1. tional gramme
nternaion Pro
ondon 2012 I ducat
L E
Sports and venues of the
London 2012 Olympic Games
Giving a home to inspiration
In 2012, athletes from all over the world will come to the UK to take part
in one of the world’s largest festivals of sport and culture, the Olympic
Games. Every four years, a different Host City becomes the centre of
cultural and sporting excellence. In 2012, it’s London’s turn.
2. The sports of the London
2012 Olympic Games
The 26 Olympic sports, split into the following
39 disciplines:
Archery
Venue: Lord’s Cricket Ground,
London
Dates: Friday 27 July – Friday 3
August
Medal events: 4
Athletes: 128 (64 men, 64 women)
Archery dates back around 10,000 years and
is now practised in more than 140 countries
around the world.
At the London 2012 Olympic Games world- Athletics
class athletes will take part in 26 Olympic sports
including Athletics, Handball, Wrestling and Venue: Olympic Stadium –
Diving. Olympic Park (track, field and
combined events), London; The
There was a huge amount to do to prepare Mall (road events), London
for the London 2012 Games so the London Dates: Friday 3 August – Sunday
Organising Committee of the Olympic and 12 August
Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the Olympic Medal events: 47
Delivery Authority (ODA) were set up. Athletes: 2,000
The ODA is responsible for planning and The Marathon event was increased from around
building the Olympic Park, looking after both 25 miles to 26.2 miles at the London 1908
the permanent and temporary venues and Olympic Games, so the race could finish in front
developing the transport system. of the Box where members of the British Royal
Family were sitting. The length of the Marathon
LOCOG is responsible for staging a Games we remains 26.2 miles to this day.
will never forget. Organising such an important
event is a big challenge! Badminton
Venue: Wembley Arena, London
Dates: Saturday 28 July – Sunday
5 August
Medal events: 5
Athletes: 172
Olympic shuttlecocks contain 16 feathers, each
of them plucked from the left wing of a goose,
and can travel faster than 400km/h.
3. Basketball Canoe Slalom
Venues: Basketball Arena Venue: Lee Valley White Water
– Olympic Park, London Centre, Hertfordshire
(preliminaries, women’s quarter- Dates: Sunday 29 July – Thursday
finals); North Greenwich Arena, 2 August
London (men’s quarter-finals and Medal events: 4
women’s semi-finals onwards) Athletes: 82
Dates: Saturday 28 July – Sunday
12 August Up to 25 gates can be on a white water course.
Medal events: 2 Touching a gate adds a two-second time penalty to
Athletes: 288 (144 men, 144 the run; missing a gate incurs a 50-second penalty.
women, 12 teams in each event).
Canoe Sprint
Basketball was originally played using a football.
It wasn’t until the very end of the 19th century that Venue: Eton Dorney,
the first basketballs were manufactured. Buckinghamshire
Dates: Monday 6 – Saturday 11
Beach Volleyball August
Medal events: 12
Venue: Horse Guards Parade, Athletes: 246
London
Dates: Saturday 28 July – In canoes, athletes use a single-bladed paddle
Thursday 9 August from a kneeling position. In kayaks, the
Medal events: 2 competitors sit in the boat and use a paddle with
Athletes: 96 (48 men, 48 women; two blades.
24 teams in each event)
Cycling – BMX
Since Beach Volleyball made its debut at the
Atlanta 1996 Games, seven of the eight gold Venue: BMX Track – Olympic
medals have been won by the US and Brazil. Park, London
Dates: Wednesday 8 – Friday 10
Boxing August
Medal events: 2
Venue: ExCeL, London Athletes: 48
Dates: Saturday 28 July – Sunday
12 August BMX bikes have only one gear and one brake.
Medal events: 13
Athletes: 286 (250 men, 36 Cycling – Mountain Bike
women)
Venue: Hadleigh Farm, Essex
Boxing was introduced to the ancient Olympic Dates: Saturday 11 – Sunday 12
Games in the 7th century BC, when opponents August
fought with strips of leather around their fists. Medal events: 2
Athletes: 80 (50 men, 30 women)
The races will be held over rough, hilly
countryside.
4. Cycling – Road Equestrian – Dressage
Venue: The Mall, London (Road Venue: Greenwich Park, London
Race); Hampton Court, London Dates: Thursday 2 – Thursday 9
(Time Trial) August
Dates: Saturday 28 July – Medal events: 2
Wednesday 1 August Athletes: 50
Medal events: 4
Athletes: 212 (145 men, 67 In Dressage, riders and their horses perform a
women) series of movements known as a dressage test,
and are awarded scores by judges.
