London’s Olympics, 1908 | History Today London’s Olympics, 1908 London , England Sport In 1908 the Olympic movement visited Britain for the first time. Stephen Halliday describes how the British Olympic Association prepared for the Games with barely two years notice. The London Olympics of 1908 should have been the Rome Olympics. The decision to award the fourth Olympics to Rome was taken in the belief that its fame and accessibility would encourage competitors to attend from all over the world, attendance at the St Louis Olympics of 1904 having been disappointing. However, by 1906 the Italian organizers were well behind with their preparations so, when Vesuvius erupted in April 1906, it was with some relief that the Italian authorities announced that they would have to devote the resources intended for the Olympics to the reconstruction of Naples. London was invited by the International Olympic Committee to step into the breach. The challenge of preparing London for the 1908 Games, with barely two years’ notice, was taken up by Lord Desborough (1855-1945), chairman of the British Olympic Association.

This formidable aristocrat had climbed the Matterhorn, rowed in the boat race for Oxford and swum across the base of Niagara Falls, so organizing the Olympic Games was not an especially intimidating prospect. He persuaded the organizers of the Franco-British Exhibition of 1908 to build the stadium, at their own expense, to accommodate an athletics ground. In return they would receive a proportion of gate receipts. Soon named ‘White City’ after its ugly concrete structures, the stadium was completed in ten months by George Wimpey and included a swimming pool and cycle track as well as facilities for track and field athletics. It was designed to accommodate 66,000 spectators but could hold as many as 130,000 standing on terraces. Over 2,000 athletes competed in the 1908 Games, more than three times the number than had competed at St Louis. A record number of twenty-two nations sent teams and for the first time thirty-seven women were amongst the competitors though Baron Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937), the French aristocrat who had been the moving spirit behind the revival of the Olympics, was opposed to their participation.

One of the British competitors was the formidable Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Dod (1871-1960). Having won the Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles title at the age of fifteen in 1887 (still the youngest winner) and on a further four occasions, she turned her attention to archery and won a silver medal in 1908. When her brother William won the gold medal in the men’s event they became the first brother-sister pairing to win Olympic medals. The London Olympics were the first games in which medals were awarded to all winners, some previous winners having received only a diploma. They are the only Olympics in which Great Britain won most medals, with fifty-six golds and 146 medals in total, three times the number won by the second-placed team, that of the United States. Britain’s success occurred despite the decision to exclude cricket from the events. Its inclusion at Paris in 1900 had attracted only two teams, the team representing France losing narrowly to Britain. The London Games were not without controversy.

At the opening ceremony, performed by Edward VII on July 13th, the team from Finland refused to carry a flag when they were told that they would have to march under the standard of Tsarist Russia. The United States team, whose flag had been inadvertently omitted from those flying at the stadium, retaliated by refusing to ‘dip’ the Stars and Stripes as it passed the Royal box. This incident was the precursor of many arguments between the Americans and their British hosts who, by agreement with the International Olympic Committee, provided all the judges and timekeepers. The disagreements reached a climax in the final of the 400 metres which was contested by three Americans and one Englishman, Wyndham Halswelle. Halswelle was adjudged to have been obstructed by the American J.C. Carpenter, who was disqualified. When the American protested the race was re-run, but the Americans refused to compete so Halswelle jogged round the track alone, leaving the Americans to complain their treatment had been ‘cruel, unsportsmanlike and unfair’. Further controversy followed in the marathon on the final day of competition.

In previous Olympics the length of the race had varied slightly, around forty-two kilometres, but in 1908 the King requested that the race begin on the lawns of Windsor Castle so that his grandchildren (the future Edward VIII and George VI amongst them) could see the start of the race. The runners followed a route through Stoke Poges, Ruislip and Wormwood Scrubs to the finish at White City, a distance of 26 miles 385 yards, which thereafter was the official distance for the marathon. First of the seventy-five competitors to enter the stadium was an Italian confectioner called Dorando Pietri who first ran the wrong way round the track and then collapsed. He was helped to the finishing line, loudly applauded by the crowd of 90,000 and disqualified, the gold medal being awarded to the following competitor Johnny Hayes, the youngest member of the US team. In the meantime the Italian flag had been hoisted above the Stars and Stripes, further enraging the Americans. The following day Queen Alexandra presented Pietri with a gold cup as a consolation prize. As a result of such controversies changes were made for future Olympics.

