Archery

Venue: Lord’s Cricket Ground, LondonDates: Friday 27 July – Friday 3 AugustMedal events: 4Athletes: 128 (64 men, 64 women)

Archery dates back to around 10,000 years ago. It is now practiced in more than 140 countries around the world.

Athletics

Venue: Olympic Stadium – Olympic Park (track, field and combined events), London; The Mall (road events), LondonDates: Friday 3 August – Sunday 12 AugustMedal events: 47Athletes: 2,000

The Marathon was increased from around 25 miles to 26.2 miles at the London 1908 Olympic Games, so the race could finish in front of the British Royal Family’s seats. This distance is still used today.

Badminton

Venue: Wembley Arena, LondonDates: Saturday 28 July – Sunday 5 AugustMedal events: 5Athletes: 172

Olympic shuttlecocks contain 16 feathers, each of them taken from the left wing of a goose. They can travel at speeds faster than 400km/h.

At the London 2012 Olympic Games the world’s best athletes will take part in 26 Olympic sports including Athletics, Handball, Wrestling and Diving.

There was a lot to do to prepare for the London 2012 Games. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) were set up to share the work.

The ODA planned and built the Olympic Park. It also had to look after all of the other venues and the transport system.

LOCOG is in charge of organising the Games. This is a big challenge!

The sports of the London 2012 Olympic GamesThe 26 Olympic sports, split into the following 39 disciplines:

GlossaryOLYMPIC DELIVERY AUTHORITY (ODA) – the organisation building the venues for the London 2012 Games

LONDON ORGANISING COMMITTEE OF THE OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES (LOCOG) – the organisation preparing and staging the Games

SHUTTLECOCK – a piece of equipment in Badminton. A shuttlecock is hit like a ball.

Basketball

Venues: Basketball Arena – Olympic Park, London (preliminaries, women’s quarter-finals); North Greenwich Arena, London (men’s quarter-finals and women’s semi-finals onwards)Dates: Saturday 28 July – Sunday 12 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 288 (144 men, 144 women, 12 teams in each event).

Basketball was originally played using a football. The first basketballs were made at the end of the 19th century.

Beach Volleyball

Venue: Horse Guards Parade, LondonDates: Saturday 28 July – Thursday 9 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 96 (48 men, 48 women; 24 teams in each event)

Beach Volleyball was first played at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. Since then, seven of the eight gold medals have been won by the US and Brazil.

Boxing

Venue: ExCeL, LondonDates: Saturday 28 July – Sunday 12 AugustMedal events: 13 Athletes: 286 (250 men, 36 women)

Boxing was first played in the ancient Olympic Games in the 7th century BC. Opponents fought with strips of leather around their fists.

Canoe Slalom

Venue: Lee Valley White Water Centre, HertfordshireDates: Sunday 29 July – Thursday 2 August Medal events: 4Athletes: 82

Canoe Slalom takes place on a white water course. Each course has up to 25 gates. If a participant touches a gate, they receive a two-second time penalty. If they miss a gate they receive a 50-second penalty.

Canoe Sprint

Venue: Eton Dorney, BuckinghamshireDates: Monday 6 – Saturday 11 AugustMedal events: 12Athletes: 248

In canoes, athletes kneel and they use a paddle with one blade. In kayaks, the competitors sit in the boat and use a paddle with two blades.

Cycling – BMX

Venue: BMX Track – Olympic Park, LondonDates: Wednesday 8 – Friday 10 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 48

BMX bikes have only one gear and one brake.

Cycling – Mountain Bike

Venue: Hadleigh Farm, EssexDates: Saturday 11 – Sunday 12 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 80 (50 men, 30 women)

The races will be held over rough, hilly countryside.

Cycling – Road

Venue: The Mall, London (Road Race); Hampton Court, London (Time Trial)Dates: Saturday 28 July – Wednesday 1 AugustMedal events: 4Athletes: 212 (145 men, 67 women)

During the time trial cyclists start 90 seconds apart. The winner is the cyclist with the fastest time over the course.

Cycling – Track

Venue: Velodrome, LondonDates: Thursday 2 – Tuesday 7 AugustMedal events: 10Athletes: 188 (104 men, 84 women)

The track in the Velodrome has been laid with lengths of pine. The track is at an angle of 42 degrees at its steepest point.