During the time trial cyclists start 90 seconds
apart. The winner is the cyclist with the fastest Equestrian – Eventing
time over the course.
Venue: Greenwich Park, London
Cycling – Track Dates: Saturday 28 – Tuesday 31
July
Venue: Velodrome, London Medal events: 2
Dates: Thursday 2 – Tuesday 7 Athletes: 75
August
Medal events: 10 This competition combines dressage, cross-
Athletes: 188 (104 men, 84 country riding and jumping.
women)
Equestrian – Jumping
The track in the Velodrome has been laid with
lengths of Siberian pine, and is banked to an Venue: Greenwich Park, London
angle of 42 degrees at its steepest point. Dates: Saturday 4 – Wednesday 8
August
Diving Medal events: 2
Athletes: 75
Venue: Aquatics Centre – Olympic
Park, London These events are an exciting test of skill, speed
Dates: Sunday 29 July – Saturday and power held in an arena around a short
11 August 2012 course combining 12-14 fences.
Medal events: 8
Athletes: 136 (68 men, 68 Fencing
women)
Venue: ExCeL, London
Olympic springboards must be at least 4.8m Dates: Saturday 28 July – Sunday
long and 50cm wide, while platforms should be 5 August
at least 6m long and 3m wide. Medal events: 10
Athletes: 212
Fencing was the first Olympic sport to feature
professional athletes.
5. Football Gymnastics – Trampoline
Venues: City of Coventry Stadium Venue: North Greenwich Arena,
(Coventry); Hampden Park London
(Glasgow); Millennium Stadium Dates: Friday 3 – Saturday 4
(Cardiff); Old Trafford (Manchester); August
St James’ Park (Newcastle); Medal events: 2
Wembley Stadium (London) Athletes: 32
Dates: Wednesday 25 July –
Saturday 11 August The first modern trampoline was used in the
Medal events: 2 1930s as a training tool for tumblers, astronauts
Athletes: 504 (288 men, 216 and athletes.
women; 16 men’s teams and 12
women’s teams). Handball
Since it was introduced as a medal sport in 1908, Venue: Handball Arena – Olympic
Football has featured at every Olympic Games Park, London (preliminaries,
except one – the Los Angeles 1932 Games. women’s quarter-finals); Basketball
Arena – Olympic Park, London
Gymnastics – Artistic (men’s quarter-finals, plus all semi-
finals and finals)
Venue: North Greenwich Arena, Dates: Saturday 28 July – Sunday
London 12 August
Dates: Saturday 28 July – Tuesday Medal events: 2
7 August Athletes: 336 (168 men, 168
Medal events: 14 women; 12 teams in each event)
Athletes: 196 (98 men, 98
women) Handball uses an indoor court measuring 40m x
20m, the largest court of any indoor ball sport at
Since the Games in Ancient Greece, the sport the Games.
has been considered to offer perfect symmetry
between mind and body. Hockey
Gymnastics – Rhythmic Venue: Hockey Centre, London
Dates: Sunday 29 July – Saturday
Venue: Wembley Arena, London 11 August
Dates: Thursday 9 – Sunday 12 Medal events: 2
August Athletes: 384 (192 men, 192
Medal events: 2 women; 12 teams in each event)
Athletes: 96 (all women)
Men’s Hockey made its Olympic debut at
Competitors perform short routines to music London in 1908, while the first women’s
using hand apparatus – a ball, clubs, a hoop Olympic Hockey competition was held at the
and a ribbon. Moscow 1980 Games.
6. Judo Sailing
Venue: ExCeL, London Venue: Weymouth and Portland,
Dates: Saturday 28 July – Friday 3 Dorset
August Dates: Sunday 29 July – Saturday
Medal events: 14 11 August
Athletes: 386 Medal events: 10
Athletes: 380 (237 men, 143
Judo made its first appearance at the Olympic women)
Games at Tokyo in 1964. Competitors use a mix
of attack and defence in one-on-one contests, The 10 different Olympic Sailing events (six for
which can be tough, tense and explosive. men, four for women) feature a variety of craft,
from dinghies and keelboats to windsurfing
Modern Pentathlon boards.
Shooting
Venue: The Royal Artillery
Barracks, London
Dates: Saturday 28 July – Monday
Venue: Handball Arena - Olympic Park, London 6 August
(fencing); Aquatics Centre - Olympic Park, Medal events: 15
London (swimming); and Greenwich Park, Athletes: 390
London (riding, combined event)
Dates: Saturday 11 – Sunday 12 August In Pistol and Rifle events, competitors aim at a
Events: Fencing, Swimming, Riding, Combined ringed target from a set distance. In Shotgun
Run/Shoot Event events, competitors shoot at moving clay targets
Medal events: 2 launched above and in front of them.