Henceforward judges would be chosen from all competing nations by the International Olympic Committee and a set of rules would be agreed beforehand. The Games ended on 31st October, having lasted over three months, and returned a small profit to the organizers while leaving them with a stadium which continued to be used as a sports venue until 1985 when it was demolished to make way for a new home for BBC television. One legacy of the London Games did not endure. During the Games the organizers, influenced by the president of the Royal Academy, Sir Edward Poynter, agreed that in future there would be medals for artistic entries including architecture, sculpture and literature. At the 1912 games the gold medal for literature was awarded, perhaps diplomatically, to Pierre de Coubertin himself. These competitions continued intermittently until the 1948 Games, again in London, after which the practice was discontinued on the grounds that most of the entrants were professional artists. The Polytechnic Harriers and the Olympics In 1908, when the Olympic Games came to the White City Stadium, the opening and closing ceremonies and the Marathon race were all organized by the Regent Street Polytechnic.

This institution had been created by the vision of Quintin Hogg (1845-1903), a man who believed in the education of ‘mind, body and spirit’. In 1891 it became the model for applied education across London. Visiting athletes from abroad were invited to become honorary Polytechnic members and to use the sports and social facilities at 309 Regent St. Edward VII, Queen Alexandra and the President of France visited the White City Stadium on May 26th, three weeks before the Games began. The Polytechnic staged the events, which included a parade of athletes and a gymnastic display. A series of postcards were produced to mark the occasion. The Polytechnic Harriers Club organized the Trial Olympic Marathon race which was reintroduced as an event in the modern Games. The race was run from Windsor Great Park to the stadium and established the international distance which was fixed by the Games Organising Committee at 26 miles and 385 yards, enabling the runners to finish in front of the Royal Box. Twenty-three Polytechnic members were selected for the British Olympic team.

Charles Bartlett of the Polytechnic Cycling Club won a gold medal, and the Poly won a further four silver and bronze medals in boxing, cycling and track events. Olympics has not boosted school sport, survey suggests - BBC News BBC News Olympics has not boosted school sport, survey suggests By Hannah Richardson BBC News education reporter 19 November 2012 Close share panel Image caption Mo Farah's Olympic performance was recently voted the most inspiring of the London Games Schools appear to be failing to capitalise on the inspirational legacy of the London Olympics, says a survey. It suggests the Games inspired more than half of children to take up a new sport, but 80% of parents say the amount of PE and games in UK schools has not increased. The survey of 1,006 parents by Chance to Shine cricket charity marks 100 days since the end of London 2012. The government said it was investing £1bn over the next five years. One of the key parts of the London Olympic bid was inspiring the athletes of the future. The Chance to Shine survey found 54% of pupils had been inspired to take up a new sport as a result of the Olympics.

However, eight out of parents said their children were playing the same amount of sport or less during school hours following the Games and its results suggested many pupils do less than the recommended two hours of sport a week. 'Aspiration' It also found that 54% of the parents five to 16-year-olds polled said their children played less than two hours of games or PE in school a week. In Sheffield, the home of gold medal-winning heptathlete Jessica Ennis, 60% of parents say their children do less than the stipulated two hours a week. Rules requiring schools to report on whether they had met that target were scrapped by Education Secretary Michael Gove in 2010. The Department for Education said at the time it was an unenforceable aspiration. However, Mr Gove told schools at the time he expected them to maintain their current levels of PE and sport. When parents in the survey were asked what the biggest challenges facing schools trying to increase the amount of sport their pupils play, 42% of parents blamed time pressures of the curriculum. A third of parents blamed a lack of facilities and 29% blamed a lack of funding for school sports.

