London 2010 - The Summer Games

2012 Olympics Sports stock icons.

2012-07-29T01:27:39Z

Olympics Women's Beach Volleyball Preview

2012-07-29T01:21:52Z

Olympics Women's Beach Volleyball Preview:

Olympics 2012 Women's Beach Volleyball Preview

Stuck post

2012-07-21T17:20:48Z

I think I have a post stuck in a moderation queue from a couple of weeks ago on this LJ. Can someone please fix it for me cosit's stopping me posting anything with links?

Japan v Mexico (pre Olympics friendly)

2012-07-21T16:56:14Z

This afternoon, I went to see Japan's second Olympics warm-up game this week at Nottingham Forest's City Ground, and Mexico gave them a much better game than Belarus did earlier in the week. Both teams showed real flare in attack and produced some exciting football.

I must admit I was a little worried in the opening minute that it was going to be a bit of a slaughter when Japan scored against a Mexican defence that hadn't yet got to grips with the pace of the game. But Mexico rallied well and equalised with a belter of a goal just before half time.

The crowd was more equal as well, with roughly half and half noisy Japanese and noisy Mexicans, compared with not a Belarus fan in sight earlier in the week. The attendance was 2720, well up on the 800 that watched the Belarus game.

When the second half got a little scrappy, the Mexicans lived up to their name and started a Mexican wave, but as the crowd were only along one side of the ground it soon petered out. So they tried again, maybe on the vain hope that it would somehow find its way round the three empty sides, but it didn't, so they gave up.

As the second half progressed, both sides were clearly hoping for a winner, and both had their chances, but it was Japan who took the spoils with a late goal curled into to the top corner.

Both these teams look like they will be tough to beat when the tournament starts proper next week.

Olympics warm-up

2012-07-18T15:50:52Z

I went to see Belarus v Japan today in an Olympic warm-up match at Nottingham Forest's City Ground.

Japan finished 1-0 up, and they deserved to win. At times their midfield was running rings round the Belarus midfield. Both teams created chances though, but the finishing all round was poor.

Japan's winner was late in the second half, and a good goal. This briefly spurred Belarus into their best spell.

Not a great match, but good value for a fiver. The crowd was just short of 800, mostly Japanese.

Mexico and Japan have a friendly there on Saturday, so I might give that a go as well.

Olympics football previews

2012-05-30T18:03:48Z

Preview of the men's and women's groups in the football:

Men's Group A: Great Britain, Senegal, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay

Men's Group B: Gabon, Mexico, South Korea and Switzerland

Men's Group C: Belarus, Brazil, Egypt and New Zealand

Men's Group D: Honduras, Japan, Morocco and Spain

Women's Group E: Brazil, Cameroon, Great Britain and New Zealand

Women's Group F: Canada, Japan, South Africa and Sweden

Women's Group G: Columbia, France, North Korea and the USA

Rio 2016 Unveiling!!

2011-08-26T14:15:59Z

Breaking news: Rio 2016 Olympic Park plan unveiled!

New article talking about the one year

2011-07-27T17:12:59Z

London 2012 celebrates one year to go
27 Jul 2011

With one year to go until the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, preparations are on track and London’s vision to host a Games that inspires the world is set to become reality.

The Games next year will mark the end of a decade-long project, after London won the bid in 2005 based on a vision to stage Games that would have athletes at its heart, inspire young people and be a catalyst for lasting change.

London is on track to deliver on these promises and lay the foundations for significant social, sporting and economic legacies.

London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) Chair Seb Coe said: 'With a year to go we are inviting the athletes, spectators and visitors from around the world to come to the UK next summer – it’s ‘London Calling’. Waiting for them will be a spectacular festival of sport and culture in the world’s greatest city, which will be more magical and vibrant than ever.

'There is much to do in the next 12 months, but we can take huge comfort in the progress that has been made so far. We are absolutely on track and determined to stage Olympic and Paralympic Games which will deliver on the promises we made in Singapore, inspire the athletes and make the nation proud.'

On track for 2012

A number of significant milestones have been achieved:

More than 3.5 million tickets have been sold so far, setting the scene for full venues at Games time and a sensational atmosphere for competing athletes
A quarter of a million people have applied to volunteer and interviews are now taking place to fill up to 70,000 roles
The initial route for the Olympic Torch Relay has been announced, with details of the Torch design also unveiled
International Inspiration has delivered on its promise of reaching 12 million children worldwide with one year to go to the Games.

