Events Page
This page is going to be solely dedicated to the sports that I witnessed. Because my journal/blog and photo gallery are filled with photographs and anecdotes from my personal experiences at the events I attended, this page will provide a brief history, background and set of rules from each event. More specifically, to avoid error, the descriptions of each event come directly from the London 2012 website.
Men's Basketball
At London 2012, both the men’s and women’s Basketball competitions will begin with a preliminary stage. The 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six and each team will play every other in their group. Teams receive two points for a win, and one for a loss (although they receive no points for losing by forfeiting the game).
The best four teams from each group during the preliminaries will qualify for the knockout stage, with the winners of the semi-finals going head-to-head in the gold medal game.
In the event of a tie at the end of any game, teams play extra periods of five minutes until the tie is broken.
For a complete set of rules, please refer to the website of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the governing body for the sport.
History of Basketball at the Olympic Games: Men’s Basketball first appeared on the Olympic programme at the Berlin 1936 Games, with the women’s event introduced at Montreal 1976. Professional players first competed at the Barcelona 1992 Games, when the famous US 'Dream Team' won gold in the men’s event.
Find out more about Basketball at the Olympic Games on the International Olympic Committee website.
The basics: In Basketball points are scored by shooting the ball into your opponents’ net (or basket). The ball is moved up the court either by dribbling (bouncing) or passing to another team member. A player may not take more than two steps with the ball without dribbling.
Two points are awarded for a regular shot from open play, with one point for each successful free throw (following an opposition infringement) and three points for a shot from distance (beyond the three-point line).
Once in possession of the ball, a team has only 24 seconds to make an attempt on goal or they lose possession.
Games last for 40 minutes, split into four 10-minute quarters. The clock stops for every break in play and teams can call time-outs, which last one minute.
Officials: A referee oversees each game, assisted by two umpires. There are also table officials who are timers and scorers, and statisticians who record all the action. A game commissioner also sits with the table officials next to the court.
Keys to successBasketball is a fast and physically demanding game. Height is a distinct advantage, but players also need to have speed, strength and stamina. They need excellent ball skills and the ability to think on their feet and play tactically as a team.
Breaking the rules: Referees will be looking out for rule infringements including violations and fouls. Violations are not committed against another player, but include offences such as taking more than two steps with the ball, having a hand underneath the ball (carrying) or bouncing the ball with both hands. Violations result in the ball being awarded to the opposition.
Fouls are offences that are committed against an opposition player. These include more contact than is reasonable, blocking, pushing or striking another player. In the case of fouls the opposition team is awarded a throw-in close to where the infringement took place. If the player who was fouled was trying to shoot a basket at the time, then one or more free throws will be awarded, depending on where the foul took place.
Jargon busterAssist – a pass that leads directly to a basket scored by a teammate
Downtown – the area outside the three-point line
Dunk – a one- or two-handed slam directly into the net
Lay-up – a one-handed shot from close range off the backboard
Shot clock – a timer measuring the length of time since the last shot. If the ball doesn’t touch the rim or pass through the net within 24 seconds, possession passes to the opposition.
Gold: USA
Silver: Spain
Bronze: Russia
The best four teams from each group during the preliminaries will qualify for the knockout stage, with the winners of the semi-finals going head-to-head in the gold medal game.
In the event of a tie at the end of any game, teams play extra periods of five minutes until the tie is broken.
For a complete set of rules, please refer to the website of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the governing body for the sport.
History of Basketball at the Olympic Games: Men’s Basketball first appeared on the Olympic programme at the Berlin 1936 Games, with the women’s event introduced at Montreal 1976. Professional players first competed at the Barcelona 1992 Games, when the famous US 'Dream Team' won gold in the men’s event.
Find out more about Basketball at the Olympic Games on the International Olympic Committee website.
The basics: In Basketball points are scored by shooting the ball into your opponents’ net (or basket). The ball is moved up the court either by dribbling (bouncing) or passing to another team member. A player may not take more than two steps with the ball without dribbling.
Two points are awarded for a regular shot from open play, with one point for each successful free throw (following an opposition infringement) and three points for a shot from distance (beyond the three-point line).
Once in possession of the ball, a team has only 24 seconds to make an attempt on goal or they lose possession.
Games last for 40 minutes, split into four 10-minute quarters. The clock stops for every break in play and teams can call time-outs, which last one minute.
Officials: A referee oversees each game, assisted by two umpires. There are also table officials who are timers and scorers, and statisticians who record all the action. A game commissioner also sits with the table officials next to the court.
Keys to successBasketball is a fast and physically demanding game. Height is a distinct advantage, but players also need to have speed, strength and stamina. They need excellent ball skills and the ability to think on their feet and play tactically as a team.
Breaking the rules: Referees will be looking out for rule infringements including violations and fouls. Violations are not committed against another player, but include offences such as taking more than two steps with the ball, having a hand underneath the ball (carrying) or bouncing the ball with both hands. Violations result in the ball being awarded to the opposition.
Fouls are offences that are committed against an opposition player. These include more contact than is reasonable, blocking, pushing or striking another player. In the case of fouls the opposition team is awarded a throw-in close to where the infringement took place. If the player who was fouled was trying to shoot a basket at the time, then one or more free throws will be awarded, depending on where the foul took place.