'Inspired' Wasim Khan, chief executive of Chance to Shine, which runs cricketing schemes in 6,500 schools in the UK, said: "The fact that parents are saying that their children are doing less than two hours of school sport a week is a concern. "We want young people to do as much physical activity as possible in and out of school - whether it's cricket, athletics or another sport - to help them lead active, healthy lives. "Parents are saying that many of their children were inspired by the Olympic Games to play more or to try a new sport. "We owe it to those children to ensure we have the right infrastructure to make it a reality." Olympic legacy? A message on the youth legacy section of the London 2012 website says: "Since it won the bid to host the Games, London 2012 has worked closely with partners and stakeholders on activation programmes to promote sports participation in the run-up to, during and after the Games.

"For example, 14,000 schools and more than five million young people took part in the 2012 National School Sports Week sponsored by Lloyds TSB." General secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Christine Blower, said the Olympic Legacy was alive and well and being nurtured by our PE teachers. "Many NUT members are involved in sports clubs of all kinds both during and outside of school. "Think how much more, though, could be done if the government hadn't all but scrapped the Schools Sports Partnership and presided over the sell-off of playing fields. "Teachers want to see an Olympic legacy. The question is does the government?" The panel of parents were surveyed online by Opinion Matters in early November. A government spokesperson said: "We want more young people to take part in competitive sport - not only so they lead healthy and active lifestyles but also so they develop new skills and learn how to work as a team. "This is why we are putting competitive sport at the heart of the new primary school curriculum and extending the School Games competition. We are also investing £1bn over the next five years in youth sport; improving links between schools and clubs and upgrading hundreds of facilities up and down the country.

"However, encouraging more young people to take part in sport cannot be driven just by top down Whitehall policies, as we have seen previously; it must be led by parents and communities creating a culture where competitive sport can thrive." Olympic Events Through History Olympic Events Through History July 27, 2012 11:36am ET MORE An Olympic tug-of-war competition in Saint-Louis, 1904. Credit: Charles Lucas Olympic events have changed dramatically over time [ Learn How & Why ]. Here's the full history: Sports at the Games This summer's Olympics in London showcase 28 officially recognized sports, with their disciplines listed below and the date of their initial appearances in parentheses: Aquatics (1896) Greco-Roman (1896) Freestyle (1904) Note that some of these events were not offered during every Summer Olympic Games between their initial appearance and now. For example, tennis was an Olympic sport from 1896 to 1924. It was then removed from Olympic competition due to disputes between the International Tennis Federation and the IOC over allowing amateur players to compete. But tennis has been played again at the Olympic level since 1988.

Rugby was re-introduced in 2012 for the first time since 1924. Sports at the Inaugural modern Olympics The first Modern Olympics in 1896 consisted of nine sports, all of which are currently included in the Summer Games: Athletics Wrestling The has-beens Since the birth of the Modern Olympics, a number of events have come and gone. And most of the discontinued sports, listed below, led short lives prior to 1924. The initial protocol allowed the host country to largely determine the sporting schedule. But in 1924 the IOC assumed this role.

Ultimately, these sports faded due to a lack of international appeal and/or a governing body that would have otherwise boosted their standing in the eyes of the IOC: Baseball (1912* – Stockholm, 1936*, 1956*, 1964*, 1984*, 1988*, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008) Cricket (1900 – Paris) Croquet (1900 – Paris) Golf (1900 – Paris, 1904) Jeu de paume (1900* – Paris, 1908); players hit the ball with their hands in this French precursor of tennis Lacrosse (1904 – Paris, 1908, 1928*, 1932*, 1948*) Pelote bisque (1900 – Paris, 1924*, 1968*, 1992*); a Spanish version of handball Polo (1900 – Paris, 1908, 1

920, 1924, 1936) Rackets (1908 – London); played indoors, it is similar to squash Roque (1904 – St.