Diving

Venue: Aquatics Centre – Olympic Park, London Dates: Sunday 29 July – Saturday 11 August 2012Medal events: 8Athletes: 136 (68 men, 68 women)

Olympic springboards must be at least 4.8m long and 50cm wide. Platform boards should be at least 6m long and 3m wide.

Equestrian – Dressage

Venue: Greenwich Park, LondonDates: Thursday 2 – Thursday 9 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 50

In Dressage, riders and their horses perform a series of movements known as a dressage test. They are awarded scores by judges.

Equestrian – Eventing

Venue: Greenwich Park, LondonDates: Saturday 28 – Tuesday 31 JulyMedal events: 2Athletes: 75

This competition combines dressage, cross-country riding and jumping.

Equestrian – Jumping

Venue: Greenwich Park, LondonDates: Saturday 4 – Wednesday 8 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 75

These events are held in a venue around a short course of 12-14 fences. The event tests an athlete’s speed, skill and power.

Fencing

Venue: ExCeL, LondonDates: Saturday 28 July – Sunday 5 AugustMedal events: 10Athletes: 212

Fencing was the first Olympic sport to feature professional athletes.

Football

Venues: City of Coventry Stadium (Coventry); Hampden Park (Glasgow); Millennium Stadium (Cardiff); Old Trafford (Manchester); St James’ Park (Newcastle); Wembley Stadium (London)Dates: Wednesday 25 July – Saturday 11 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 504 (288 men, 216 women; 16 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams).

Football was first introduced as a medal sport in 1908. Football has featured at every Olympic Games except one – the Los Angeles 1932 Olympic Games.

Gymnastics – Artistic

Venue: North Greenwich Arena, LondonDates: Saturday 28 July – Tuesday 7 AugustMedal events: 14Athletes: 196 (98 men, 98 women)

Artistic Gymnastics is a test of mind and body. It has been popular since the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece.

Gymnastics – Rhythmic

Venue: Wembley Arena, LondonDates: Thursday 9 – Sunday 12 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 96 (all women)

Competitors perform short routines to music using a ball, clubs, a hoop or a ribbon.

Gymnastics – Trampoline

Venue: North Greenwich Arena, LondonDates: Friday 3 – Saturday 4 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 32

The first modern trampoline was used in the 1930s. It was used to help astronauts and athletes train.

Handball

Venue: Handball Arena – Olympic Park, London (preliminaries, women’s quarter-finals); Basketball Arena – Olympic Park, London (men’s quarter-finals, plus all semi-finals and finals)Dates: Saturday 28 July – Sunday 12 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 336 (168 men, 168 women; 12 teams in each event)

Handball uses an indoor court measuring 40m x 20m. A Handball Court is the largest court of any indoor ball sport at the Games.

Hockey

Venue: Hockey Centre, LondonDates: Sunday 29 July – Saturday 11 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 384 (192 men, 192 women; 12 teams in each event)

Men’s Hockey was first played at the London Olympic Games in 1908. The first women’s Olympic Hockey competition was held at the Moscow 1980 Games.

Judo

Venue: ExCeL, LondonDates: Saturday 28 July – Friday 3 AugustMedal events: 14Athletes: 386

Judo made its first appearance at the Olympic Games at Tokyo in 1964. Competitors use a mix of attack and defence in one-on-one contests, which can be tough, tense and explosive.

Modern Pentathlon

Venue: Handball Arena - Olympic Park, London (fencing); Aquatics Centre - Olympic Park, London (swimming); and Greenwich Park, London (riding, combined event) Dates: Saturday 11 – Sunday 12 AugustEvents: Fencing, Swimming, Riding, Combined Run/Shoot EventMedal events: 2Athletes: 72 (36 men, 36 women)

The Modern Pentathlon was first held at the Olympic Games in 1912.

Rowing

Venue: Eton Dorney, BuckinghamshireDates: Saturday 28 July – Saturday 4 AugustMedal events: 14Athletes: 550 (353 men, 197 women)

The youngest Olympic champion is thought to be a French boy, aged no more than 12, who was the cox of a Dutch boat at the Paris 1900 Games.

Sailing

Venue: Weymouth and Portland, DorsetDates: Sunday 29 July – Saturday 11 AugustMedal events: 10Athletes: 380 (237 men, 143 women)

The 10 different Olympic Sailing events (six for men, four for women) feature a variety of boats - from dinghies and keelboats to windsurfing boards.

Shooting

Venue: The Royal Artillery Barracks, LondonDates: Saturday 28 July – Monday 6 AugustMedal events: 15 Athletes: 390

In Pistol and Rifle events, competitors shoot at a target from a set distance. In Shotgun events, competitors shoot at moving targets. These targets launch above and in front of them.