Jargon busterAssist – a pass that leads directly to a basket scored by a teammate
Downtown – the area outside the three-point line
Dunk – a one- or two-handed slam directly into the net
Lay-up – a one-handed shot from close range off the backboard
Shot clock – a timer measuring the length of time since the last shot. If the ball doesn’t touch the rim or pass through the net within 24 seconds, possession passes to the opposition.
Gold: USA
Silver: Spain
Bronze: Russia
Men's Football
At London 2012, both the men’s and women’s Football competitions begin with a preliminary stage: the 16 men’s and 12 women’s teams are divided into groups of four teams (four groups in the men’s and three groups in the women’s competition), and each team plays every other in their group. Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw and nothing for a loss.
The best eight teams in both the men’s and the women’s competition qualify for the quarter-finals. In the men’s competition these are the top two teams from each of the four groups. In the women’s competition the top two teams from each of the three groups go through to the knockout stage, along with the two best third-placed teams.
In the knockout matches the winners of the semi-finals go head-to-head in the gold medal match and the losing semi-finalists play for the bronze medal.
In the knockout stages only, ties are resolved by two 15-minute periods of extra time, followed if necessary by a penalty shootout of five shots per team. If the scores are still tied, the match will be decided by sudden-death penalties.
For a complete set of rules, please refer to the website of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the governing body for the sport.
History of Football at the Olympic Games: Football was introduced as a medal sport at the Paris 1900 Olympic Games. Great Britain won the men’s gold medal, then successfully defended their title four years later in Stockholm. The sport has featured at every Olympic Games since, except for Los Angeles 1932. The first women’s competition was at Atlanta 1996.
Find out more about Football at the Olympic Games on the International Olympic Committee website.
The basicsThe aim of football, to score more goals than the opposition, is simple and widely known. Teams of 11 players compete across two 45-minute halves, with extra time and penalty shootouts used to decide drawn matches during the knockout stages of the competition.
At London 2012 the men’s Football is an under-23s competition, although each team is allowed to include three older players. There is no age restriction in the women’s competition.
Officials: A referee on the pitch officiates each match with the help of two assistant referees, who are on either side of the pitch.
Keys to success: Football is a fast and physically demanding game. Players need to have speed, strength and stamina, as well as excellent ball skills and the ability to play tactically as a team.
Out of the medals: The referee will be looking out for rule infringements. Fouls may result in a yellow card, with a second yellow card resulting in a red card and instant dismissal. Players receive straight red cards for serious fouls, leaving the other team with an extra-player advantage. When a team commits an infringement, the opposition team is awarded a free kick. If a player is fouled inside the penalty area, his/her team is awarded a penalty kick.
Advantage – played by the referee after a foul if he/she feels that the team which has been fouled would benefit from a continuation in play.
Extra time – if a match in the knockout stages is tied at the end of 90 minutes, the teams play 30 minutes of extra time in a bid to find the winner.
Foul – illegal interference with an opposing player, such as tripping.
Indirect free kick – a type of free kick from which the attacking team cannot score directly without more than one player touching the ball first.
Penalty shootout – if the scores are tied at the end of extra time, there’s a penalty shootout in which each team has five penalty kicks. If the teams remain tied after five penalties, the shootout moves into a sudden-death format, meaning rounds of one kick per team to determine the winner.
Gold: Mexico
Silver: Brazil
Bronze: Japan
The best eight teams in both the men’s and the women’s competition qualify for the quarter-finals. In the men’s competition these are the top two teams from each of the four groups. In the women’s competition the top two teams from each of the three groups go through to the knockout stage, along with the two best third-placed teams.
In the knockout matches the winners of the semi-finals go head-to-head in the gold medal match and the losing semi-finalists play for the bronze medal.
In the knockout stages only, ties are resolved by two 15-minute periods of extra time, followed if necessary by a penalty shootout of five shots per team. If the scores are still tied, the match will be decided by sudden-death penalties.
For a complete set of rules, please refer to the website of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the governing body for the sport.
History of Football at the Olympic Games: Football was introduced as a medal sport at the Paris 1900 Olympic Games. Great Britain won the men’s gold medal, then successfully defended their title four years later in Stockholm. The sport has featured at every Olympic Games since, except for Los Angeles 1932. The first women’s competition was at Atlanta 1996.
Find out more about Football at the Olympic Games on the International Olympic Committee website.
The basicsThe aim of football, to score more goals than the opposition, is simple and widely known. Teams of 11 players compete across two 45-minute halves, with extra time and penalty shootouts used to decide drawn matches during the knockout stages of the competition.
At London 2012 the men’s Football is an under-23s competition, although each team is allowed to include three older players. There is no age restriction in the women’s competition.
Officials: A referee on the pitch officiates each match with the help of two assistant referees, who are on either side of the pitch.
Keys to success: Football is a fast and physically demanding game. Players need to have speed, strength and stamina, as well as excellent ball skills and the ability to play tactically as a team.
Out of the medals: The referee will be looking out for rule infringements. Fouls may result in a yellow card, with a second yellow card resulting in a red card and instant dismissal. Players receive straight red cards for serious fouls, leaving the other team with an extra-player advantage. When a team commits an infringement, the opposition team is awarded a free kick. If a player is fouled inside the penalty area, his/her team is awarded a penalty kick.
Advantage – played by the referee after a foul if he/she feels that the team which has been fouled would benefit from a continuation in play.
