolm Page (Men's Sailing)
As The Telegraph article notes, Malcolm Page may be a few years older than many of the other Olympic athletes; however, the 40 year old is still one of the best (if not the best) in the world with regards to the men's 470, a type of sailing contest pitting two-man teams against each other. Per the Australian Olympic team's official website, he and his partner, Matthew Belcher, are currently the top ranked team in the world in the men's 470, having placed either first or second in the last eight major sailing events they have entered.
People interesting in the Olympic sailing events will want to watch the men's 470 competition to see if Malcolm Page can win his second gold medal in a row (he won a gold medal in the event in Beijing). He is the odds on favorite to accomplish that feat.
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #Olympics #SummerOlympics #SummerGames #London #Australia
2012 Summer Olympics Athletes: Five Brazilian Athletes to Watch
Abstract:
The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games are almost here. Brazil is one of 41 countries from the Americas who will send athletes to the Summer Olympics. Get to know more about five of Brazil's best Olympians.
Per its official website, the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games are almost here. The Olympics will run from Friday, July 27 through Sunday, August 12. Brazil is one of 41 countries from the Americas who will be participating in the Olympics. The nation made its Olympic debut in 1920 and has taken part in 21 Summer Olympic contests (including the upcoming London Olympics). At the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, Brazil's Olympic team brought home 3 golds, 4 silvers, and 8 bronze medals.
Some of Brazil's best athletes will be traveling to London with dreams of achieving Olympic glory. This article provides information on five of the country's top Olympic hopefuls.
Neymar da Silva Santos Junior (Men's Soccer)
According to ESPN, Neymar da Silva Santos Junior is only 20 years old; however, he has already developed into one of the best soccer players in Brazil. Some experts believe that Neymar might eventually become one of the best strikers of all time. Neymar is not only a gifted dribbler; he is also a great passer (when he chooses to be) and an excellent scorer. The forward will anchor a men's Olympic soccer team that, per an ESPN article, has an excellent chance of taking home the gold medal.
Fans will enjoy watching Neymar's electrifying performances on the soccer field during the Brazilian team's Olympic contests. They just have to hope that the player can avoid the disciplinary problems that have sullied an otherwise amazing career to this point.
Marta Vieira da Silva (Women's Soccer)
Per a BBC article, Marta Vieira da Silva is one of the top athletes to watch at this Olympic Games. She is one of the best female soccer players in the world, as indicated by the fact that she was named FIFA's (women's) player of the year five straight times (2006-2010). In fact, per a CBS article, she is arguably one of the best women's soccer players of all-time. What is perhaps most amazing is that Marta has achieved this level of recognition at a fairly young age; the striker is only 26 years old.
As the CBS article notes, fans of Olympic soccer will want to see the Brazilian team's matches, so they can watch Marta's brilliant performances. At the same time, they can watch one of the best women's soccer teams in action. The Brazilian squad could easily come home from London with a medal, though the color of that token is unlikely to be gold.
Murilo Endres (Men's Volleyball)
According to NBC, Murilo Endres, an outside hitter on the Brazilian men's (indoor sixes) volleyball team, is one of the best volleyball players in the world. Endres is an excellent hitter; however, he is best known for his passing skills. In 2011, he won the Best Receiver award for his play in the World League. In the previous year, he was MVP of the World League.
Fans who tune in to watch the Brazilian men's volleyball team compete during the Olympics will enjoy watching Endres display his passing and hitting skills. However, they will also get the chance to watch one of the best men's volleyball teams in action. According to the Federation de Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), the sport's governing body, the Brazil squad is currently ranked first in the world. The team has an excellent chance to win a gold medal at the London Olympics.
Juliana Felisberta da Silva (Women's Beach Volleyball)
Juliana Felisberta da Silva could arguably be the best women's beach volleyball player in the world. Per Beach Volleyball Database, the 28 year old Brazilian athlete received the FIVB's Most Outstanding Player award three years in a row from 2009 through 2011. Additionally, Felisberta and her partner, Larissa Franca, finished as the top seed in Olympic qualifying matches per the FIVB.
Olympic beach volleyball is fun to watch, especially when top players, like Felisberta, are in action. Felisberta and her partner have a good chance of snagging a gold medal while in London; however, they will have to beat some other great teams from countries like China and the United States (per information on the FIVB's website).
Alison Conte Cerutti (Men's Beach Volleyball)
Alison Conte Cerutti, at 26 years old, is one of the best beach volleyball players in the world. Per Beach Volleyball Database, Cerutti has garnered a number of honors in his short career. Most recently, in 2011, he was named the FIVB's best blocker, hitter, and overall offensive player. The young Brazilian and his partner, Emanuel Rego, are the top ranked men's doubles team in the world per the FIVB.
Beach volleyball fans will want to tune in to see if Cerutti and his partner can bring home the gold medal for Brazil. In order to accomplish this feat, they will have to beat some quality teams, including, per the BBC, the American duo of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser. Rogers and Dalhausser won the gold medal in 2008.
The author is a freelance writer who is an avid fan of the Summer Olympic Games. He played recreational volleyball during his youth and early adulthood, as well as one year of club level volleyball at Roanoke College.
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #volleyball #soccer #SummerOlympics #Olympics #SummerGames #Brazil #London
Per its official website, the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games are almost here. The Olympics will run from Friday, July 27 through Sunday, August 12. Brazil is one of 41 countries from the Americas who will be participating in the Olympics. The nation made its Olympic debut in 1920 and has taken part in 21 Summer Olympic contests (including the upcoming London Olympics). At the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, Brazil's Olympic team brought home 3 golds, 4 silvers, and 8 bronze medals.
Some of Brazil's best athletes will be traveling to London with dreams of achieving Olympic glory. This article provides information on five of the country's top Olympic hopefuls.
Neymar da Silva Santos Junior (Men's Soccer)
According to ESPN, Neymar da Silva Santos Junior is only 20 years old; however, he has already developed into one of the best soccer players in Brazil. Some experts believe that Neymar might eventually become one of the best strikers of all time. Neymar is not only a gifted dribbler; he is also a great passer (when he chooses to be) and an excellent scorer. The forward will anchor a men's Olympic soccer team that, per an ESPN article, has an excellent chance of taking home the gold medal.
Fans will enjoy watching Neymar's electrifying performances on the soccer field during the Brazilian team's Olympic contests. They just have to hope that the player can avoid the disciplinary problems that have sullied an otherwise amazing career to this point.
Marta Vieira da Silva (Women's Soccer)
Per a BBC article, Marta Vieira da Silva is one of the top athletes to watch at this Olympic Games. She is one of the best female soccer players in the world, as indicated by the fact that she was named FIFA's (women's) player of the year five straight times (2006-2010). In fact, per a CBS article, she is arguably one of the best women's soccer players of all-time. What is perhaps most amazing is that Marta has achieved this level of recognition at a fairly young age; the striker is only 26 years old.
As the CBS article notes, fans of Olympic soccer will want to see the Brazilian team's matches, so they can watch Marta's brilliant performances. At the same time, they can watch one of the best women's soccer teams in action. The Brazilian squad could easily come home from London with a medal, though the color of that token is unlikely to be gold.
Murilo Endres (Men's Volleyball)
According to NBC, Murilo Endres, an outside hitter on the Brazilian men's (indoor sixes) volleyball team, is one of the best volleyball players in the world. Endres is an excellent hitter; however, he is best known for his passing skills. In 2011, he won the Best Receiver award for his play in the World League. In the previous year, he was MVP of the World League.
Fans who tune in to watch the Brazilian men's volleyball team compete during the Olympics will enjoy watching Endres display his passing and hitting skills. However, they will also get the chance to watch one of the best men's volleyball teams in action. According to the Federation de Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), the sport's governing body, the Brazil squad is currently ranked first in the world. The team has an excellent chance to win a gold medal at the London Olympics.
Juliana Felisberta da Silva (Women's Beach Volleyball)
Juliana Felisberta da Silva could arguably be the best women's beach volleyball player in the world. Per Beach Volleyball Database, the 28 year old Brazilian athlete received the FIVB's Most Outstanding Player award three years in a row from 2009 through 2011. Additionally, Felisberta and her partner, Larissa Franca, finished as the top seed in Olympic qualifying matches per the FIVB.
Olympic beach volleyball is fun to watch, especially when top players, like Felisberta, are in action. Felisberta and her partner have a good chance of snagging a gold medal while in London; however, they will have to beat some other great teams from countries like China and the United States (per information on the FIVB's website).
Alison Conte Cerutti (Men's Beach Volleyball)
Alison Conte Cerutti, at 26 years old, is one of the best beach volleyball players in the world. Per Beach Volleyball Database, Cerutti has garnered a number of honors in his short career. Most recently, in 2011, he was named the FIVB's best blocker, hitter, and overall offensive player. The young Brazilian and his partner, Emanuel Rego, are the top ranked men's doubles team in the world per the FIVB.