Athletes: 72 (36 men, 36 women)
Swimming
A century after its Olympic debut, the Modern
Pentathlon competition at the London 2012 Venue: Aquatics Centre – Olympic
Games will be the first at which running and Park, London (pool events);
shooting are combined into a single discipline. Hyde Park, London (Marathon
Swimming 10km)
Rowing Dates: Saturday 28 July –
Saturday 4 August (Aquatics
Venue: Eton Dorney, Centre); Thursday 9 – Friday 10
Buckinghamshire August (Hyde Park)
Dates: Saturday 28 July – Medal events: 34
Saturday 4 August Athletes: 950
Medal events: 14
Athletes: 550 (353 men, 197 At the London 1908 Olympic Games, the pool
women) was built on the infield of the athletics track at
White City Stadium and the competition was
The youngest Olympic champion is thought to be held outdoors.
a French boy, aged no more than 12, who coxed
for a Dutch pair at the Paris 1900 Games.
7. Synchronised Swimming Tennis
Venue: Aquatics Centre – Olympic Venue: Wimbledon, London
Park, London Dates: Saturday 28 July – Sunday
Dates: Sunday 5 – Friday 10 5 August
August Events: Men’s and women’s Singles
Medal events: 2 and Doubles; Mixed Doubles
Athletes: 104 (all women) Medal events: 5
Athletes: 172 (86 men, 86 women)
Synchronised Swimming is one of only two
events on the Olympic programme to be Tennis appeared at the first modern Olympic
contested exclusively by women. The other is Games in 1896 but was dropped from the
Rhythmic Gymnastics. programme after the Paris 1924 Games, before
returning 64 years later.
Table Tennis
Triathlon
Venue: ExCeL, London
Dates: Saturday 28 July – Venue: Hyde Park, London
Wednesday 8 August Dates: Saturday 4 and Tuesday 7
Medal events: 4 August
Athletes: 172 (86 men, 86 Medal events: 2
women) Athletes: 110 (55 men, 55 women)
Table Tennis is the biggest participation sport in More than half a million spectators lined the
the world. Other names for the sport include streets of Sydney to watch the first ever Olympic
‘Ping Pong’, ‘Whiff Waff’ and ‘Flim Flam’ Triathlon at the 2000 Games.
reflecting the sound of the ball being struck and
bouncing off the table. Volleyball
Taekwondo Venue: Earls Court, London
Date: Saturday 28 July – Sunday
Venue: ExCeL, London 12 August
Dates: Wednesday 8 – Saturday Medal events: 2
11 August Athletes: 288 (144 men, 144
Medal events: 8 women: 12 teams in each event)
Athletes: 128 (64 men, 64
women) The key attacking move is the set and spike,
in which a player feeds the ball (the set) for a
Over their standard white uniform, known as a teammate to power it into the opposition’s court
‘dobok’, competitors wear coloured protective (the spike).
equipment. The competitor wearing blue is
referred to as ‘chung’, while the competitor in
red is ‘hong’.
8. a
ivity ide
Water Polo
Venue: Olympic Park – Water Polo
Act
Arena, London Follow the Olympic events
Dates: Sunday 29 July – Sunday Which are your favourite Olympic
12 August events? Talk with your classmates and
Medal events: 2 use the dates provided above to make a
Athletes: 260 (156 men, 104 schedule for all the Olympic events that
women) you and your class are going to watch
or follow. You can find out more about
Water polo developed during the 19th each sport and view the full Olympic
century as an aquatic version of rugby, played sport competition schedule at www.
informally in lakes and rivers. london2012.com/sport.
Weightlifting
e a
ctivity id
Venue: ExCeL, London
Dates: Saturday 28 July – Tuesday
7 August
A
Medal events: 15 Get creative.
Athletes: 260 (156 men, 104 Look at the images by the event names
women) above. These are called pictograms and
these are the official pictograms for the
The aim of Weightlifting is simple: to life London 2012 Olympic Games. What do
more weight than anyone else. Competitors you think the purpose of a pictogram
in Olympic Weightlifting are divided into 15 is? Where might you see one during the
weight categories, eight for men and seven for London 2012 Olympic Games? Can you
women. design your own pictogram for your
favourite sport?