Extra time – if a match in the knockout stages is tied at the end of 90 minutes, the teams play 30 minutes of extra time in a bid to find the winner.
Foul – illegal interference with an opposing player, such as tripping.
Indirect free kick – a type of free kick from which the attacking team cannot score directly without more than one player touching the ball first.
Penalty shootout – if the scores are tied at the end of extra time, there’s a penalty shootout in which each team has five penalty kicks. If the teams remain tied after five penalties, the shootout moves into a sudden-death format, meaning rounds of one kick per team to determine the winner.
Gold: Mexico
Silver: Brazil
Bronze: Japan
Men's Hammer Throw
The basics: In the Hammer, athletes must throw the hammer as far as possible. The head of the hammer is a metal ball attached to a wire with a handle on the end, weighing 7.26kg for women. The athlete starts in a throwing circle, with the head of the hammer allowed to rest on the ground. Wearing a glove, the athlete rotates in the circle up to four times before releasing the hammer.
The distance the hammer travels is measured from the front of the throwing circle to the point the head of the hammer first touches the ground, which must be within the lines of the throwing sector. All hammer throws are taken from within a throwing cage, to protect officials, spectators and athletes.
Competition format: In all throwing events, athletes start with a qualifying round. Throwing in turn, each athlete gets three attempts to achieve a qualifying distance, decided by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Technical Delegates. Once all throws have been completed, all athletes who have achieved the qualifying distance go through to the final. If fewer than 12 athletes achieve the qualifying standard, the best 12 athletes go through.
In the final, athletes have three initial throws, with the top eight after the first three rounds then having a further three throws. The athlete who performs the longest throw is the winner.
In the event of a tie, athletes’ second-best throws are compared, followed by their third, and so on.
Keys to success: Throwing events are not just about brute strength, but also about technique. Each throw has several aspects to it, such as the hold, the run-up or the turn, as well as the throwing action itself.
History of Athletics at the Olympic Games: The ancient Olympic Games featured the stadium race, a sprint of roughly 192m. Winners in this event have been recorded as far back as 776 BC. The first modern Olympic Games in 1896 included a Marathon, which was designed specifically to pay homage to Ancient Greece.
At the London 1908 Games, the race’s distance was extended from around 25 miles to 26.2 miles (42.195 km) so that it finished in front of the Royal Box. This distance became standard for the Marathon and is still used today.
Women have been competing in Athletics since the Amsterdam 1928 Olympic Games.
Find out more about Athletics at the Olympic Games on the International Olympic Committee website.
The basics: There are four main strands to the Athletics competition:
1. Track events: can be divided into sprints, middle distance and long distance events, as well as those that include obstacles such as the Hurdles and Steeplechase. The track also hosts men’s and women’s Relays.
2. Field events: can be divided into throwing (for example, Shot Put) and jumping (High Jump).
3. Combined events: are a combination of both track and field. These are the Decathlon for men (10 events) and the Heptathlon for women (seven events).
4. Road events: Marathon and Race Walks.
Competition format: The majority of races on the track start with heats, with the fastest athletes/teams progressing to semi-finals and then the final.
Field events start with a qualification stage, with the best athletes qualifying for the final.
Athletes in the combined events compete to earn points; the amount of points depends on their performance in each of their events, not how they do in relation to their competitors.
Officials: Athletics events need a huge number of officials. These include starters, judges, jumps and throws referees, photo finish operators, scorers and many others needed to ensure that the events run smoothly, to time and that athletes compete within the rules.
Keys to success: While the concept of most Athletics events is simple – running faster, throwing further or jumping a greater distance – the winning margins can be tiny. Athletics is such a technical sport that every aspect of athletes’ performances must be perfect on the day to ensure they finish ahead of their rivals. Even the smallest of mistakes or loss of strength or technique can result in the loss of a fraction of a second or centimetre.
Breaking the rules: Athletes can be penalised for a variety of infringements – a false start on the track, a dropped baton or illegal changeover in the relays, a foot fault in the jumps or throws, or an illegal technique in the race walks.
Anchor – a team's final runner in a relay race.
Cage – the area from which competitors throw a discus or hammer. The mouth of the cage is 6m wide, and sits 7m in front of the centre of the throwing circle.
Countback – the process used to determine the winner of a high jump or pole vault competition in which two or more athletes are tied for the best jump.
False start – when an athlete moves off the starting blocks either before the gun has fired or within 0.10 sec of the gun firing.
Sprint – a track race over 400m or less.
Gold:Krisztian Pars, Hungary
Silver: Primoz Kozmus, Slovakia
Bronze: Koji Murofushi, Japan
The distance the hammer travels is measured from the front of the throwing circle to the point the head of the hammer first touches the ground, which must be within the lines of the throwing sector. All hammer throws are taken from within a throwing cage, to protect officials, spectators and athletes.
Competition format: In all throwing events, athletes start with a qualifying round. Throwing in turn, each athlete gets three attempts to achieve a qualifying distance, decided by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Technical Delegates. Once all throws have been completed, all athletes who have achieved the qualifying distance go through to the final. If fewer than 12 athletes achieve the qualifying standard, the best 12 athletes go through.
In the final, athletes have three initial throws, with the top eight after the first three rounds then having a further three throws. The athlete who performs the longest throw is the winner.
In the event of a tie, athletes’ second-best throws are compared, followed by their third, and so on.