Read the rest here.

ONE YEAR TO GO!!!!

2011-07-27T17:06:44Z

Olympic Games 27 July-12 Aug 2012

366 Days to go

Also, they're doing a special tweet thing today if you are on twitter. Check it out here:
http://www.london2012.com/get-involved/one-year-to-go.php

Updated views of the stadiums!!

2011-07-26T22:23:17Z

More here.

Recent Michael photos

2011-06-23T22:40:55Z

Leaving the Today Show. More here:
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/qthHSf7szmu/Michael+Phelps+Leaves+Today+Show/yDyRYeFYOYQ

Santa Clara Day 1

Santa Clara Day 2

Santa Clara Day 3

Santa Clara Day 4

New info on the London Torch

2011-06-08T16:45:55Z

You can find all the info here:
http://www.london2012.com/press/media-releases/2011/06/london-2012-offers-first-look-at-olympic-torch-design.php

London countdown clock!

2011-05-12T17:12:29Z

Found on tumblr:

Updated News!

2011-04-19T15:05:46Z

First brand new London 2012 venue opens
19 Apr 2011

Lee Valley White Water Centre, the only brand new London 2012 venue that the public can use and enjoy ahead of the Games, has opened today.

A number of athletes and the London 2012 mascots were joined at the event by young people from across London today as the new home of the GB Canoe Slalom team was launched.

Lee White Water Valley Centre will host the Canoe Slalom competition during next year's Olympic Games, hosting five days of action across four events.

The venue officially opens to the public on Friday 22 April, and will enable thousands of people to experience the same white water rapids that the world’s leading athletes will face at the London 2012 Games.

The Olympic Delivery Authority started work on the venue in July 2009, with more than 150 workers on site at the peak of construction. The venue was finished on budget in December 2010, making it the first brand new London 2012 venue to be completed.

The centre has two separate courses: a 300m Olympic Standard Competition Course with a 5.5m descent, and a 160m Legacy Loop with a 1.6m descent, which will be used at Games time for training and warm-up sessions. A total of 13,000 litres of water will power down the Olympic Standard Competition Course every second, which is enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in a little over three minutes.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee, said: 'Seeing the Lee Valley White Water Centre open to the public is a great example of an early legacy for London 2012. This venue provides the opportunity for a new generation of water sports enthusiasts to get active and engaged in fun and challenging sports as well as providing us with a world class Olympic venue for Canoe Slalom.'

It has also been announced that the 2015 Canoe Slalom World Championships will be held at the Lee Valley White Water Centre, further demonstrating how the venue will open up white water rafting and canoeing to a new audience in London and the South East.

New pic! and new video of the Olympic Rings

2011-04-19T14:59:49Z

The final tile of 180,000 that have been laid in the @London2012 Aquatics Centre pools has been put in place by Paralympic gold medalist Liz Johnson. The tiles lining the 50m competition and training pools and the diving pool are laid perfectly to ensure the lanes are straight.

London tickets on sale!!

2011-04-19T14:55:11Z

You can find more info and Q&A here:
http://www.tickets.london2012.com/eligibility_p2.html
http://www.facebook.com/London2012?v=app_10442206389

Update on London Games

2011-02-01T16:18:20Z

London Olympic Stadium, England

Aerial view of the Basketball Arena of the London 2012

Aerial view of the Handball Arena of the London 2012

Aerial view of the Aquatics Centre of the London 2012

More here on the FB Page.

Updated news in link form!

2011-01-10T16:16:00Z

London Completes It's First Venue

Lights Go On At London’s Olympic Stadium

The Olympic site is also doing Golden Opportunity info on Olympians. Here are the ones for December. :)

Golden Opportunity: Golden Opportunity - Caroline Powell

Golden Opportunity - Abhinav Bindra

Golden Opportunity: Nurcan Taylan

Rio 2016 info and pic!

2011-01-10T16:10:59Z

Hey Olympic Fans! Check out the new emblem of the Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games! Click on "Like" to cheer for our friends in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! Video: http://bit.ly/g6yOdf Learn more on the emblem http://bit.ly/g79H0x

Updated photos of the Sochi venues

2010-12-20T14:41:00Z

Sochi 2014 - the next Winter Games. [HQ]

Wondering what the Olympic Park, the Bolshoi Ice Palace, the Olympic Skating Center, the Central Stadium, and the Alpine Center are going to look look like at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games? Check out this video!