Beach volleyball fans will want to tune in to see if Cerutti and his partner can bring home the gold medal for Brazil. In order to accomplish this feat, they will have to beat some quality teams, including, per the BBC, the American duo of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser. Rogers and Dalhausser won the gold medal in 2008.
The author is a freelance writer who is an avid fan of the Summer Olympic Games. He played recreational volleyball during his youth and early adulthood, as well as one year of club level volleyball at Roanoke College.
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #volleyball #soccer #SummerOlympics #Olympics #SummerGames #Brazil #London
2012 Summer Olympics U.S. Athletes: David Boudia
Abstract:
At the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, the men's diving competitions will begin on Sunday July 29 and end on Saturday, August 11.
Per the official website of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, the men's diving competitions will begin on Sunday, July 29 and run through Saturday, August 11. The men will compete in four events--3-meter (9.84 feet) springboard, synchronized 3-meter springboard, 10-meter (32.80 feet) platform, and synchronized 10-meter platform. In each event, athletes will try to execute difficult dives as precisely as possible. A 10 is a perfect score.
A total of 68 men from around the world will compete in the diving competitions at the London Summer Olympic Games. One of these individuals is American athlete, David Boudia. Learn more about this competitor by reading the information below.
All of the data comes from USA Diving unless otherwise noted.
Name: David Boudia
Country: United States
Age: 23 (born on April 24, 1989)
Height: 5 feet, 9 inches
Birthplace: Abilene, Texas
Resides: West Lafayette, Ind.
2012 Olympic Competitions: 10 meter platform and synchronized 10 meter platform
Twitter Name: davidboudia
College: Purdue University, where he majored in communications.
Parents: Jim and Sheilagh Boudia
Diving Compared to: Per NBC, David Boudia compares diving to jumping out of a plane.
Quote: "Diving's not an easy sport because you're up thirty-three feet in the air going thirty-five miles an hour. So you have to have some kind of crazy in you." (The quote is from an interview with NBC.)
Hobbies: Reading and playing video games.
College Career: At Purdue, David Boudia competed in NCAA diving competitions and was a six-time NCAA champion. He won both the 3-meter event and the platform competition in 2009. He finished in first place in the 1-meter (3.28 feet) and three meter competitions in 2010 and again in 2011. He was the Big Ten Athlete of the Year (in all sports) in 2011 and the NCAA Diver of the Year in 2009 and 2010.
Career with National Team: David Boudia has been a member of the U.S. National Team since 2005 and has won 16 national championships. Over the past few years, he has performed well at international events, placing first, second, or third numerous times in both individual and synchronized 10-meter diving competitions. Most recently, he finished with a bronze medal in the 10-meter platform diving event and (along with his partner, Nick McCrory) a silver medal in synchronized 10-meter platform diving at the 2012 FINA World Series.
Olympic History: David Boudia finished in 10th place in the 10-meter platform diving event and (along with his partner, Thomas Finchum) in fifth place in the synchronized 10-meter diving competition at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #Olympics #London #US #UnitedStates #diving #SummerGames #SummerOlympics
Per the official website of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, the men's diving competitions will begin on Sunday, July 29 and run through Saturday, August 11. The men will compete in four events--3-meter (9.84 feet) springboard, synchronized 3-meter springboard, 10-meter (32.80 feet) platform, and synchronized 10-meter platform. In each event, athletes will try to execute difficult dives as precisely as possible. A 10 is a perfect score.
A total of 68 men from around the world will compete in the diving competitions at the London Summer Olympic Games. One of these individuals is American athlete, David Boudia. Learn more about this competitor by reading the information below.
All of the data comes from USA Diving unless otherwise noted.
Name: David Boudia
Country: United States
Age: 23 (born on April 24, 1989)
Height: 5 feet, 9 inches
Birthplace: Abilene, Texas
Resides: West Lafayette, Ind.
2012 Olympic Competitions: 10 meter platform and synchronized 10 meter platform
Twitter Name: davidboudia
College: Purdue University, where he majored in communications.
Parents: Jim and Sheilagh Boudia
Diving Compared to: Per NBC, David Boudia compares diving to jumping out of a plane.
Quote: "Diving's not an easy sport because you're up thirty-three feet in the air going thirty-five miles an hour. So you have to have some kind of crazy in you." (The quote is from an interview with NBC.)
Hobbies: Reading and playing video games.
College Career: At Purdue, David Boudia competed in NCAA diving competitions and was a six-time NCAA champion. He won both the 3-meter event and the platform competition in 2009. He finished in first place in the 1-meter (3.28 feet) and three meter competitions in 2010 and again in 2011. He was the Big Ten Athlete of the Year (in all sports) in 2011 and the NCAA Diver of the Year in 2009 and 2010.
Career with National Team: David Boudia has been a member of the U.S. National Team since 2005 and has won 16 national championships. Over the past few years, he has performed well at international events, placing first, second, or third numerous times in both individual and synchronized 10-meter diving competitions. Most recently, he finished with a bronze medal in the 10-meter platform diving event and (along with his partner, Nick McCrory) a silver medal in synchronized 10-meter platform diving at the 2012 FINA World Series.
Olympic History: David Boudia finished in 10th place in the 10-meter platform diving event and (along with his partner, Thomas Finchum) in fifth place in the synchronized 10-meter diving competition at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #Olympics #London #US #UnitedStates #diving #SummerGames #SummerOlympics
Five Places to Visit While in London for the 2012 Olympic Games
Abstract:
The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will begin on July 27. If you are traveling to London to watch the Olympic Games, you might also think about visiting these five other places.
According to its official website, the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will begin on July 27 and run through August 12. Fans traveling to London to watch the Olympic competitions should make sure they free up time to enjoy some of the many attractions that London and nearby localities have to offer.
When I traveled to London and other parts of England during the summer of my sophomore year in college, I visited many of the popular tourist sites, such as the Tower of London, Big Ben, and the British Museum. However, my most memorable experiences came when I interacted with locals in pubs, on trains, or in stores. I learned as much from these encounters as I did from touring old buildings and perusing museum exhibits.
With that in mind, I have compiled a list of five things that visitors to London can do if they want to truly understand England's history, its food, it culture, and its people. Some of these places are well known, while others are not. All times are based on London time. The prices listed in this article are based on current exchange rates between the British pound sterling and the U.S. dollar; they are subject to change at any time.
Ye Olde Mitre
The best way to learn about another country is to talk to its people. When I was in England, the pubs provided me with excellent opportunities to strike up conversations with local residents. These places also tended to have a great selection of authentic British cuisine. One pub, which people traveling to London for the Olympic Games might want to try, is Ye Olde Mitre. Per its official website, Ye Olde Mitre offers visitors a chance to experience a pub type atmosphere while sampling authentic English foods, like pork pies and scotch eggs. What is more, the building is over 450 years old, and, as The Telegraph notes, it still has many antique features. Visitors can converse with England's modern inhabitants while at the same time connecting with the country's past. Per its website, Ye Olde Mitre is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. It is located on 1 Ely Court, Ely Place in London, which (per MapQuest), is about 16 miles from Heathrow Airport.
Westfield Stratford City
People taking a break from watching the London Olympics might want to stop by Westfield Stratford City Shopping Center. Per an article in The Telegraph, Westfield Stratford City, which covers 1.9 million square feet, is the largest shopping center in Europe. Its official website notes that the building contains 250 retail outlets, 70 eateries, bars, a 17 screen movie theater, a bowling alley, and a casino. Visitors can spend all day perusing the shops and enjoying themselves at the bowling alley or casino. At the same time, tourists who visit Westfield Stratford City will likely get a glimpse of the diverse array of people who call London home. Per its official website, Westfield Stratford City is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and on Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. It is conveniently located next to the Olympic Park.
Highgate Cemetery
I walked through several old cemeteries while in England, which allowed me both to view some historical markers as well as to feel like I was connected in some intangible way with England's past. Visitors to London for the 2012 Olympic Games, who want the same experience, can visit Highgate Cemetery. Per its official website, the graveyard is around 173 years old and serves as the last resting place for a number of prominent individuals, including Karl Marx, Douglas Adams (famous author), and several of Charles Dickens' relatives. The cemetery charges visitors an entry fee of $4.68 for adults and $3.11 for students. Children and teenagers who are under 16 can usually get in for free. There are additional, varying fees for guided tours. Individuals and groups who plan to visit Highgate cemetery on the weekdays and want a guided tour of the place should call 020 8340 1834 at least a week in advance. The cemetery is located on Swain's lane, which (per MapQuest) is only about four miles from Ye Olde Mitre. It is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on weekends from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Hampton Court Palace
When I was in England, I visited several famous attractions located in and around London. However, I was most impressed with Hampton Court Palace. I had the opportunity to tour a site that had hosted monarchs and other important figures. I got a sense of what life was like for people (both highborn and servants) who resided in the palace hundreds of years ago. At the same time, I was struck by the beauty of the architecture, furnishings and grounds. I would recommend Hampton Court Palace to anyone who is traveling to London to watch the Summer Olympic Games. Per its official website, Hampton Court Palace, located in Surrey, England, is only a 35 minute train ride from London Waterloo station. On July 28 and 29, the only way for visitors to reach the palace will be by train, as local roads will be closed for Olympic cycling races. Tickets are approximately $26.32 for adults and $13.22 for children and teenagers under 16 years of age. There are discounts for booking online, for students, and for groups. During the summer, Hampton Court Palace is open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (last admission time is 5:00 p.m.).