Keys to success: Throwing events are not just about brute strength, but also about technique. Each throw has several aspects to it, such as the hold, the run-up or the turn, as well as the throwing action itself.
History of Athletics at the Olympic Games: The ancient Olympic Games featured the stadium race, a sprint of roughly 192m. Winners in this event have been recorded as far back as 776 BC. The first modern Olympic Games in 1896 included a Marathon, which was designed specifically to pay homage to Ancient Greece.
At the London 1908 Games, the race’s distance was extended from around 25 miles to 26.2 miles (42.195 km) so that it finished in front of the Royal Box. This distance became standard for the Marathon and is still used today.
Women have been competing in Athletics since the Amsterdam 1928 Olympic Games.
Find out more about Athletics at the Olympic Games on the International Olympic Committee website.
The basics: There are four main strands to the Athletics competition:
1. Track events: can be divided into sprints, middle distance and long distance events, as well as those that include obstacles such as the Hurdles and Steeplechase. The track also hosts men’s and women’s Relays.
2. Field events: can be divided into throwing (for example, Shot Put) and jumping (High Jump).
3. Combined events: are a combination of both track and field. These are the Decathlon for men (10 events) and the Heptathlon for women (seven events).
4. Road events: Marathon and Race Walks.
Competition format: The majority of races on the track start with heats, with the fastest athletes/teams progressing to semi-finals and then the final.
Field events start with a qualification stage, with the best athletes qualifying for the final.
Athletes in the combined events compete to earn points; the amount of points depends on their performance in each of their events, not how they do in relation to their competitors.
Officials: Athletics events need a huge number of officials. These include starters, judges, jumps and throws referees, photo finish operators, scorers and many others needed to ensure that the events run smoothly, to time and that athletes compete within the rules.
Keys to success: While the concept of most Athletics events is simple – running faster, throwing further or jumping a greater distance – the winning margins can be tiny. Athletics is such a technical sport that every aspect of athletes’ performances must be perfect on the day to ensure they finish ahead of their rivals. Even the smallest of mistakes or loss of strength or technique can result in the loss of a fraction of a second or centimetre.
Breaking the rules: Athletes can be penalised for a variety of infringements – a false start on the track, a dropped baton or illegal changeover in the relays, a foot fault in the jumps or throws, or an illegal technique in the race walks.
Anchor – a team's final runner in a relay race.
Cage – the area from which competitors throw a discus or hammer. The mouth of the cage is 6m wide, and sits 7m in front of the centre of the throwing circle.
Countback – the process used to determine the winner of a high jump or pole vault competition in which two or more athletes are tied for the best jump.
False start – when an athlete moves off the starting blocks either before the gun has fired or within 0.10 sec of the gun firing.
Sprint – a track race over 400m or less.
Gold:Krisztian Pars, Hungary
Silver: Primoz Kozmus, Slovakia
Bronze: Koji Murofushi, Japan
Men's 100M
The basics: The 100m is run along the home straight of the athletics track. Athletes start in the set position – kneeling down with their feet in the starting blocks
Competition format: The 100m competition starts with a preliminary round, which is limited to those athletes who have not as yet achieved the qualifying standards. The qualification procedure from this round is determined by the final number of entrants.
The competition then continues with heats. The number of heats and the number of athletes progressing to the next round depends on the number of athletes competing. In each heat the fastest athletes go through, as well as a set number of the fastest losers across all the heats. The following rounds run on the same format, until eight athletes are through to compete in the final.
The draw to determine which heat athletes run in is decided by their initial seedings (based on previous performance) for the first round, and then their performances after that. This ensures that the highest seeded athletes are not drawn in the same heat.
In the first round, an athlete’s lane allocation is drawn by lot, and in subsequent rounds it is dependent on their performance. The highest-seeded athletes are drawn in the centre lanes.
Keys to success: In sprint races, the time separating athletes can be as little as one hundredth of a second, requiring a photo finish. A good start is crucial, as is technique while running and the quality of the finish. The winning athletes must be relaxed but perfectly focused on their race.
Breaking the rules: The most dramatic error for spectators, and arguably the most cruel for athletes, is the false start. Once in the set position on the blocks, any athlete moves off the starting blocks either before the gun has fired or within 0.10 sec of the gun firing is disqualified. Athletes can also be penalised for running out of their lane or obstructing another athlete.
Gold: Usain Bolt, Jamaica
Silver: Johan Blake, Jamaica
Bronze: Justin Gatlin, USA
Competition format: The 100m competition starts with a preliminary round, which is limited to those athletes who have not as yet achieved the qualifying standards. The qualification procedure from this round is determined by the final number of entrants.
The competition then continues with heats. The number of heats and the number of athletes progressing to the next round depends on the number of athletes competing. In each heat the fastest athletes go through, as well as a set number of the fastest losers across all the heats. The following rounds run on the same format, until eight athletes are through to compete in the final.
The draw to determine which heat athletes run in is decided by their initial seedings (based on previous performance) for the first round, and then their performances after that. This ensures that the highest seeded athletes are not drawn in the same heat.
In the first round, an athlete’s lane allocation is drawn by lot, and in subsequent rounds it is dependent on their performance. The highest-seeded athletes are drawn in the centre lanes.
Keys to success: In sprint races, the time separating athletes can be as little as one hundredth of a second, requiring a photo finish. A good start is crucial, as is technique while running and the quality of the finish. The winning athletes must be relaxed but perfectly focused on their race.