See the vid on FB here:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150109778376469&oid=209361989215&comments

Updated photo of Olympic Stadium

2010-11-17T15:47:47Z

Aerial view of the Olympic Stadium
17 Nov 2010

An aerial view of the Olympic Stadium, which is now structurally complete with roof and lighting towers in place. Work is progressing on the field of play and installing the seats.

More aerial views of other venues here.

Ticket prices revealed!!

2010-10-15T18:07:56Z

Go here to check out the ticket prices for the Olympics if you live or will be visiting the London area!

They have also opened some London 2012 shops!

Official London 2012 shops
A full range of London 2012 merchandise is available through our online store or in the official London 2012 shops.

You can buy London 2012 merchandise from OFFICIAL LONDON SHOP!.

London 2012 shops are also located in:

St Pancras International
Address: Unit 2A, St Pancras International, Pancras Road, London NW1 2QP.
Tel: 020 7837 8558
Opening hours: Mon-Sat, 7.30am-9pm; Sun, 9am-7pm.
John Lewis Oxford Street (fifth floor)
Address: John Lewis, fifth floor, 300 Oxford Street, London W1A 1EX.
Tel: 020 7629 7711
Opening hours: Mon-Sat, 9.30am-8pm, with the exception of Thurs, 9.30am-9pm; Sun, 12-6pm.
Official London 2012 product ranges have also been developed by adidas (Official Sportswear Partner) and Next (Official Clothing and Homeware Supplier).

In addition to the shops listed above, the adidas range may be purchased from its flagship store on Oxford Street (415-419 Oxford Street, London W1C 2PG. Tel: 020 7493 1886).

The London 2012 range of Next merchandise may be purchased from selected Next stores (please call your local store for more information).

New Jonathan Horton article

2010-10-15T17:52:25Z

Horton leads the way
Alan Abrahamson
October 15, 2010

Jon Horton looks at Paul Hamm and what he sees goes well beyond the men's gymnastics all-around gold medal that Hamm won at the 2004 Athens Summer Games.

He sees a mental toughness that's best described simply: stone cold.

After four of the six rotations at those Games, the fourth producing what seemed like a disastrous fall in the vault, Hamm stood 12th in the all-around standings. After five he moved up to fourth. With his sixth, the high bar, he moved into first.

After that fourth rotation, it would have been easy to give up. No way. Not Paul Hamm.

The world gymnastics championships get underway Saturday in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Paul Hamm is coming back to competitive gymnastics but -- not yet. It's Jon Horton's time now. He's the leader of this 2010 U.S. team.

Stone cold. It's what Horton expects of himself now and what he knows others expect from him. It's how you take a team that almost no one knows anything about and vault onto the podium. That takes that kind of mental toughness and nothing less.

"We don't go into a meet without larger-than-life goals," Horton was saying the other day in an interview at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. "We want to win.

"Is that extremely difficult to do? Yes. But we sat down at a team meeting the other day and said, 'We want to win.' When you throw out a goal like that, you can't just throw it out there. You have to prove to everyone that it's possible."

That last thought encapsulates the current state of the U.S. men's gymnastics program. If the Chinese and Japanese are widely viewed as the best in the world -- you can match American scores against their numbers and, yes, it's possible for the Americans to break through.

But the Americans have to prove it.

And this is, by and large, a new crew in red, white and blue.

Horton will be the only Olympic veteran on the Rotterdam team.

And only three guys from the 2009 worlds team are on the 2010 squad -- Horton, Danell Leyva and Steven Legendre.

Horton, meanwhile, the silver medalist in the high bar in Beijing in 2008, has to prove to most everyone that he can take that next step -- can become the gymnast to define the time that's now in the sport.

He has talent, drive, personality, charisma -- all of it.

He has -- and this is manifestly obvious to anyone who has known him, especially before Beijing -- gained a ton of maturity. That tends to happens, though, when all the things that have happened to Jon Horton since Beijing happen to a guy:

You graduate from college (Oklahoma, 2009); you get married; you marry a doctor in the making, Haley DeProspero, who totally understands what you're doing because she was herself a national-level gymnast.

Moreover, you have a sub-par 2009 worlds -- finishing out of the medals entirely.

All of that and, well, you get older, too. Horton will turn 25 in December.

As a point of comparison: Leyva, one of the up-and-comers on the American team, turns 19 at the end of the month.

Horton said, "I know I'm young but for gymnastics I'm getting old. At this point in my career it's five percent physical and 95 percent mental. I think that's what make a champion as opposed to somebody who can't make it where they want to in the sport.