Swan Theater
Anyone visiting London for the Olympic Games (who has some free time) should catch a performance of one of William Shakespeare's plays at the Swan Theater. The theater, located in William Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, is owned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and hosts a number of plays (put on by members of the group). Per the Royal Shakespeare Company's official website, the theater only seats about 450 people. I think its small size provides a more intimate experience for theater goers like me. If you cannot book a spot at the Swan Theater, you may want to see if any spaces are available at the nearby Royal Shakespeare Theater, a larger venue which is also run by the Royal Shakespeare Company. The group also owns a theater in London, which offers a more limited selection of plays. As its website notes, the group is currently performing several Shakespearean plays at its Stratford-upon-Avon locations. It takes about 2 hours to reach the town from London by train.
1. Panyd at en.wikipedia. (2010, September). A Picture of Highgate Cemetery - East. Retrieved from
Wikimedia Commons (see linked title for photo). The author has released the photo into the
public domain via a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
The author is a freelance writer. He has a B.A. in history and took numerous British history courses while an undergraduate in college. He studied in England for six weeks during the summer between his sophomore and junior years in college and spent some time in London. He is also an avid sports fan. The author has been to Hampton Court Palace and the Swan Theater. He plans to visit Ye Olde Mitre, Highgate Cemetery and Westfield Stratford City on his next visit to London.
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #London #travel #travelguide #guide #Olympics #sites #tourism
According to its official website, the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will begin on July 27 and run through August 12. Fans traveling to London to watch the Olympic competitions should make sure they free up time to enjoy some of the many attractions that London and nearby localities have to offer.
When I traveled to London and other parts of England during the summer of my sophomore year in college, I visited many of the popular tourist sites, such as the Tower of London, Big Ben, and the British Museum. However, my most memorable experiences came when I interacted with locals in pubs, on trains, or in stores. I learned as much from these encounters as I did from touring old buildings and perusing museum exhibits.
With that in mind, I have compiled a list of five things that visitors to London can do if they want to truly understand England's history, its food, it culture, and its people. Some of these places are well known, while others are not. All times are based on London time. The prices listed in this article are based on current exchange rates between the British pound sterling and the U.S. dollar; they are subject to change at any time.
Ye Olde Mitre
The best way to learn about another country is to talk to its people. When I was in England, the pubs provided me with excellent opportunities to strike up conversations with local residents. These places also tended to have a great selection of authentic British cuisine. One pub, which people traveling to London for the Olympic Games might want to try, is Ye Olde Mitre. Per its official website, Ye Olde Mitre offers visitors a chance to experience a pub type atmosphere while sampling authentic English foods, like pork pies and scotch eggs. What is more, the building is over 450 years old, and, as The Telegraph notes, it still has many antique features. Visitors can converse with England's modern inhabitants while at the same time connecting with the country's past. Per its website, Ye Olde Mitre is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. It is located on 1 Ely Court, Ely Place in London, which (per MapQuest), is about 16 miles from Heathrow Airport.
Westfield Stratford City
People taking a break from watching the London Olympics might want to stop by Westfield Stratford City Shopping Center. Per an article in The Telegraph, Westfield Stratford City, which covers 1.9 million square feet, is the largest shopping center in Europe. Its official website notes that the building contains 250 retail outlets, 70 eateries, bars, a 17 screen movie theater, a bowling alley, and a casino. Visitors can spend all day perusing the shops and enjoying themselves at the bowling alley or casino. At the same time, tourists who visit Westfield Stratford City will likely get a glimpse of the diverse array of people who call London home. Per its official website, Westfield Stratford City is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and on Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. It is conveniently located next to the Olympic Park.
Highgate Cemetery
 |
| A picture of Highgate Cemetery - East by Panyd (1) |
I walked through several old cemeteries while in England, which allowed me both to view some historical markers as well as to feel like I was connected in some intangible way with England's past. Visitors to London for the 2012 Olympic Games, who want the same experience, can visit Highgate Cemetery. Per its official website, the graveyard is around 173 years old and serves as the last resting place for a number of prominent individuals, including Karl Marx, Douglas Adams (famous author), and several of Charles Dickens' relatives. The cemetery charges visitors an entry fee of $4.68 for adults and $3.11 for students. Children and teenagers who are under 16 can usually get in for free. There are additional, varying fees for guided tours. Individuals and groups who plan to visit Highgate cemetery on the weekdays and want a guided tour of the place should call 020 8340 1834 at least a week in advance. The cemetery is located on Swain's lane, which (per MapQuest) is only about four miles from Ye Olde Mitre. It is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on weekends from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Hampton Court Palace
When I was in England, I visited several famous attractions located in and around London. However, I was most impressed with Hampton Court Palace. I had the opportunity to tour a site that had hosted monarchs and other important figures. I got a sense of what life was like for people (both highborn and servants) who resided in the palace hundreds of years ago. At the same time, I was struck by the beauty of the architecture, furnishings and grounds. I would recommend Hampton Court Palace to anyone who is traveling to London to watch the Summer Olympic Games. Per its official website, Hampton Court Palace, located in Surrey, England, is only a 35 minute train ride from London Waterloo station. On July 28 and 29, the only way for visitors to reach the palace will be by train, as local roads will be closed for Olympic cycling races. Tickets are approximately $26.32 for adults and $13.22 for children and teenagers under 16 years of age. There are discounts for booking online, for students, and for groups. During the summer, Hampton Court Palace is open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (last admission time is 5:00 p.m.).
Swan Theater
Anyone visiting London for the Olympic Games (who has some free time) should catch a performance of one of William Shakespeare's plays at the Swan Theater. The theater, located in William Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, is owned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and hosts a number of plays (put on by members of the group). Per the Royal Shakespeare Company's official website, the theater only seats about 450 people. I think its small size provides a more intimate experience for theater goers like me. If you cannot book a spot at the Swan Theater, you may want to see if any spaces are available at the nearby Royal Shakespeare Theater, a larger venue which is also run by the Royal Shakespeare Company. The group also owns a theater in London, which offers a more limited selection of plays. As its website notes, the group is currently performing several Shakespearean plays at its Stratford-upon-Avon locations. It takes about 2 hours to reach the town from London by train.
1. Panyd at en.wikipedia. (2010, September). A Picture of Highgate Cemetery - East. Retrieved from
Wikimedia Commons (see linked title for photo). The author has released the photo into the
public domain via a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
The author is a freelance writer. He has a B.A. in history and took numerous British history courses while an undergraduate in college. He studied in England for six weeks during the summer between his sophomore and junior years in college and spent some time in London. He is also an avid sports fan. The author has been to Hampton Court Palace and the Swan Theater. He plans to visit Ye Olde Mitre, Highgate Cemetery and Westfield Stratford City on his next visit to London.
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #London #travel #travelguide #guide #Olympics #sites #tourism
2012 Summer Olympics U.S. Athletes: Todd Rogers
Abstract:
The Summer Olympic beach volleyball competitions run from Saturday, July 28 through Thursday, August 9. Todd Rogers is one of the athletes who will be representing the U.S. in this sport. My article provides some information on Rogers.
Per the official website of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, the beach volleyball competitions will take place between Saturday, July 28, and Thursday, August 9.
In Olympic beach volleyball, two-person teams compete against each other in head-to-head competitions. They play on a sand court, which is divided by a net. Teams try to get the ball to go over the net and fall into their opponents' side of the court. Each score is worth one point. All matches utilize a best of three sets format. In the initial two games, the first team to score 21 points (with a two point cushion) wins the contest. The third game, if necessary, is to 15 points.
Several excellent volleyball players will be representing the United States at the London Summer Olympic Games. One of these athletes is Todd Rogers.
Here is some information on this competitor that will be of interest both to volleyball fans and to casual observers. All of the data comes from USA Volleyball unless otherwise noted.
Name: Todd Rogers
Country: United States
Born: Sept. 30, 1973 (he is 38 years old)
Height: 6 feet, 2 inches
High School: San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara, Calif.
College: University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), where he majored in religious studies.
Residences: Todd Rogers was born in Santa Barbara, Calif. and currently resides in Solvang, Calif.
Marriage: He is married to Melissa Masonheimer Rogers.
Children: Todd Rogers has a 7-year-old son, Nate, and a 9-year-old daughter, Hannah.