Breaking the rules: The most dramatic error for spectators, and arguably the most cruel for athletes, is the false start. Once in the set position on the blocks, any athlete moves off the starting blocks either before the gun has fired or within 0.10 sec of the gun firing is disqualified. Athletes can also be penalised for running out of their lane or obstructing another athlete.
Gold: Usain Bolt, Jamaica
Silver: Johan Blake, Jamaica
Bronze: Justin Gatlin, USA
Men's 3000M Steeplechase
The basics: The 3000m Steeplechase is run over seven-and-a-half laps of the track. Athletes must jump 28 hurdles and seven water jumps, all equally spaced. They jump no obstacles in the first half lap, and then four hurdles and one water jump in each subsequent lap.
In the Steeplechase the hurdles are wider and more solid than in Hurdles, allowing athletes to step on them if they wish. They are 0.914m high for the men’s race.
The water jump features a hurdle, with a water pit immediately behind it. The water is 70cm deep closest to the hurdle, but the pit slopes upwards, so at the top there is little water.
Competition format: The Steeplechase races start with heats. The number of heats and the number of athletes who progress to the next round depends on the number of athletes competing. In each heat the best-placed athletes go through, as well as a set number of the fastest losers across all the heats.
The draw to determine which heat athletes run in is decided by their initial seedings (based on previous performance) for the first round, and then their performances after that. This ensures that the highest seeded athletes are not drawn in the same heat.
Athletes run the entire race in their lane, which is allocated according to lot for the first round, and then according to their subsequent performance.
Keys to success: The Steeplechase requires great stamina and reserves of strength to keep momentum over a long race.
Breaking the rules: Athletes may go over the hurdles in the Steeplechase in any manner they like, provided that they attempt them all, that both legs go over the top of each hurdle and that they don’t sidestep the water jumps.
Gold: Ezekiel Kemboi, Kenya
Silver: Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, France
Bronze: Abel Kiprop Mutai, Kenya
In the Steeplechase the hurdles are wider and more solid than in Hurdles, allowing athletes to step on them if they wish. They are 0.914m high for the men’s race.
The water jump features a hurdle, with a water pit immediately behind it. The water is 70cm deep closest to the hurdle, but the pit slopes upwards, so at the top there is little water.
Competition format: The Steeplechase races start with heats. The number of heats and the number of athletes who progress to the next round depends on the number of athletes competing. In each heat the best-placed athletes go through, as well as a set number of the fastest losers across all the heats.
The draw to determine which heat athletes run in is decided by their initial seedings (based on previous performance) for the first round, and then their performances after that. This ensures that the highest seeded athletes are not drawn in the same heat.
Athletes run the entire race in their lane, which is allocated according to lot for the first round, and then according to their subsequent performance.
Keys to success: The Steeplechase requires great stamina and reserves of strength to keep momentum over a long race.
Breaking the rules: Athletes may go over the hurdles in the Steeplechase in any manner they like, provided that they attempt them all, that both legs go over the top of each hurdle and that they don’t sidestep the water jumps.
Gold: Ezekiel Kemboi, Kenya
Silver: Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, France
Bronze: Abel Kiprop Mutai, Kenya
Women's Triple Jump
The basics: In the Triple Jump, an athlete also uses a runway (as in the Long Jump), but after hitting the take-off board, takes a hop and a step, in that order, before jumping into the landing pit. The runway extends past the take-off board to give the athlete a firm and solid footing on the hop and step phases. An athlete’s foot must not go beyond the take-off line.
The distance of the jump is measured from the take-off line to the mark in the sand made by the athlete that is closest to the line.
Competition format: Athletes start with a qualifying round. Jumping in turn, each athlete gets three attempts to achieve the qualifying distance. Once all jumps have been completed all athletes who have achieved the qualifying distance go through to the final. If fewer than 12 athletes achieve the qualifying standard, the best 12 athletes go through.
In the final, athletes have three initial jumps, with the top eight after the first three rounds then having a further three jumps. The athlete who jumps the furthest is the winner.
Keys to success: To achieve the maximum possible distance, every aspect of the jump must be perfect, including the run-up. Athletes take great care in working out the exact position they start from, ensuring it suits their stride pattern and provides them with the best possible take-off.
Breaking the rules: A fraction of a centimetre over the take-off board results in a ‘no jump’, and the distance will not count.
Gold: Olga Rypakova, Kazakhstan
Silver: Caterine Ibarguen, Colombia
Bronze: Olha Saladuha, Ukraine
The distance of the jump is measured from the take-off line to the mark in the sand made by the athlete that is closest to the line.
Competition format: Athletes start with a qualifying round. Jumping in turn, each athlete gets three attempts to achieve the qualifying distance. Once all jumps have been completed all athletes who have achieved the qualifying distance go through to the final. If fewer than 12 athletes achieve the qualifying standard, the best 12 athletes go through.
In the final, athletes have three initial jumps, with the top eight after the first three rounds then having a further three jumps. The athlete who jumps the furthest is the winner.
Keys to success: To achieve the maximum possible distance, every aspect of the jump must be perfect, including the run-up. Athletes take great care in working out the exact position they start from, ensuring it suits their stride pattern and provides them with the best possible take-off.
Breaking the rules: A fraction of a centimetre over the take-off board results in a ‘no jump’, and the distance will not count.