"It's all right here," he said, pointing to his temple. "It's all mental."

He also said about the 2010 version of Jon Horton: "Everyone tells me only that I act differently, my gymnastics are different -- I'm a more confident guy when I'm out there," adding a moment later, "Maybe it's just being married and having more responsibility and being away from the college scene where you act like an idiot every single day of your life.

"I am much more focused now. All I have to do is focus on one thing. That's gymnastics. I don't have a job. I don't go to school. I wake up, I go to gymnastics, I go to sleep. That's it."

Asked about Horton, Kevin Mazeika, the U.S. men's national team coordinator, said in a phone interview, "He has moved into the leadership role and taken it on quite well. I think coming from 2008 -- these past two years, his life has changed a lot.

"He is extremely focused. He is very mindful of being a leader and leading by example and just helping all the guys. He is a total team player. He is concerned about each and every one of the athletes and keeping the focus on team goals."

A little bit more stone cold, and it's not hard to predict that it's all there for the taking for Jon Horton. He knows how to do it, too -- learning first-hand from the master, Hamm himself. The two recently trained together for about a week.

"He is like my idol when it comes to this kind of stuff," Horton said. "Paul is incredible. Mentally, he is on a another level. He is a phenomenon.

"People see him compete but no one knows the Paul Hamm behind closed doors. I have gotten to know that side of him and what I see is way more spectacular. He is not perfect. He falls. He gets frustrated. I have never sees a guy who when he makes a mistake puts it behind him so fast and is so mindful of what he's doing.

"He comes to the gym with a plan, he executes the plan and nothing gets in his way. That's why I wanted him to train with me.

"… Stone cold," Horton mused. "That's what you've got to be."

Source

USA Gymnastics finalizes women’s line-up for 2010 World ChampionshipsOctober 15, 2010
U.S. women gain experience at World's podium trainingOctober 15, 2010
Dooley, Gluckstein win World Cup Series synchro titleOctober 15, 2010
One team, one dream is Gymnasts’ motto for worldsOctober 13, 2010
Paul Hamm ready for returnOctober 12, 2010

New Olympic London news!

2010-10-12T14:15:05Z

Olympic Park to be renamed after Queen Elizabeth in 2013
07 Oct 2010

The Olympic Park will reopen as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2013, after a phased transformation, it was announced today. The new name has already been approved by the Queen, the British Olympic Association and the International Olympic Committee.

Future impression pic:

Can read the rest of the article here.

And the webcams are here if you want to see other progress being made. :)

And for fun, from today we have 654 days left to go!

Update on the women vying for Worlds

2010-08-24T17:42:05Z

12 WOMEN PARTICIPATE IN THE 2010 US WOLD TEAM SELECTION PROCESS
[(active)] posted by annimal on August 24, 2010, 12:05pm

12 women on the U.S. Senior National Team have accepted invitations to participate in the first of two selection camps for the U.S. Women's Team for the 2010 World Championships, Oct. 17-24, in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics
Mackenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill./Legacy Elite Gymnastics
Chelsea Davis, Lakeway, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics
Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md./Hill's Gymnastics
Amanda Jetter, Milford, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics
Mattie Larson, Los Angeles, Calif./All Olympia
Alexandra Raisman, Needham, Mass./Brestyan's American Gymnastics
Alicia Sacramone, Winchester, Mass./Brestyan's American Gymnastics
Samantha Shapiro, Los Angeles, Calif./All Olympia
Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind./Sharp's Gymnastics Academy
Morgan Smith, Clermont, Fla./Brandy Johnson's Global Gymnastics
Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics

Six gymnasts and one alternate will be named to the U.S. Women's Team for the 2010 World Championships, the first qualifying step for the 2012 London Olympic Games, following the second selection camp. The World Championships will feature team, all-around and individual event competition. The First Selection Camp is Sept. 13-18, and based on performances at the first selection camp, a minimum of eight gymnasts will be invited to the second and final selection camp Oct. 3-6. Both camps will be held at the U.S. Women's National Team Training Center in Huntsville, Texas.

Amanda Jetter successfully petitioned into the selection after withdrawing from the Visa Championships with an achilles strain suffered in podium training. Vanessa Zamarripa of UCLA was invited to the selection camp but declined.

We'll keep you updated on the selection process, and coming up soon on gymnastike we'll feature workout videos with a couple of the gymnasts above.

Updated on August 24, 2010, 12:36pm
Source