Swimming

Venue: Aquatics Centre – Olympic Park, London (pool events); Hyde Park, London (Marathon Swimming 10km)Dates: Saturday 28 July – Saturday 4 August (Aquatics Centre); Thursday 9 – Friday 10 August (Hyde Park) Medal events: 34Athletes: 950

At the London 1908 Olympic Games, the pool was built in the middle of the athletics track at White City Stadium, and the competition was held outdoors.

Synchronised Swimming

Venue: Aquatics Centre – Olympic Park, LondonDates: Sunday 5 – Friday 10 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 104 (all women)

Synchronised Swimming is one of only two events on the Olympic programme where only women compete. The other is Rhythmic Gymnastics.

Table Tennis

Venue: ExCeL, LondonDates: Saturday 28 July – Wednesday 8 AugustMedal events: 4Athletes: 172 (86 men, 86 women)

Table Tennis is the biggest participation sport in the world. Other names for the sport include ‘Ping Pong’, ‘Whiff Waff’ and ‘Flim Flam’ reflecting the sound of the ball being hit and bouncing off the table.

Taekwondo

Venue: ExCeL, LondonDates: Wednesday 8 – Saturday 11 AugustMedal events: 8Athletes: 128 (64 men, 64 women)

Participants wear a white uniform, known as a ‘dobok’. They also wear coloured protective equipment. The competitor wearing blue is referred to as ‘chung’, while the competitor in red is ‘hong’.

Tennis

Venue: Wimbledon, LondonDates: Saturday 28 July – Sunday 5 AugustEvents: Men’s and women’s Singles and Doubles; Mixed DoublesMedal events: 5Athletes: 172 (86 men, 86 women)

Tennis took place at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. It was then remove from the programme after the Paris 1924 Games. It returned for the 1988 Games.

Triathlon

Venue: Hyde Park, LondonDates: Saturday 4 and Tuesday 7 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 110 (55 men, 55 women)

More than half a million spectators watched the first ever Olympic Triathlon in the streets of Sydney during the 2000 Olympic Games.

Volleyball

Venue: Earls Court, LondonDate: Saturday 28 July – Sunday 12 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 288 (144 men, 144 women: 12 teams in each event)

The key attacking move is the set and spike. Here, a player hits the ball (the set) to a teammate who hits it into the opposition’s court (the spike).

Water Polo

Venue: Olympic Park – Water Polo Arena, LondonDates: Sunday 29 July – Sunday 12 AugustMedal events: 2Athletes: 260 (156 men, 104 women)

Water polo developed during the 19th century. It was designed as a version of rugby, in water, in lakes and rivers.

Weightlifting

Venue: ExCeL, LondonDates: Saturday 28 July – Tuesday 7 AugustMedal events: 15Athletes: 260 (156 men, 104 women)

The aim of weightlifting is simple: to lift more weight than anyone else. Competitors in Olympic Weightlifting are divided into 15 weight categories, eight for men and seven for women.

Wrestling

Venue: ExCeL, LondonDates: Sunday 5 – Sunday 12 August 2012Medal events: 18Athletes: 344

Greco-Roman and Freestyle are different types of wrestling, and the idea is to force the back of the opponent’s shoulders onto the ground.

Activity idea

Get creative.Look at the pictures by the event names above. These are called pictograms and these are the official pictograms for the London 2012 Olympic Games. What do you think a pictogram is for? Where might you see one during the London 2012 Olympic Games? Can you make your own pictogram for your favourite sport?

Activity idea

Follow the Olympic eventsWhich are your favourite Olympic events? Talk with your classmates. Make a timetable for all the Olympic events that you and your class are going to watch or follow.

Activity idea

Think and discussThink about your country. Which of the sports in the list above do you play in your country? Why are they so popular? Do you play any of these sports at your school? Which of these sports would you like to try 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 and share your ideas with the rest of your class.

GlossaryPRELIMINARIES – the early stages of a competition

PENALTY – time added to your overall result because you break the rules

KAYAK – a type of canoe/boat. It is designed for rough river waters, in particular.

VELODROME – the venue for the Track Cycling competition

PINE – a type of wood

SPRINGBOARD – a type of diving board

PLATFORM – a type of diving board

ONE-ON-ONE – a competition where one individual competes against another

COX – the person who steers and directs the boat