Collegiate Success: Per his official website, Todd Rogers played indoor sixes volleyball at UCSB and earned NCAA All-American honors in 1995 and 1996. He had 783 digs in his collegiate career, which is a school record.
Professional Success: According to Beach Volleyball Database, Todd Rogers made his professional beach volleyball debut in 1995. He has won 78 doubles tournaments and earned approximately $2,025,719 over the course of his career.
Olympic History: Todd Rogers played in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he and his partner, Phil Dalhausser, won the gold medal. According to USA Today, the duo will attempt to win another gold medal when they compete in the men's beach volleyball competition at the London Summer Olympic Games.
Twitter Handle: ProfessorTodd
Nicknames: As his official website notes, he goes by several different nicknames, including Rogey, The Professor, and T-Rog.
Other Interesting Facts: Todd Rogers was an assistant men's (indoor sixes) volleyball coach at UCSB (2000-2005). He "enjoys reading, surfing, soccer and hiking." Rogers has a beach volleyball court in his backyard.
The author played recreational volleyball during his youth and early adulthood, as well as one year of club level volleyball at Roanoke College. He is an avid fan of the Olympic Games.
-- Anthony Hopper
#volleyball #mensvolleyball #sports #Olympics #SummerOlympics #London
Per the official website of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, the beach volleyball competitions will take place between Saturday, July 28, and Thursday, August 9.
In Olympic beach volleyball, two-person teams compete against each other in head-to-head competitions. They play on a sand court, which is divided by a net. Teams try to get the ball to go over the net and fall into their opponents' side of the court. Each score is worth one point. All matches utilize a best of three sets format. In the initial two games, the first team to score 21 points (with a two point cushion) wins the contest. The third game, if necessary, is to 15 points.
Several excellent volleyball players will be representing the United States at the London Summer Olympic Games. One of these athletes is Todd Rogers.
Here is some information on this competitor that will be of interest both to volleyball fans and to casual observers. All of the data comes from USA Volleyball unless otherwise noted.
Name: Todd Rogers
Country: United States
Born: Sept. 30, 1973 (he is 38 years old)
Height: 6 feet, 2 inches
High School: San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara, Calif.
College: University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), where he majored in religious studies.
Residences: Todd Rogers was born in Santa Barbara, Calif. and currently resides in Solvang, Calif.
Marriage: He is married to Melissa Masonheimer Rogers.
Children: Todd Rogers has a 7-year-old son, Nate, and a 9-year-old daughter, Hannah.
Collegiate Success: Per his official website, Todd Rogers played indoor sixes volleyball at UCSB and earned NCAA All-American honors in 1995 and 1996. He had 783 digs in his collegiate career, which is a school record.
Professional Success: According to Beach Volleyball Database, Todd Rogers made his professional beach volleyball debut in 1995. He has won 78 doubles tournaments and earned approximately $2,025,719 over the course of his career.
Olympic History: Todd Rogers played in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he and his partner, Phil Dalhausser, won the gold medal. According to USA Today, the duo will attempt to win another gold medal when they compete in the men's beach volleyball competition at the London Summer Olympic Games.
Twitter Handle: ProfessorTodd
Nicknames: As his official website notes, he goes by several different nicknames, including Rogey, The Professor, and T-Rog.
Other Interesting Facts: Todd Rogers was an assistant men's (indoor sixes) volleyball coach at UCSB (2000-2005). He "enjoys reading, surfing, soccer and hiking." Rogers has a beach volleyball court in his backyard.
The author played recreational volleyball during his youth and early adulthood, as well as one year of club level volleyball at Roanoke College. He is an avid fan of the Olympic Games.
-- Anthony Hopper
#volleyball #mensvolleyball #sports #Olympics #SummerOlympics #London
2012 Summer Olympics U.S. Athletes: Kerri Walsh
Abstract:
The Olympic women's beach volleyball competition will take place between Saturday, July 28 and Thursday, August 8. Here is some information on Kerri Walsh, one of the four women representing the United States in the tournament.
The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will begin in less than a month, and women's beach volleyball will once again be a featured sport. Per the London Olympics' official website, this event will take place between Saturday, July 28 and Thursday, August 8. A total of 24 women's doubles teams (48 women) from around the world will compete in this event. According to NBC, four women (two duos) will represent the United States in the Olympic beach volleyball tournament.
One of these four athletes is Kerri Walsh. She and her partner, Misty May-Treanor, will try to bring home the gold medal for the United States. This article provides information on Walsh that will be of interest to anyone who plans to watch the Olympic women's beach volleyball games. All of the data comes from USA Volleyball unless otherwise noted.
Name: Kerri Walsh
Age: 33
Height: 6 feet, 3 inches
College: Stanford, where she graduated with a B.A. in American Studies.
Birthplace: Santa Clara, Calif.
Resides: Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Parents: Tim and Margie Walsh
Coach: Troy Tanner
Favorite Band: Sade (per Beach Volleyball Database)
Role Models: Andre Agassi and Paul Newman (per Beach Volleyball Database)
Twitter Name: kerrileewalsh
Marriage: She married Casey Jennings, an American beach volleyball player, on Dec. 4, 2005. On her official website, she still goes by the name, Kerri Walsh.
College Career: According to her official website, Kerri Walsh played indoor sixes volleyball while at Stanford, and impressively, earned NCAA First Team All-American honors all four years (1996-1999). Per her personal website, Walsh "was … the first player in PAC-10 history to record 1,500 kills (1,553), 1,200 digs (1,285) and 500 blocks (502)."
Professional Career: Per Beach Volleyball Database, Kerri Walsh began her professional beach volleyball career in 2001. Since that time, she has won 107 doubles tournaments and has collected approximately $2,015,135 in prize money.
Olympics: Kerri Walsh has been a participant in the last three Olympic Summer Games. Per her official website, Walsh played on the U.S. indoor sixes volleyball team that finished fourth in Sydney in 2000. She then switched to playing beach volleyball. She teamed up with Misty May-Treanor for the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games and won the gold medal on both occasions. She will once again partner with May-Treanor for the London Olympics in the hopes of winning an unprecedented third gold medal in beach volleyball.
The author played recreational volleyball during his youth and early adulthood, as well as one year of club level volleyball at Roanoke College. He is an avid fan of the Olympic Games.
-- Anthony Hopper
#volleyball #sports #Olympics #SummerGames #SummerOlympics #womensvolleyball
The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will begin in less than a month, and women's beach volleyball will once again be a featured sport. Per the London Olympics' official website, this event will take place between Saturday, July 28 and Thursday, August 8. A total of 24 women's doubles teams (48 women) from around the world will compete in this event. According to NBC, four women (two duos) will represent the United States in the Olympic beach volleyball tournament.
One of these four athletes is Kerri Walsh. She and her partner, Misty May-Treanor, will try to bring home the gold medal for the United States. This article provides information on Walsh that will be of interest to anyone who plans to watch the Olympic women's beach volleyball games. All of the data comes from USA Volleyball unless otherwise noted.
Name: Kerri Walsh
Age: 33
Height: 6 feet, 3 inches
College: Stanford, where she graduated with a B.A. in American Studies.
Birthplace: Santa Clara, Calif.
Resides: Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Parents: Tim and Margie Walsh
Coach: Troy Tanner
Favorite Band: Sade (per Beach Volleyball Database)
Role Models: Andre Agassi and Paul Newman (per Beach Volleyball Database)
Twitter Name: kerrileewalsh
Marriage: She married Casey Jennings, an American beach volleyball player, on Dec. 4, 2005. On her official website, she still goes by the name, Kerri Walsh.
College Career: According to her official website, Kerri Walsh played indoor sixes volleyball while at Stanford, and impressively, earned NCAA First Team All-American honors all four years (1996-1999). Per her personal website, Walsh "was … the first player in PAC-10 history to record 1,500 kills (1,553), 1,200 digs (1,285) and 500 blocks (502)."
Professional Career: Per Beach Volleyball Database, Kerri Walsh began her professional beach volleyball career in 2001. Since that time, she has won 107 doubles tournaments and has collected approximately $2,015,135 in prize money.
Olympics: Kerri Walsh has been a participant in the last three Olympic Summer Games. Per her official website, Walsh played on the U.S. indoor sixes volleyball team that finished fourth in Sydney in 2000. She then switched to playing beach volleyball. She teamed up with Misty May-Treanor for the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games and won the gold medal on both occasions. She will once again partner with May-Treanor for the London Olympics in the hopes of winning an unprecedented third gold medal in beach volleyball.
The author played recreational volleyball during his youth and early adulthood, as well as one year of club level volleyball at Roanoke College. He is an avid fan of the Olympic Games.
-- Anthony Hopper
#volleyball #sports #Olympics #SummerGames #SummerOlympics #womensvolleyball
Summer Olympics Swimming: 10 Rules Every Fan Should Know
Abstract:
The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will feature 34 men’s and women’s swimming events, which will take place between Saturday, July 28 and Saturday, August 4. Here are 10 swimming rules that fans need to know.
