Mariel Zagunis carried the flag for the United States team during the Olympics opening ceremony. Zagunis is a member of the United States fencing team.
On the evening of July 27, 2012, seven British athletes carrying torches ran into a huge stadium in London. With their torches, they lit different flames that came together to light a single huge torch, called a cauldron. The cauldron lighting was part of the opening ceremony that started the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. The Summer Olympics take place only once every four years. The Olympics, which began in 1896, are based on games from ancient Greece.
The Olympic Games began the day after the opening ceremony. More than 10,000 athletes from 205 different countries took part. They competed in 26 sports ranging from soccer to archery. Each competitor hoped to win a gold, silver, or bronze medal in his or her sport. Seventeen-year-old American swimmer Missy Franklin won the gold medal in the women’s 100-meter backstroke event. Team China won the gold in the men’s team gymnastics event. The American women’s team, nicknamed the “Fierce Five,” won the gold in the team gymnastics event. British cyclist Elizabeth Armistead won a silver medal—the first medal for the host country. As they competed for medals, the athletes also enjoyed watching other athletes compete and making new friends from around the world.
The Olympics in London followed traditions, but the games also had some important changes. For the first time, the countries of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Brunei sent women athletes to the Olympics. Also, this was the first time that women competed in the sport of boxing. Social media played a more important role than ever in documenting the games. Twitter exploded as American swimmer Michael Phelps won his 19th Olympic medal—more than anyone has ever won. Despite these changes, the most important tradition continued—athletes from around the world came together once again in the spirit of friendly competition.
Image credit: ©Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Related Links
- 2012 London Olympics/TIME For Kids
Read more about the highlights of the London Olympics. - Medal Count – Official Results
See a complete list of all the 2012 Olympic medal winners.
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