Gold: Olga Rypakova, Kazakhstan
Silver: Caterine Ibarguen, Colombia
Bronze: Olha Saladuha, Ukraine
Women's 400M
The basics: The 400m starts with a staggered bend, with athletes running a full circuit of the track.
Competition format: The competition starts with heats. The number of heats and the number of athletes progressing to the next round depends on the number of athletes competing. In each heat the fastest athletes go through, as well as a set number of the fastest losers across all the heats. The following rounds run on the same format, until eight athletes are through to compete in the final.
The draw to determine which heat athletes run in is decided by their initial seedings (based on previous performance) for the first round, and then their performances after that. This ensures that the highest seeded athletes are not drawn in the same heat.
In the first round, an athlete’s lane allocation is drawn by lot, and in subsequent rounds it is dependent on their performance. The highest-seeded athletes are drawn in the centre lanes.
Keys to success: In sprint races, the time separating athletes can be as little as one hundredth of a second, requiring a photo finish. A good start is crucial, as is technique while running and the quality of the finish. The winning athletes must be relaxed but perfectly focused on their race.
Breaking the rules: The most dramatic error for spectators, and arguably the most cruel for athletes, is the false start. Once in the set position on the blocks, any athlete moves off the starting blocks either before the gun has fired or within 0.10 sec of the gun firing is disqualified. Athletes can also be penalised for running out of their lane or obstructing another athlete.
Gold: Sanya Richards-Ross, USA
Silver: Christine Ohuruogo, Great Britain
Bronze: DeeDee Trotter, USA
Competition format: The competition starts with heats. The number of heats and the number of athletes progressing to the next round depends on the number of athletes competing. In each heat the fastest athletes go through, as well as a set number of the fastest losers across all the heats. The following rounds run on the same format, until eight athletes are through to compete in the final.
The draw to determine which heat athletes run in is decided by their initial seedings (based on previous performance) for the first round, and then their performances after that. This ensures that the highest seeded athletes are not drawn in the same heat.
In the first round, an athlete’s lane allocation is drawn by lot, and in subsequent rounds it is dependent on their performance. The highest-seeded athletes are drawn in the centre lanes.
Keys to success: In sprint races, the time separating athletes can be as little as one hundredth of a second, requiring a photo finish. A good start is crucial, as is technique while running and the quality of the finish. The winning athletes must be relaxed but perfectly focused on their race.
Breaking the rules: The most dramatic error for spectators, and arguably the most cruel for athletes, is the false start. Once in the set position on the blocks, any athlete moves off the starting blocks either before the gun has fired or within 0.10 sec of the gun firing is disqualified. Athletes can also be penalised for running out of their lane or obstructing another athlete.
Gold: Sanya Richards-Ross, USA
Silver: Christine Ohuruogo, Great Britain
Bronze: DeeDee Trotter, USA
Men's 50M Freestyle
The basics: The Freestyle stroke is the fastest.
The 50m Freestyle race is one length of the pool. To start the race swimmers dive from the starting blocks. The turn in the Freestyle events is usually a tumble turn, although the Swimming International Federation (FINA) rules state any turn is legal as long as some part of the swimmer’s body touches the end of the pool before the turn.
Competition format: All races start with heats. Swimmers are seeded according to FINA rules, based on the final entry lists. These seedings are used to determine the heat each swimmer starts in – the top seeds are placed in different heats. Seedings are also used to determine the lane each athlete swim in – the higher the seeding, the closer to the centre lanes of the pool.
The top 16 swimmers from the heats progress to the semi-finals, and the top eight then advance to the final. As in the heats, the swimmers’ seedings are used to decide which semi-final they swim in, and which lane they are allocated.
If there is a tie for the last qualifying position, a swim-off decides which athlete progresses.
History of Swimming at the Olympic Games: At the first few modern Olympic Games, Swimming events were held in open water. At Paris in 1900, for instance, they took place in the River Seine. However, the rules were formalised in 1908, when the London Games staged the first Olympic Swimming competition to be held in a pool. Women’s events were introduced at the Stockholm 1912 Games.
Find out more about Swimming at the Olympic Games on the International Olympic Committee website.
The basics: There are four strokes used in Olympic competition: Freestyle (essentially, front crawl), Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly. All four strokes feature in the Individual Medley and Medley Relay events. Swimmers also compete in the Freestyle Relay events.
Olympic races in the pool are conducted over a variety of distances, from 50m (one length of the pool) all the way up to 1500m (30 lengths). The first athlete to touch the electronic finishing touchpad at the end of the pool in each race is the winner.
Competition format: Races start with heats, the number of which depends on the number of swimmers in the event. Swimmers are seeded according to FINA rules, based on the final entry lists. These seedings are used to determine the heat each swimmer starts in – the top seeds are placed in different heats. Seedings are also used to determine the lane each athlete swim in – the higher the seeding, the closer to the centre lanes of the pool.
For 50m, 100m and 200m events, the top 16 swimmers from the heats progress to the semi-finals, and the top eight from these compete in the final. As in the heats, the swimmers’ seedings are used to decide which semi-final they swim in and which lane they are allocated. In 400m, 800m, 1500m and relay events, swimmers progress from the heats straight to the final.
Officials: Swimming events need many officials including timekeepers, start and finish judges, stroke judges, turn judges and an overall chief referee who is in charge of the competition.