Per its official website, the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will feature 34 men's and women's swimming events, which will take place between Saturday, July 28 and Saturday, August 4. Thirty-two of the races will be held in a 50-meter (54.68 yard) long by 25 meter (27.34 yard) wide swimming pool in the Aquatics Center, located in the Olympic Park. The men's and women's 10-kilometer (6.21 mile) marathon swimming competitions will take place at Hyde Park.
Athletes in these events will compete against each other at various distances. Depending on the type of race, the competitors will propel themselves forward by using one of four strokes-the front crawl, the backstroke, the breaststroke, or the butterfly. Swimmers competing in events that are longer than 50 meters, except for the marathon swimming competition, may have to swim the length of the pool several times.
At the 2012 London Summer Olympics, the swimming competitions will rely on rules promulgated by the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA), the sport's governing body.
Here are 10 FINA rules that fans need to know. All of the information comes from FINA's official website unless otherwise noted.
False Starts: Depending on the event, some of the swimmers will begin the race by jumping from platforms located on the pool deck, while other athletes will start from the water. In every case, a swimmer will be disqualified if he or she begins the race before the start signal is given.
Swimming Lanes: Athletes in all of the events, except for marathon swimming, have to remain in their swimming lanes. An individual who crosses into a competitor's lane may be disqualified.
Lane Ropes: Swimmers are not allowed to pull on the lane ropes.
Touching the End of the Pool: Athletes in all of the events, except for marathon swimming, must make physical contact with the end of the pool when turning to begin the next lap.
Swimming Gear: Swimmers cannot use (or wear) any gear that helps them move through the water. For instance, athletes are not allowed to wear flippers. Swimmers can use goggles.
Pace Setting: Swimmers are not allowed to utilize any individual (eg. a coach) or device to help them maintain a certain pace.
Medley Races: Swimmers competing in individual medley events must dedicate a quarter of the race to each of these strokes: the butterfly stroke, the backstroke, the breaststroke, and the freestyle stroke. In medley relay races, four-person teams will compete against each other. As Sports Illustrated notes, the squad's first swimmer will use a backstroke; its second competitor will utilize a breaststroke; its third swimmer will rely on a butterfly stroke; and he team's final athlete must swim freestyle.
Freestyle: According to FINA, an athlete in a freestyle event can use any swim stroke that he or she chooses. In medley races, FINA mandates that freestyle movements cannot be backstrokes, butterfly strokes, or breaststrokes.
Relays: Teams consist of four swimmers each. A squad will be disqualified if one of its members leaves the starting block before the preceding swimmer touches the wall.
Medley Relay Teams: Before the start of a race, teams have to determine which of their members will perform each of the four strokes and let the officials know. A squad will be disqualified if one of its members does not perform the correct stroke (eg. he or she uses a backstroke instead of a breaststroke).
1. Photographer: Sander.v.Ginkel
Date: July 31, 2012
Title/Description: Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Men's 200m Breaststroke heat 5
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Unported license (click on the title or the caption to see the photo, credits, and permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #Olympics #SummerOlympics #SummerGames #rules #swimming #FINA
 |
| 2012 Summer Olympics, Men's 200 m Breaststroke - Heat 5 |
Athletes in these events will compete against each other at various distances. Depending on the type of race, the competitors will propel themselves forward by using one of four strokes-the front crawl, the backstroke, the breaststroke, or the butterfly. Swimmers competing in events that are longer than 50 meters, except for the marathon swimming competition, may have to swim the length of the pool several times.
At the 2012 London Summer Olympics, the swimming competitions will rely on rules promulgated by the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA), the sport's governing body.
Here are 10 FINA rules that fans need to know. All of the information comes from FINA's official website unless otherwise noted.
False Starts: Depending on the event, some of the swimmers will begin the race by jumping from platforms located on the pool deck, while other athletes will start from the water. In every case, a swimmer will be disqualified if he or she begins the race before the start signal is given.
Swimming Lanes: Athletes in all of the events, except for marathon swimming, have to remain in their swimming lanes. An individual who crosses into a competitor's lane may be disqualified.
Lane Ropes: Swimmers are not allowed to pull on the lane ropes.
Touching the End of the Pool: Athletes in all of the events, except for marathon swimming, must make physical contact with the end of the pool when turning to begin the next lap.
Swimming Gear: Swimmers cannot use (or wear) any gear that helps them move through the water. For instance, athletes are not allowed to wear flippers. Swimmers can use goggles.
Pace Setting: Swimmers are not allowed to utilize any individual (eg. a coach) or device to help them maintain a certain pace.
Medley Races: Swimmers competing in individual medley events must dedicate a quarter of the race to each of these strokes: the butterfly stroke, the backstroke, the breaststroke, and the freestyle stroke. In medley relay races, four-person teams will compete against each other. As Sports Illustrated notes, the squad's first swimmer will use a backstroke; its second competitor will utilize a breaststroke; its third swimmer will rely on a butterfly stroke; and he team's final athlete must swim freestyle.
Freestyle: According to FINA, an athlete in a freestyle event can use any swim stroke that he or she chooses. In medley races, FINA mandates that freestyle movements cannot be backstrokes, butterfly strokes, or breaststrokes.
Relays: Teams consist of four swimmers each. A squad will be disqualified if one of its members leaves the starting block before the preceding swimmer touches the wall.
Medley Relay Teams: Before the start of a race, teams have to determine which of their members will perform each of the four strokes and let the officials know. A squad will be disqualified if one of its members does not perform the correct stroke (eg. he or she uses a backstroke instead of a breaststroke).
1. Photographer: Sander.v.Ginkel
Date: July 31, 2012
Title/Description: Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Men's 200m Breaststroke heat 5
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Unported license (click on the title or the caption to see the photo, credits, and permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #Olympics #SummerOlympics #SummerGames #rules #swimming #FINA
2012 Summer Olympics: TV Schedule for Sunday, August 12
Abstract:
Here is a comprehensive guide to the Olympic events that will be airing on American television on Sunday, Aug. 12. All times are in EDT. Times and events are subject to change.
The 2012 Summer Olympics conclude on Sunday, Aug. 12, but not before giving fans a full day's worth of Games to watch. On Sunday, the men's basketball, volleyball, handball, and water polo tournaments will crown their champions. Individuals will compete for gold medals in track and field, boxing, wrestling, and other sports. Fans of the Olympics will not want to miss the London Summer Games' last day.
Here is a comprehensive guide to the Olympic events that will be airing on American television on Sunday, Aug. 12. All times are in EDT. Times and events are subject to change.
Don't Miss These Events
10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Men's basketball gold medal game, teams TBD, NBC
2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. The women's pentathlon finishes up with the riding and combined competitions, NBCSN
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Men's volleyball gold medal game, teams TBD, NBC
Basketball
6:00 a.m. - 7:45 a.m. Men's bronze medal game: teams TBD, NBCSN
6:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. Men's bronze medal game: teams TBD, Basketball Channel (also on NBCSN)
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Men's bronze medal game: teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Coverage will include portions of the men's basketball games, Telemundo
10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Men's gold medal game, teams TBD, NBC
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Men's gold medal game, teams TBD, Basketball Channel (also on NBC)
1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Men's gold medal game, teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Men's gold medal game, teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
Boxing
3:00 a.m. - 4:00 a.m. Featured bouts from Aug. 11, CNBC
8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Finals in the men's flyweight, lightweight, welterweight, light heavyweight, and super heavyweight events, CNBC
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. A portion of the telecast will show some of the men's boxing finals, Telemundo
Cycling
8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Men's mountain bike final, MSNBC
Diving
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Part of the telecast will focus on Aug. 11 semifinals and finals in the men's 10 meter platform event, Telemundo
1:30 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. Semifinals and finals in the men's 10 meter platform event will be shown during a portion of the coverage (replay), NBC
Handball
7:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Men's bronze medal match: teams TBD, NBCSN
10:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Men's gold medal match: teams TBD, NBCSN
Modern Pentathlon
9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Women's fencing and swimming, NBCSN
2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. The women's pentathlon finishes up with the riding and combined competitions, NBCSN
Track and Field
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. A portion of the telecast will focus on the men's track and field highlights from Aug. 11, Telemundo
1:30 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. The finals in the men's 4X100 and the women's 4X400 relays will be shown during a portion of this telecast (replay), NBC
6:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Men's marathon, NBC
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. A portion of this telecast will focus on the men's marathon, Telemundo
Volleyball
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. A portion of the coverage will show highlights from the women's gold medal match from Aug. 11, Telemundo
1:30 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. A portion of the telecast will include coverage of the women's gold medal game: Brazil vs. United States (replay), NBC
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. A portion of the telecast will focus on the men's gold medal game: teams TBD, Telemundo
12:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Men's bronze medal game: teams TBD, NBCSN
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Men's gold medal game: teams TBD, NBC
Water Polo
9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Men's bronze medal game: teams TBD, NBCSN
12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Men's gold medal game: teams TBD, NBC
Wrestling
12:30 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. Finals in the men's 60 kilogram, 84 kilogram, and 120 kilogram freestyle events from Aug. 11, NBC
7:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Qualifying in the men's 66 kilogram and 96 kilogram freestyle events, MSNBC
-- Anthony Hopper
#Olympics #SummerOlympics #2012Olympics #London #LondonOlympics #television #TV #guide #schedule
 |
| Courtesy of Microsoft Office |
Here is a comprehensive guide to the Olympic events that will be airing on American television on Sunday, Aug. 12. All times are in EDT. Times and events are subject to change.