Wrestling
Venue: ExCeL, London
a
Dates: Sunday 5 – Sunday 12
August 2012 Ac tivity ide
Medal events: 18
Athletes: 344 Think and discuss
Think about your country. Which of
Greco-Roman and Freestyle are different the sports above do you play in your
disciplines. Wrestling is a body-to-body combat country? Why are they so popular? Do
sport with the ultimate aim to force the back of you play any of these sports at your
the opponent’s shoulders onto the ground. school? Which of these sports would you
like to try the most and why? Imagine
you are organising the next Olympic
Games. Which new event would you
bring into the Games? Think about why
you want this particular sport. Work in
groups to present your idea to your class.
10. Olympic Stadium Aquatics Centre Basketball Arena
Athletics, Opening and Closing Diving, Modern Pentathlon, Basketball, Handball
Ceremonies Swimming, Synchronised
Swimming The Basketball Arena contains
The Olympic Stadium has been 12,000 seats designed to
built on an island, surrounded The Aquatics Centre features a represent the colours of a
by waterways on three sides. spectacular wave-like roof. basketball – black and orange.
Spectators will reach the Stadium
via five bridges connecting to
other areas of the Olympic Park.
Handball Arena Velodrome BMX Track
Handball, Modern Pentathlon Track Cycling BMX Cycling
The venue’s design includes a The Velodrome’s lower tier The 400-metre BMX Track has
rainwater harvesting system will have 3,500 seats located been built with jumps, bumps
which collects water from the around the track, with a further and tightly banked corners. The
roof and uses it to flush the 2,500 seats suspended within riders will start on an eight-
toilets. the two curves of the venue’s metre ramp.
roof.
Hockey Centre Water Polo Arena
Hockey Water Polo
For the first time ever at an The Water Polo Arena will be
Olympic Games, the Hockey situated next to the Aquatics
competition will be played on Centre in one of the most
blue pitches. compact areas of the Olympic
Park.
11. e a
A ctivity id
Getting to and from the Games a
There are 10 railway lines going into the Ac tivity ide
Olympic Park. It will take as little as seven
minutes to travel to the Park from central
Dramatise the Park
London. What is the public transport The Olympic Park will be the centre of
like in your country? Could it use some the Olympic Games. What do you think
improvement? Think about what changes life inside the Olympic Park will be like?
you would like to make and then design Work in groups and improvise scenes or
your improvements. You could draw, paint create collages to show your ideas. Get
or even present your ideas. creative and use your imagination!
Venues across London
The Olympic Park will host a great number of Olympic events during the 2012 Games. However,
there will also be many venues outside the Park, and around London.
12.
13. Wembley Stadium Wembley Arena Wimbledon
Football Badminton, Rhythmic Tennis
Gymnastics
The biggest of the six stadiums Wimbledon is the only
staging the London 2012 The Arena is already a world- remaining major grass-court
Games football competition, class music and sports venue, tennis venue in the world. It
has a famous arch that soars and will need very little work has recently been updated with
over 130m into the sky. completed. a retractable roof on centre
court to keep out any rain.
Earls Court Lord’s Cricket Ground Hyde Park
Volleyball Archery Marathon Swimming, Triathlon
From exhibitions and Lord’s Cricket Ground has The largest of London’s Royal
conferences to live music, Earls been ‘the home of cricket’ for Parks has been open to the
Courts currently holds hundreds almost 200 years and now will public since 1637. It will also
of events each year attended serve as the location for the be a major focus for musical,
by visitors from around the Archery competition. theatrical and other cultural
world. celebrations associated with
London 2012.
Horse Guards Parade The Mall North Greenwich Arena
Beach Volleyball Marathon, Race Walk, Road Basketball, Artistic Gymnastics,
Cycling Trampoline
The parade ground lies at the
heart of London’s ceremonial In the centre of London, The North Greenwich Arena was
life, and hosts the Trooping of Mall runs from Buckingham originally built to celebrate the
the Colour ceremony that takes Palace to Trafalgar Square and Millennium (the year 2000) and
place to mark the Queen’s provides a backdrop for formal has been transformed into a
birthday each year. ceremonies and sporting events, sports and entertainment venue.
including the London Marathon.
14. Greenwich Park ExCel Hampton Court Palace
Equestrian, Modern Pentathlon Boxing, Fencing, Judo, Road Cycling Time Trial
Table Tennis, Taekwondo,
Greenwich Park is London’s Weightlifting, Wrestling Hampton Court Palace is one
oldest Royal Park. It dates back of London’s royal palaces and
to 1433 and has been a World Excel will host the largest has housed some of Britain’s
Heritage Site since 1997. cluster of sports outside of the most famous kings and queens,
Olympic Park. the most well known being
Henry VIII.
e a
A ctivity id
Planning new events
The Royal Artillery Think about the sports facilities in your country. Are
Barracks there any sporting events that you would like to see in
Shooting your country? Which facilities could hold the event you
want? Why not plan a new festival for your country
The London port of Woolwich or community? Think about the sports that you like but
has a long military history and don’t see very often. What will you need to consider
the construction of The Royal when planning this new event?