Keys to success: For all events, getting a good start is paramount. Different events have different starts, either by diving in or starting in the water. Good stroke technique can make the difference between winning and losing, as can making fast turns and a good finish. The winning swimmers should have all parts of their race technique honed to perfection, including the changeovers in the Relay events.
Breaking the rules: While the start for all swimmers is crucial, a false start results in disqualification. Judges also look closely to check that stroke and turning techniques are legal and that in the Relay events each swimmer touches the end of the pool before his/her teammate leaves the starting blocks. Infringements of any kind are reported to the chief referee, who decides on any penalty to impose.
Long course – a 50m pool of the type used in Olympic competition, as opposed to a short course measuring 25m.
Medley – a combination event in which a swimmer or team swims separate legs of backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.
Negative split – when an athlete swims the second half of a race faster than the first half.
Open turn – a type of turn in which swimmers must touch the end of the pool with their hands.
Tumble turn – an underwater roll at the end of a lap, which allows swimmers to push off from the end of the pool with their feet.
Gold: Florent Manaudou, France
Silver: Cullen Jones, USA
Bronze: Cesar Cielo, Brazil
The 50m Freestyle race is one length of the pool. To start the race swimmers dive from the starting blocks. The turn in the Freestyle events is usually a tumble turn, although the Swimming International Federation (FINA) rules state any turn is legal as long as some part of the swimmer’s body touches the end of the pool before the turn.
Competition format: All races start with heats. Swimmers are seeded according to FINA rules, based on the final entry lists. These seedings are used to determine the heat each swimmer starts in – the top seeds are placed in different heats. Seedings are also used to determine the lane each athlete swim in – the higher the seeding, the closer to the centre lanes of the pool.
The top 16 swimmers from the heats progress to the semi-finals, and the top eight then advance to the final. As in the heats, the swimmers’ seedings are used to decide which semi-final they swim in, and which lane they are allocated.
If there is a tie for the last qualifying position, a swim-off decides which athlete progresses.
History of Swimming at the Olympic Games: At the first few modern Olympic Games, Swimming events were held in open water. At Paris in 1900, for instance, they took place in the River Seine. However, the rules were formalised in 1908, when the London Games staged the first Olympic Swimming competition to be held in a pool. Women’s events were introduced at the Stockholm 1912 Games.
Find out more about Swimming at the Olympic Games on the International Olympic Committee website.
The basics: There are four strokes used in Olympic competition: Freestyle (essentially, front crawl), Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly. All four strokes feature in the Individual Medley and Medley Relay events. Swimmers also compete in the Freestyle Relay events.
Olympic races in the pool are conducted over a variety of distances, from 50m (one length of the pool) all the way up to 1500m (30 lengths). The first athlete to touch the electronic finishing touchpad at the end of the pool in each race is the winner.
Competition format: Races start with heats, the number of which depends on the number of swimmers in the event. Swimmers are seeded according to FINA rules, based on the final entry lists. These seedings are used to determine the heat each swimmer starts in – the top seeds are placed in different heats. Seedings are also used to determine the lane each athlete swim in – the higher the seeding, the closer to the centre lanes of the pool.
For 50m, 100m and 200m events, the top 16 swimmers from the heats progress to the semi-finals, and the top eight from these compete in the final. As in the heats, the swimmers’ seedings are used to decide which semi-final they swim in and which lane they are allocated. In 400m, 800m, 1500m and relay events, swimmers progress from the heats straight to the final.
Officials: Swimming events need many officials including timekeepers, start and finish judges, stroke judges, turn judges and an overall chief referee who is in charge of the competition.
Keys to success: For all events, getting a good start is paramount. Different events have different starts, either by diving in or starting in the water. Good stroke technique can make the difference between winning and losing, as can making fast turns and a good finish. The winning swimmers should have all parts of their race technique honed to perfection, including the changeovers in the Relay events.
Breaking the rules: While the start for all swimmers is crucial, a false start results in disqualification. Judges also look closely to check that stroke and turning techniques are legal and that in the Relay events each swimmer touches the end of the pool before his/her teammate leaves the starting blocks. Infringements of any kind are reported to the chief referee, who decides on any penalty to impose.
Long course – a 50m pool of the type used in Olympic competition, as opposed to a short course measuring 25m.
Medley – a combination event in which a swimmer or team swims separate legs of backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.
Negative split – when an athlete swims the second half of a race faster than the first half.
Open turn – a type of turn in which swimmers must touch the end of the pool with their hands.
Tumble turn – an underwater roll at the end of a lap, which allows swimmers to push off from the end of the pool with their feet.
Gold: Florent Manaudou, France
Silver: Cullen Jones, USA
Bronze: Cesar Cielo, Brazil
Women's 800M Freestyle
The basics: The Freestyle stroke is the fastest.
The 800m Freestyle race is 16 lengths of the pool. To start the race swimmers dive from the starting blocks. The turn in the Freestyle events is usually a tumble turn, although the Swimming International Federation (FINA) rules state any turn is legal as long as some part of the swimmer’s body touches the end of the pool before the turn.
Competition format: All races start with heats. Swimmers are seeded according to FINA rules, based on the final entry lists. These seedings are used to determine the heat each swimmer starts in – the top seeds are placed in different heats. Seedings are also used to determine the lane each athlete swim in – the higher the seeding, the closer to the centre lanes of the pool.