Don't Miss These Events
10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Men's basketball gold medal game, teams TBD, NBC
2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. The women's pentathlon finishes up with the riding and combined competitions, NBCSN
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Men's volleyball gold medal game, teams TBD, NBC
Basketball
6:00 a.m. - 7:45 a.m. Men's bronze medal game: teams TBD, NBCSN
6:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. Men's bronze medal game: teams TBD, Basketball Channel (also on NBCSN)
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Men's bronze medal game: teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Coverage will include portions of the men's basketball games, Telemundo
10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Men's gold medal game, teams TBD, NBC
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Men's gold medal game, teams TBD, Basketball Channel (also on NBC)
1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Men's gold medal game, teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Men's gold medal game, teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
Boxing
3:00 a.m. - 4:00 a.m. Featured bouts from Aug. 11, CNBC
8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Finals in the men's flyweight, lightweight, welterweight, light heavyweight, and super heavyweight events, CNBC
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. A portion of the telecast will show some of the men's boxing finals, Telemundo
Cycling
8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Men's mountain bike final, MSNBC
Diving
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Part of the telecast will focus on Aug. 11 semifinals and finals in the men's 10 meter platform event, Telemundo
1:30 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. Semifinals and finals in the men's 10 meter platform event will be shown during a portion of the coverage (replay), NBC
Handball
7:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Men's bronze medal match: teams TBD, NBCSN
10:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Men's gold medal match: teams TBD, NBCSN
Modern Pentathlon
9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Women's fencing and swimming, NBCSN
2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. The women's pentathlon finishes up with the riding and combined competitions, NBCSN
Track and Field
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. A portion of the telecast will focus on the men's track and field highlights from Aug. 11, Telemundo
1:30 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. The finals in the men's 4X100 and the women's 4X400 relays will be shown during a portion of this telecast (replay), NBC
6:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Men's marathon, NBC
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. A portion of this telecast will focus on the men's marathon, Telemundo
Volleyball
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. A portion of the coverage will show highlights from the women's gold medal match from Aug. 11, Telemundo
1:30 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. A portion of the telecast will include coverage of the women's gold medal game: Brazil vs. United States (replay), NBC
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. A portion of the telecast will focus on the men's gold medal game: teams TBD, Telemundo
12:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Men's bronze medal game: teams TBD, NBCSN
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Men's gold medal game: teams TBD, NBC
Water Polo
9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Men's bronze medal game: teams TBD, NBCSN
12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Men's gold medal game: teams TBD, NBC
Wrestling
12:30 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. Finals in the men's 60 kilogram, 84 kilogram, and 120 kilogram freestyle events from Aug. 11, NBC
7:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Qualifying in the men's 66 kilogram and 96 kilogram freestyle events, MSNBC
-- Anthony Hopper
#Olympics #SummerOlympics #2012Olympics #London #LondonOlympics #television #TV #guide #schedule
2012 Summer Olympics: TV schedule for Wednesday, August 8
Abstract:
A number of exciting Olympic competitions are taking place on Wednesday, Aug. 8. This guide will provide you with a comprehensive list of the Olympic contests that will be aired on U.S. television on that day.
The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games are hitting the homestretch on Wednesday, Aug. 8. There are only a few more days to go before the closing ceremonies on Sunday, Aug. 12. Some of the most exciting competitions will take place during these last few days, including finals and semifinals in many of the Olympic team sports.
This guide will provide you with a comprehensive list of the Olympic contests that will be aired on U.S. television on Wednesday, Aug. 8. All times are EDT. Times and events are subject to change, especially for prime time coverage.
Don't Miss These Events
12:45 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. Finals in the men's kayak single (k-1) 1000 meter, the men's kayak double (K-2) 1000 meter, the men's canoe single (C-1) 1000 meter, and the women's kayak four (K-4) 500 meter events, NBC
3:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. Men's basketball, two quarterfinal games (third and fourth matches): teams TBD, NBCSN
8:00 p.m. - 11:05 p.m. Prime time coverage will include the women's beach volleyball final, NBC
Basketball
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Men's quarterfinals (first game): teams TBD, NBCSN
9:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Men's quarterfinals (first game): teams TBD, Basketball Channel (also on NBCSN)
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Coverage will include a look at men's basketball quarterfinal action, Telemundo
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (second game): teams TBD, NBCSN
11:15 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (second game): teams TBD, Basketball Channel (also on
NBCSN)
1:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (first or second game): teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
2:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (third game): teams TBD, Basketball Channel
3:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. Two men's quarterfinal games (third and fourth matches): teams TBD, NBCSN
5:15 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (fourth game): teams TBD, Basketball Channel
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinal: teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
Beach Volleyball
1:35 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. A portion of the coverage will focus on a women's beach volleyball semifinal match from Aug. 7 (replay), NBC
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Coverage will include the women's bronze medal match in beach volleyball, Telemundo
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Women's bronze medal match, NBC
8:00 p.m. - 11:05 p.m. Prime time coverage will include the women's beach volleyball final, NBC
Boxing
3:00 a.m. - 4:00 a.m. Featured bouts from Aug. 7, CNBC
1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Women's semifinals in the flyweight, lightweight and middleweight classes, NBCSN
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Quarterfinals in the men's light flyweight, light welterweight, and light heavyweight events, CNBC
Canoe/Kayak
12:45 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. Finals in the men's kayak single (k-1) 1000 meter, the men's kayak double (K-2) 1000 meter, the men's canoe single (C-1) 1000 meter, and the women's kayak four (K-4) 500 meter events, NBC
Cycling
1:35 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. Portions of the telecast will focus on track cycling races (replay), NBC
4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Men's BMX qualifying, NBC
Diving
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Part of the telecast will cover the men's three meter springboard finals from Aug. 7, Telemundo
1:35 a.m. - 4:30 a.m. Finals in the men's three meter springboard event (replay), NBC
8:00 p.m. - 11:05 p.m. Qualifying in the women's 10 meter platform event during a portion of the telecast, NBC
Equestrian
10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Individual jumping final, NBC
Field Hockey
2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Women's field hockey semifinal game: teams TBD, NBCSN
Gymnastics
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. A look back at the gymnastics action from Aug. 7 (may include highlights from the men's parallel bars, the men's horizontal bar, and the women's floor exercise events), Telemundo
Handball
6:00 a.m. - 7:45 a.m. Men quarterfinal game: teams TBD, NBCSN
Soccer
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Women's semifinal from Aug. 6: France vs. Japan (replay), Soccer Channel
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Women's semifinal from Aug. 6: Canada vs. United States (replay), Soccer Channel
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Men's semifinal game from Aug. 7: Mexico vs. Japan (replay), Soccer Channel
4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Men's semifinal game from Aug. 7: South Korea vs. Brazil (replay), Soccer Channel
6:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. All four men's and women's semifinal games (replays), Soccer Channel
Table Tennis
7:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Men's team (doubles) bronze medal match, NBCSN
1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Men's team (doubles) final, MSNBC
Track and Field
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Coverage will include highlights of the track and field action that occurred on Aug. 7, Telemundo
12:35 a.m. - 1:35 a.m. A portion of the telecast will show the finals in the men's discus throw, NBC
1:35 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. Coverage of track and field events during a portion of this broadcast (replay), NBC
10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Qualifying heats in multiple events, NBC
1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Qualifying rounds in the men's pole vault, the men's 5000 meter, the women's 800 meter, and possibly other track and field events, NBC
4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Track and field coverage, including some of the men's decathlon, NBC
8:00 p.m. - 11:05 p.m. Coverage of the men's 110 meter hurdles final during a portion of this broadcast, NBC
Volleyball
9:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Men's quarterfinals (first game): teams TBD, MSNBC
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. A portion of the coverage will focus on the men's volleyball quarterfinals, Telemundo
11:00 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (second game): teams TBD, NBC
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (third game): teams TBD, MSNBC
4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (fourth game): teams TBD, MSNBC
Water Polo
10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (first game): teams TBD, MSNBC
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (second game): teams TBD, MSNBC
1:30 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (third game): teams TBD, MSNBC
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (fourth game): teams TBD, NBC
Wrestling
4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Women's freestyle finals in the 48 kilogram and 63 kilogram weight categories, MSNBC
-- Anthony Hopper
#televisionguide #television #TVguide #guide #SummerOlympics #Olympics #London #TV #sports #games
The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games are hitting the homestretch on Wednesday, Aug. 8. There are only a few more days to go before the closing ceremonies on Sunday, Aug. 12. Some of the most exciting competitions will take place during these last few days, including finals and semifinals in many of the Olympic team sports.
|
| Courtesy Microsoft Office |
This guide will provide you with a comprehensive list of the Olympic contests that will be aired on U.S. television on Wednesday, Aug. 8. All times are EDT. Times and events are subject to change, especially for prime time coverage.