Artillery Barracks began in
1776.
15. Venues across the UK
Although the 2012 Olympic Games are centred in London, many athletes will be competing in
venues all over the UK.
Lee Valley White Water Centre, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Hertfordshire Football
Canoe Slalom
The Millennium Stadium is situated in the
A new 10,000 square metre lake has been heart of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. With
constructed which will pump 15 cubic metres of a retractable roof and a crowd capacity of
water into the centre’s 300m course. 74,600, the stadium will host the first Olympic
sporting event: the women’s Football.
Hampden Park, Glasgow Hadleigh Farm, Essex
Football Mountain Bike
Hampden Park is Scotland’s national football Spectators will be able to watch along a course
stadium. It is also used for music concerts and winding through the woods and parkland, which
other sporting events. offers some fantastic hills for the competitors.
Eton Dorney, Buckinghamshire Old Trafford, Manchester
Canoe Sprint, Rowing Football
The eight lane rowing course is set in a 400- Home to Manchester United Football Club, Old
acre park with a nature conservation area. Trafford is the second largest football ground in
the UK.
16. St James’ Park, Newcastle Weymouth and Portland, Dorset
Football Sailing
St James’ Park is the oldest and largest football Weymouth and Portland provides some of the
ground in the north-east of England. best natural sailing waters in the UK.
a
Act ivity ide
Local Venue
What sports venues do you have near
you? What makes them good? How
The City of Coventry Stadium could you improve them? How does your
Football school and local community benefit from
these venues?
The stadium was built in 2005 and is home to
Coventry City Football Club.
Index of venues
outside London
A Lee Valley White Water Centre – Canoe Slalom
B Eton Dorney – Rowing, Canoe Sprint
C Hampden Park – Football
C
D Millennium Stadium – Football
E Hadleigh Farm – Cycling (Mountain Bike) G
F Old Trafford – Football
G St James’ Park – Football
H Weymouth & Portland – Sailing F
I City of Coventry Stadium – Football
I
A
D B E
Key
Olympic Sport
H
17. The Athlete’s Village a
The ODA is currently building the competing Ac tivity ide
athletes’ home-away-from-home: the Athlete’s
Preparation
Village.
We all want to see the athletes perform
to the best of their ability. For the athletes
themselves, the 2012 Games will be one
of the biggest events of their lives. Imagine
you were an athlete in the London Games
– what sort of things would you want in
the Olympic Village to give you the best
preparation possible? You might wish to
think about food, drink, sleep, relaxation
and training facilities.
e a
ctivity id
Before the Games begin, athletes will stay and
prepare in training camps all across the UK. A
Once the Games start, the athletes will move to
the Athlete’s Village.
Eating well!
What sort of things do you think the
More than 17,000 athletes and officials will use London 2012 chefs have to think about
this area during the 2012 Games to eat, drink, when they create the menus for the
sleep, contact their families and prepare for the athletes? What would you want to eat
greatest competition of their lives. The Village if you were preparing for a big event?
will cater for all the needs of the athletes and Would it be the same as other athletes
officials. from other countries?
Comfort
Comfort is one of the most important aspects of Eating well
the Village. If athletes are not comfortable, they
will not perform at their best on their big day. There will be a 5,000-seat dining room to cater
So, the ODA has supplied some extra-long beds. for every dietary and nutritional need of the
This is a necessity for taller athletes like rowers athletes and officials. There will also be other,
and handball players. more informal places to eat, including cafés.
18. Entertainment
When athletes are not competing, they will
be able to watch events and enjoy the cultural
activities on big screens around the Village.
a
The Village will include a Village Plaza where Ac tivity ide
athletes will be able to meet with friends and Making new friends
family. Athletes from all teams will share this
space. This will give competitors the opportunity Why not pretend that you are an athlete
to make friendships with people from different arriving in the Athletes’ Village? How
countries. This spirit of friendship will make the would you meet and make friends with
Games more enjoyable for competitors and for the other athletes? What might you talk
the audiences watching. to them about? Think about the fact that
you might speak different languages –
how would you communicate? You could
Stay connected act out and role-play these scenarios. If
you speak or are learning a different
Athletes will find it easy to keep up-to-date with language, why not use different
what’s happening in the world. A range of languages in your role-play too?
international newspapers will be available so that
athletes can read the news from their own country.
The Village will also have Wi-Fi and Internet
access so athletes can contact their family and
friends at home.
