Trampoline Venue: North Greenwich Arena Dates: 3 August – 4 August The most recent of the gymnastic disciplines to be introduced to the Olympics, trampolining has only been actively a part of the programme since its debut at Sydney 2000. With only two events, one for each men and women, 32 competitors will compete this year to take the title.
Judo Venue: ExCeL Centre Dates: 28 July – 3 August Judo made its first appearance at the Tokyo 1964 Games 48 years ago. The women’s event was added 28 years later in Barcelona in 1992. This year, each country will be limited to one athlete per event, with 14 weight categories in total: seven for men and seven for women.
Modern Pentathlon Venue: Copper Box: Fencing Aquatics Centre: Swimming Greenwich Park: Riding Dates: 11 – 12 August London 2012 will see the Modern Pentathlon’s 100 year Olympic anniversary. Although, this event made its first appearance in Stockholm in 1912, it wasn’t until the more recent Sydney 2000 games that women made their debut. This year, four athletes per country (two men and two women) will compete.
Rowing Venue: Eton Dorney, Buckinghamshire Dates: 28 July – 4 August Only evolving as a competitive sport in the last 200 years, rowing has been a permanent fixture since its debut at the Paris games in 1900, with women’s Rowing joining the programme at Montreal 1976. Today, there are 14 men’s and women’s events from single rowers to eight per team.
Sailing Venue: Weymouth and Portland, Dorset Dates: 29 July – 11 August Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour will this year play host to ten sailing events: six men’s and four women’s. Since making its Olympic debut at Paris 1900, the sport has become a permanent feature at each game with events ranging from dinghies to windsurfing. 380 athletes will compete in total for the ten medals, with each country limited to one boat per event.
Shooting Venue: Royal Artillery Barracks Dates: 28 July – 6 August With the exception of two Olympic Games at the early part of the century, the popular art of Shooting has featured in every game since the Modern Olympics in 1896. London 2012 will see 28 athletes per country compete across 15 events including Men’s and Women’s Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun.
Swimming Venue: Olympic Park, Aquatic Centre Hyde Park: Marathon Swimming Dates: 28 July – 4 August One of the Olympics’ most popular sports, swimming has featured at every Olympic Games. Previously held in open water, it wasn’t until 1908 that London hosted the first Swimming event to be held in a pool. With 34 medal events at London 2012, a massive 950 competitors will compete for Gold.
Synchronised Swimming Venue: Olympic Park, Aquatics Centre Dates: 5 August – 10 August This female-only event made its debut at the Olympic Games in LA in 1984, before developing into a much-loved spectator event. Taking place this year in the new Aquatics Centre, 104 competitors will compete in two medal events: the Duet and the Team competition.
Table Tennis Venue: ExCeL Centre Dates: 28 July – 8 August Table Tennis has come a long way since joining the Olympic agenda in 1988. Each country is limited to three men and women across all four events and two athletes in each singles match. This year, 172 competitors will fight it out at London 2012 to win the titles for Men’s and Women’s Singles and Men’s and Women’s Team.
Taekwondo Venue: ExCeL Centre Dates: 8 August – 11 August Translated to mean ‘the way of the foot and fist’, Taekwondo made its first debut only 12 years ago at the Sydney 2000 games. In the present day, the competition is broken down into eight weight categories, four each for men and women, with only one athlete per country allowed to compete in each.
Tennis Venue: Wimbledon Dates: 28 July – 5 August This year’s Tennis event will be held at Wimbledon three weeks after the annual grand slam tournament. Tennis made its debut at the first Modern Olympic Games in 1896 before being dropped in 1924. It was not reintroduced until Seoul 1988, 64 years later. Today, the sport attracts the best of the best to compete in the five medal events: Men’s and Women’s Singles, Men’s and Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles.
Triathlon Venue: Hyde Park Dates: 4 August – 7 August The first ever Triathlon took place only 12 years ago at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. This year, Hyde Park will welcome 110 of the best triathletes in a bid to compete in two medal events: one for men’s and one for women’s.
Volleyball Venue: Earls Court Dates: 28 July – 12 August Since making its debut at the Tokyo 1964 Games, Volleyball is much more fast-paced and competitive than originally perceived. At London 2012, each country will submit one men’s and one women’s team to make up the 24 teams nationwide.
Water Polo Venue: Olympic Park, Water Polo Arena Dates: 29 July – 12 August Having featured in every Olympic Games since Paris 1900, Water Polo has developed into a popular sport – with a women’s event introduced in 2000 as a result. This year 12 teams will compete, with each qualifying country allocated one team in both the men’s and women’s event.
Weightlifting Venue: ExCeL Centre Dates: 28 July – 7 August Considered the ultimate test of strength, Weightlifting still remains the most basic form of physical competition. Men’s weightlifting spans back to the first modern Olympics in 1896, whilst a women’s event was only introduced in 2000. Now bigger than ever, London 2012 will see 260 athletes (156 men and 104 women) compete ten per country to win one of 15 medals in eight men’s and seven women’s categories.
Wrestling Venue: ExCeL Centre Dates: 5 August – 12 August Recognised today as one of the world’s oldest sports, Wrestling dates back as far as the Ancient Olympics in 708 BC. However, despite such recognition, wrestling only joined the Olympic programme at Athens in 2004. In London 2012, Olympic Wrestling will consist of two disciplines: Greco-Roman (upper body/arm use only) and Freestyle (any body part). A huge 344 athletes will compete for the 18 medals on offer.
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