Don't Miss These Events
12:45 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. Finals in the men's kayak single (k-1) 1000 meter, the men's kayak double (K-2) 1000 meter, the men's canoe single (C-1) 1000 meter, and the women's kayak four (K-4) 500 meter events, NBC
3:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. Men's basketball, two quarterfinal games (third and fourth matches): teams TBD, NBCSN
8:00 p.m. - 11:05 p.m. Prime time coverage will include the women's beach volleyball final, NBC
Basketball
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Men's quarterfinals (first game): teams TBD, NBCSN
9:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Men's quarterfinals (first game): teams TBD, Basketball Channel (also on NBCSN)
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Coverage will include a look at men's basketball quarterfinal action, Telemundo
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (second game): teams TBD, NBCSN
11:15 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (second game): teams TBD, Basketball Channel (also on
NBCSN)
1:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (first or second game): teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
2:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (third game): teams TBD, Basketball Channel
3:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. Two men's quarterfinal games (third and fourth matches): teams TBD, NBCSN
5:15 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (fourth game): teams TBD, Basketball Channel
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinal: teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
Beach Volleyball
1:35 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. A portion of the coverage will focus on a women's beach volleyball semifinal match from Aug. 7 (replay), NBC
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Coverage will include the women's bronze medal match in beach volleyball, Telemundo
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Women's bronze medal match, NBC
8:00 p.m. - 11:05 p.m. Prime time coverage will include the women's beach volleyball final, NBC
Boxing
3:00 a.m. - 4:00 a.m. Featured bouts from Aug. 7, CNBC
1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Women's semifinals in the flyweight, lightweight and middleweight classes, NBCSN
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Quarterfinals in the men's light flyweight, light welterweight, and light heavyweight events, CNBC
Canoe/Kayak
12:45 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. Finals in the men's kayak single (k-1) 1000 meter, the men's kayak double (K-2) 1000 meter, the men's canoe single (C-1) 1000 meter, and the women's kayak four (K-4) 500 meter events, NBC
Cycling
1:35 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. Portions of the telecast will focus on track cycling races (replay), NBC
4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Men's BMX qualifying, NBC
Diving
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Part of the telecast will cover the men's three meter springboard finals from Aug. 7, Telemundo
1:35 a.m. - 4:30 a.m. Finals in the men's three meter springboard event (replay), NBC
8:00 p.m. - 11:05 p.m. Qualifying in the women's 10 meter platform event during a portion of the telecast, NBC
Equestrian
10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Individual jumping final, NBC
Field Hockey
2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Women's field hockey semifinal game: teams TBD, NBCSN
Gymnastics
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. A look back at the gymnastics action from Aug. 7 (may include highlights from the men's parallel bars, the men's horizontal bar, and the women's floor exercise events), Telemundo
Handball
6:00 a.m. - 7:45 a.m. Men quarterfinal game: teams TBD, NBCSN
Soccer
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Women's semifinal from Aug. 6: France vs. Japan (replay), Soccer Channel
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Women's semifinal from Aug. 6: Canada vs. United States (replay), Soccer Channel
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Men's semifinal game from Aug. 7: Mexico vs. Japan (replay), Soccer Channel
4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Men's semifinal game from Aug. 7: South Korea vs. Brazil (replay), Soccer Channel
6:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. All four men's and women's semifinal games (replays), Soccer Channel
Table Tennis
7:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Men's team (doubles) bronze medal match, NBCSN
1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Men's team (doubles) final, MSNBC
Track and Field
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Coverage will include highlights of the track and field action that occurred on Aug. 7, Telemundo
12:35 a.m. - 1:35 a.m. A portion of the telecast will show the finals in the men's discus throw, NBC
1:35 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. Coverage of track and field events during a portion of this broadcast (replay), NBC
10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Qualifying heats in multiple events, NBC
1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Qualifying rounds in the men's pole vault, the men's 5000 meter, the women's 800 meter, and possibly other track and field events, NBC
4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Track and field coverage, including some of the men's decathlon, NBC
8:00 p.m. - 11:05 p.m. Coverage of the men's 110 meter hurdles final during a portion of this broadcast, NBC
Volleyball
9:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Men's quarterfinals (first game): teams TBD, MSNBC
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. A portion of the coverage will focus on the men's volleyball quarterfinals, Telemundo
11:00 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (second game): teams TBD, NBC
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (third game): teams TBD, MSNBC
4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (fourth game): teams TBD, MSNBC
Water Polo
10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (first game): teams TBD, MSNBC
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (second game): teams TBD, MSNBC
1:30 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (third game): teams TBD, MSNBC
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Men's quarterfinals (fourth game): teams TBD, NBC
Wrestling
4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Women's freestyle finals in the 48 kilogram and 63 kilogram weight categories, MSNBC
-- Anthony Hopper
#televisionguide #television #TVguide #guide #SummerOlympics #Olympics #London #TV #sports #games
2012 Summer Olympics: TV schedule for Tuesday, August 7
Abstract:
A number of exciting Olympic competitions are taking place on Tuesday, Aug. 7. This guide will provide you with a comprehensive list of the Olympic contests that will be aired on U.S. television on that day.
A number of exciting Olympic competitions are taking place on Tuesday, Aug. 7. The women's basketball tournament enters the sudden death stage. Teams have to win or go home from this point onwards. In other action, four soccer teams will compete in semifinal matches to see who makes it to the gold medal game. And track and field is just heating up, with plenty of men's and women's events going on throughout the morning and early afternoon. These are just some of the many sporting contests that will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 7.
This guide will provide you with a comprehensive list of the Olympic contests that will be aired on U.S. television on Tuesday, Aug. 7. All times are EDT. Times and events are subject to change, especially for prime time coverage.
Don't miss
9:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Women's basketball quarterfinals (first game): United States vs. Canada, NBCSN
12:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Men's soccer semifinals: Mexico vs. Japan, NBCSN
8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Prime time coverage will include a women's beach volleyball semifinal match, NBC
Basketball
9:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Women's quarterfinals (first game): United States vs. Canada, NBCSN
9:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Women's quarterfinals (first game): United States vs. Canada, Basketball Channel (also on NBCSN)
11:15 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (second game): Australia vs. China, Basketball Channel
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (first or second game): teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
3:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (third game): Turkey vs. Russia, Basketball Channel
4:30 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (third game): Turkey vs. Russia, NBCSN
5:15 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (fourth game): France vs. Czech Republic, Basketball Channel
5:15 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (fourth game): France vs. Czech Republic, NBCSN (also on the Basketball Channel)
7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals: teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
Beach Volleyball
1:35 a.m. - 4:30 a.m. A portion of the coverage will focus on a men's beach volleyball quarterfinal match from Aug. 6 (replay), NBC
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Coverage of volleyball action during a portion of the telecast, Telemundo
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. A women's semifinal followed by a men's semifinal, MSNBC
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Men's semifinal match, NBC
8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Prime time coverage will include a women's beach volleyball semifinal match, NBC
Boxing
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Highlights from the Aug. 6 boxing contests will be shown during a portion of this telecast, Telemundo
3:00 a.m. - 4:00 a.m. Featured bouts from Aug. 6, CNBC
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Part of the telecast will be dedicated to the men's quarterfinals in the flyweight and welterweight classes, Telemundo
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Quarterfinals in the men's flyweight and welterweight events, CNBC
Canoe/Kayak
8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Qualifying heats in multiple canoe and kayak events, NBCSN
Cycling
12:35 a.m. - 1:35 a.m. Coverage of the women's omnium (which is making its debut as an Olympic event) during a portion of the telecast, NBC
1:35 a.m. - 4:30 a.m. Portions of the telecast will show the men's sprint final (replay), NBC
5:00 a.m. - 6:30 a.m. Coverage of track cycling, which may include the men's keirin, the women's sprint, and the women's omnium events, NBCSN
11:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. The second round of the men's keirin, NBC
1:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. Men's keirin final, NBC
Diving
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Part of the telecast may cover the men's three meter springboard action from Aug. 6, Telemundo
1:35 a.m. - 4:30 a.m. Qualifying rounds in the men's three meter springboard will be shown during a portion of this telecast (replay), NBC
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. A portion of the telecast might focus on the men's three meter springboard semifinal, Telemundo
1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. The men's three meter springboard semifinal, NBC
Equestrian
10:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Team dressage final, NBCSN
Field Hockey
4:00 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. Men's preliminary round (Group B): South Korea vs. the Netherlands, NBCSN
Gymnastics
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. A look back at the gymnastics action from Aug. 6, Telemundo
1:35 a.m. - 4:30 a.m. Part of the telecast will focus on the (Aug. 6) gymnastics apparatus finals (replay), NBC