The top eight swimmers from the heats progress straight to the finals.
Gold: Katie Ledecky, USA
Silver: Mireia Belmonte Garcia, Spain
Bronze: Rebecca Adlington, Great Britain
The 800m Freestyle race is 16 lengths of the pool. To start the race swimmers dive from the starting blocks. The turn in the Freestyle events is usually a tumble turn, although the Swimming International Federation (FINA) rules state any turn is legal as long as some part of the swimmer’s body touches the end of the pool before the turn.
Competition format: All races start with heats. Swimmers are seeded according to FINA rules, based on the final entry lists. These seedings are used to determine the heat each swimmer starts in – the top seeds are placed in different heats. Seedings are also used to determine the lane each athlete swim in – the higher the seeding, the closer to the centre lanes of the pool.
The top eight swimmers from the heats progress straight to the finals.
Gold: Katie Ledecky, USA
Silver: Mireia Belmonte Garcia, Spain
Bronze: Rebecca Adlington, Great Britain
Men's 100M Butterfly
To start the race swimmers dive from the starting blocks. Races are two lengths of the pool for the 100m Butterfly. The turn in the Butterfly events is an open turn, with the International Swimming Federation (FINA) rules stating that both hands must touch the end of the pool simultaneously.
Competition format: All races start with heats. The top 16 swimmers from the heats progress to the semi-finals, and the top eight then advance to the final. As in the heats, the swimmers’ seedings are used to decide which semi-final they swim in, and which lane they are allocated.
If there is a tie for the last qualifying position, a swim-off decides which athlete progresses.
Gold: Michael Phelps, USA
Silver: Chad le Clos, South Africa
Bronze: Evgeny Korotyshkin, Russia
Competition format: All races start with heats. The top 16 swimmers from the heats progress to the semi-finals, and the top eight then advance to the final. As in the heats, the swimmers’ seedings are used to decide which semi-final they swim in, and which lane they are allocated.
If there is a tie for the last qualifying position, a swim-off decides which athlete progresses.
Gold: Michael Phelps, USA
Silver: Chad le Clos, South Africa
Bronze: Evgeny Korotyshkin, Russia
Women's 200M Backstroke
Swimmers start the race in the water, pushing off with their legs. Races are four lengths of the pool for the 100m. The turn in Backstroke events is usually a tumble turn, although the International Swimming Federation (FINA) rules state any turn is legal as long as some part of the swimmer’s body touches the end of the pool before the turn, and they are on their back before leaving the wall.
Competition format: All races start with heats. The top 16 swimmers from the heats progress to the semi-finals, and the top eight then advance to the final. As in the heats, the swimmers’ seedings are used to decide which semi-final they swim in, and which lane they are allocated.
If there is a tie for the last qualifying position, a swim-off decides which athlete progresses.
Gold: Missy Franklin, USA
Silver: Anastasia Zueva, Russia
Bronze: Elizabeth Beisel, USA
Competition format: All races start with heats. The top 16 swimmers from the heats progress to the semi-finals, and the top eight then advance to the final. As in the heats, the swimmers’ seedings are used to decide which semi-final they swim in, and which lane they are allocated.
If there is a tie for the last qualifying position, a swim-off decides which athlete progresses.
Gold: Missy Franklin, USA
Silver: Anastasia Zueva, Russia
Bronze: Elizabeth Beisel, USA
Women's Marathon
The basics: The Olympic Marathon events start and finish in The Mall. There is a men’s event and a women’s event.
Athletes complete a first loop of 2.2 miles, which takes them to the River Thames, south to the Houses of Parliament, and back up to The Mall past Buckingham Palace. After this they run back to the river, and this time head east, towards the City of London and beyond to the Tower of London, in an eight-mile loop that is repeated three times before crossing the finishing line.
Competition format: The Marathon is a straight final – the first athlete to cross the finish line is the winner.
Keys to success: Marathon running takes incredible reserves of mental as well as physical strength. The pace will be punishing and only a very few will be able to maintain it and save a final push for the finish.
Any number of factors can affect an athlete’s performance in the Marathon, from the conditions on the day that will suit some but not others, to the quality of preparation in the previous days, weeks and months. An athlete’s body and mind must be working in perfect harmony if he/she is to put in a good performance.
At London 2012, the Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalists were:Tiki Gelana from Ethiopia, Priscah Jeptoo from Kenya, and Tatyana Petrova from Russia.
Athletes complete a first loop of 2.2 miles, which takes them to the River Thames, south to the Houses of Parliament, and back up to The Mall past Buckingham Palace. After this they run back to the river, and this time head east, towards the City of London and beyond to the Tower of London, in an eight-mile loop that is repeated three times before crossing the finishing line.
Competition format: The Marathon is a straight final – the first athlete to cross the finish line is the winner.
Keys to success: Marathon running takes incredible reserves of mental as well as physical strength. The pace will be punishing and only a very few will be able to maintain it and save a final push for the finish.
Any number of factors can affect an athlete’s performance in the Marathon, from the conditions on the day that will suit some but not others, to the quality of preparation in the previous days, weeks and months. An athlete’s body and mind must be working in perfect harmony if he/she is to put in a good performance.
At London 2012, the Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalists were:Tiki Gelana from Ethiopia, Priscah Jeptoo from Kenya, and Tatyana Petrova from Russia.