8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. A portion of the telecast will focus on the gymnastics apparatus finals (likely the men's parallel bars, the men's horizontal bar, the women's floor exercise, and the women's beam), NBC
Handball
11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (first game): teams TBD, NBCSN
1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (second game): teams TBD, NBCSN
Soccer
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Coverage of the men's soccer semifinals during a portion of the telecast, Telemundo
12:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Men's semifinals: Mexico vs. Japan, NBCSN
12:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Men's semifinals: Mexico vs. Japan, Soccer Channel (also on NBCSN)
2:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Men's semifinals: South Korea vs. Brazil, NBCSN
Synchronized Swimming
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Coverage may include a look at the duets final in synchronized swimming, Telemundo
4:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. Duets final, MSNBC
Table Tennis
2:00 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. Women's team (doubles) final, MSNBC
Track and Field
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Coverage will include highlights of the track and field action that occurred on Aug. 6, Telemundo
12:35 a.m. - 1:35 a.m. A portion of the telecast will show the finals in the women's steeplechase and the women's shot put, NBC
1:35 a.m. - 4:30 a.m. The men's 400 meter final will be shown during a portion of this broadcast (replay), NBC
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. A portion of the telecast will look at the day's track and field events, Telemundo
10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Qualifying round action in track and field, including coverage of the men's 110 meter hurdles, the men's 200 meter, and the women's 5000 meter, NBC
11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Qualifying round action in track and field, including coverage of the men's 110 meter hurdles, the men's 200 meter, and the women's 5000 meter, NBC
12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Qualifying round action in track and field, including coverage of the men's 110 meter hurdles, the men's 200 meter, and the women's 5000 meter, NBC
8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Coverage of track and field events during a portion of this broadcast, NBC
Triathlon
6:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Men's triathlon, NBCSN
Volleyball
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Coverage may include a look at some of the day's women's volleyball action, Telemundo
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Two women's quarterfinal matches: Japan vs. China and Russia vs. Brazil, MSNBC
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals: United States vs. Dominican Republic, NBC
5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals: Italy vs. Korea, MSNBC
Water Polo
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Women's semifinals (first game): United States vs. Australia or Hungary vs. Spain, NBC
2:40 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Women's semifinals (second game): United States vs. Australia or Hungary vs. Spain, MSNBC
Wrestling
4:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Finals in the men's 66 kilogram and 96 kilogram competitions, MSNBC
-- Anthony Hopper
#televisionguide #television #TVguide #guide #SummerOlympics #Olympics #London #TV #sports #games
A number of exciting Olympic competitions are taking place on Tuesday, Aug. 7. The women's basketball tournament enters the sudden death stage. Teams have to win or go home from this point onwards. In other action, four soccer teams will compete in semifinal matches to see who makes it to the gold medal game. And track and field is just heating up, with plenty of men's and women's events going on throughout the morning and early afternoon. These are just some of the many sporting contests that will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 7.
|
| Courtesy of Microsoft Office |
This guide will provide you with a comprehensive list of the Olympic contests that will be aired on U.S. television on Tuesday, Aug. 7. All times are EDT. Times and events are subject to change, especially for prime time coverage.
Don't miss
9:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Women's basketball quarterfinals (first game): United States vs. Canada, NBCSN
12:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Men's soccer semifinals: Mexico vs. Japan, NBCSN
8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Prime time coverage will include a women's beach volleyball semifinal match, NBC
Basketball
9:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Women's quarterfinals (first game): United States vs. Canada, NBCSN
9:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Women's quarterfinals (first game): United States vs. Canada, Basketball Channel (also on NBCSN)
11:15 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (second game): Australia vs. China, Basketball Channel
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (first or second game): teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
3:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (third game): Turkey vs. Russia, Basketball Channel
4:30 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (third game): Turkey vs. Russia, NBCSN
5:15 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (fourth game): France vs. Czech Republic, Basketball Channel
5:15 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (fourth game): France vs. Czech Republic, NBCSN (also on the Basketball Channel)
7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals: teams TBD (replay), Basketball Channel
Beach Volleyball
1:35 a.m. - 4:30 a.m. A portion of the coverage will focus on a men's beach volleyball quarterfinal match from Aug. 6 (replay), NBC
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Coverage of volleyball action during a portion of the telecast, Telemundo
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. A women's semifinal followed by a men's semifinal, MSNBC
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Men's semifinal match, NBC
8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Prime time coverage will include a women's beach volleyball semifinal match, NBC
Boxing
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Highlights from the Aug. 6 boxing contests will be shown during a portion of this telecast, Telemundo
3:00 a.m. - 4:00 a.m. Featured bouts from Aug. 6, CNBC
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Part of the telecast will be dedicated to the men's quarterfinals in the flyweight and welterweight classes, Telemundo
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Quarterfinals in the men's flyweight and welterweight events, CNBC
Canoe/Kayak
8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Qualifying heats in multiple canoe and kayak events, NBCSN
Cycling
12:35 a.m. - 1:35 a.m. Coverage of the women's omnium (which is making its debut as an Olympic event) during a portion of the telecast, NBC
1:35 a.m. - 4:30 a.m. Portions of the telecast will show the men's sprint final (replay), NBC
5:00 a.m. - 6:30 a.m. Coverage of track cycling, which may include the men's keirin, the women's sprint, and the women's omnium events, NBCSN
11:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. The second round of the men's keirin, NBC
1:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. Men's keirin final, NBC
Diving
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Part of the telecast may cover the men's three meter springboard action from Aug. 6, Telemundo
1:35 a.m. - 4:30 a.m. Qualifying rounds in the men's three meter springboard will be shown during a portion of this telecast (replay), NBC
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. A portion of the telecast might focus on the men's three meter springboard semifinal, Telemundo
1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. The men's three meter springboard semifinal, NBC
Equestrian
10:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Team dressage final, NBCSN
Field Hockey
4:00 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. Men's preliminary round (Group B): South Korea vs. the Netherlands, NBCSN
Gymnastics
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. A look back at the gymnastics action from Aug. 6, Telemundo
1:35 a.m. - 4:30 a.m. Part of the telecast will focus on the (Aug. 6) gymnastics apparatus finals (replay), NBC
8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. A portion of the telecast will focus on the gymnastics apparatus finals (likely the men's parallel bars, the men's horizontal bar, the women's floor exercise, and the women's beam), NBC
Handball
11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (first game): teams TBD, NBCSN
1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Women's quarterfinals (second game): teams TBD, NBCSN
Soccer
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Coverage of the men's soccer semifinals during a portion of the telecast, Telemundo
12:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Men's semifinals: Mexico vs. Japan, NBCSN
12:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Men's semifinals: Mexico vs. Japan, Soccer Channel (also on NBCSN)
2:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Men's semifinals: South Korea vs. Brazil, NBCSN
Synchronized Swimming
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Coverage may include a look at the duets final in synchronized swimming, Telemundo
4:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. Duets final, MSNBC
Table Tennis
2:00 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. Women's team (doubles) final, MSNBC
Track and Field
12:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Coverage will include highlights of the track and field action that occurred on Aug. 6, Telemundo
12:35 a.m. - 1:35 a.m. A portion of the telecast will show the finals in the women's steeplechase and the women's shot put, NBC
1:35 a.m. - 4:30 a.m. The men's 400 meter final will be shown during a portion of this broadcast (replay), NBC
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. A portion of the telecast will look at the day's track and field events, Telemundo
10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Qualifying round action in track and field, including coverage of the men's 110 meter hurdles, the men's 200 meter, and the women's 5000 meter, NBC
11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Qualifying round action in track and field, including coverage of the men's 110 meter hurdles, the men's 200 meter, and the women's 5000 meter, NBC
12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Qualifying round action in track and field, including coverage of the men's 110 meter hurdles, the men's 200 meter, and the women's 5000 meter, NBC
8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Coverage of track and field events during a portion of this broadcast, NBC
Triathlon
6:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Men's triathlon, NBCSN
Volleyball
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Coverage may include a look at some of the day's women's volleyball action, Telemundo
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Two women's quarterfinal matches: Japan vs. China and Russia vs. Brazil, MSNBC
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals: United States vs. Dominican Republic, NBC
5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Women's quarterfinals: Italy vs. Korea, MSNBC
Water Polo
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Women's semifinals (first game): United States vs. Australia or Hungary vs. Spain, NBC
2:40 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Women's semifinals (second game): United States vs. Australia or Hungary vs. Spain, MSNBC
Wrestling
4:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Finals in the men's 66 kilogram and 96 kilogram competitions, MSNBC
-- Anthony Hopper
#televisionguide #television #TVguide #guide #SummerOlympics #Olympics #London #TV #sports #games
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