Louis); an American version of croquet Softball (1996 – Atlanta, 2000, 2004, 2008) Tug of war (1900-1920); included as a track-and-field event Water Motorsports (1900* – Paris, 1908) * indicates a demonstration sport Demonstration sports These sports were first intended to offer the Olympic host an opportunity to showcase sports unique to this country. So in 1932, the Olympics in Los Angeles included American football. And the Australians added their version of football, which is similar to rugby, to the 1956 Melbourne Games. (This trend is evident in the list of demonstration sports below.) But because sports for the next summer games are approved or rejected shortly after the completion of its predecessor, demonstration sports transitioned into the role of trial runs for a medal sport in the next Olympics. Demonstration sports are scattered among various Summer Olympics from 1900 to 1992: American football (1904 – St.

Louis, USA, 1932) Australian rules football (1956 – Melbourne/Stockholm: equestrian events held in Stockholm due to foreign horse quarantine laws); similar to rugby Ballooning (1900 – Paris) Boules (1900 – Paris); like in bocce, players of this French game try to roll heavy balls close to a small 'jack' Bowling (1988 – Seoul) Budo (1964 – Tokyo); Japanese martial arts Field handball (1952 – Helsinki) Glima (1912 – Stockholm): Icelandic folk wrestling Kaatsen (1928 – Amsterdam); this Dutch game of handball may be one of the oldest ballgames Korfball (1920 – Antwerp, 1928 – Amsterdam); players score by throwing a ball into an elevated basket without a backboard in this mixed-gender game La canne (1924 – Paris); this French game is similar to fencing Longue paume (1900 – Paris); an outdoor precursor to modern tennis Motorsport (1900 – Paris) Roller hockey (1992 – Barcelona) Savate (

1924 – Paris); a French version of kickboxing Surf lifesaving (1900 – Paris); this hybrid event, originating in Australia, requires skills as a surfer and lifeguard Swedish (Ling) gymnastics (1948 – London) Water skiing (1972 – Munich) India`s Olympic medal winners | Zee News India`s Olympic medal winners Hockey: The Golden Game Hockey was the first sport that had the world take notice of Indian presence at Olympics.

For 28 years, Indian hockey team at the biggest sports carnival, the Summer Olympics, was unbeatable. The sheer dominance was accentuated by the fact that the British played against an Indian team only when after it ceased to be their colony. This they did, apparently, to avoid the humiliation of getting defeated by one of their colonies. Hockey has earned India a total of 11 Olympic medals. This includes eight gold, one silver and two bronze medals and the last of those, a gold medal, came way back in 1980 at Moscow Games. The whole world would gasp in awe as Dhyan Chand and his teammates displayed their magic with the hockey sticks enthralling thousands of fans all over the planet, making India the undisputable champion team. By Feroz Khan - Vijender Singh The first boxer from India to win an Olympic medal, tall and handsome, Vijender Singh became a darling of the Indian media that otherwise can`t get enough of its all pervading cricket stars. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics Vijender booked his bronze medal defeating Carlos Góngora Mercado of Ecuador.

Keeping aside the skepticism raised over his appearances in the glamour world, he proved his detractors wrong with a bronze medal at 2009 World Championships in Milan. - Abhinav Bindra Abhinav Bindra`s name was forever etched in the history of Indian sports when he became the first individual Olympic gold medalist from India. He won the 10 m Air Rifle event in 2008 Beijing Olympics and is also the current world champion. For his feat, the ever smiling Bindra has been bestowed with numerous accolades and cash prizes. - Sushil Kumar Son of a driver, Sushil Kumar not only realised the dream his father once harboured but also put Boprala on wrestling map of the world by winning a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Sushil defeated Leonid Spiridonov of Kazakhstan 3:1. This was the first time in 56 years an Indian had managed to win a medal in wrestling. He continued his exploits with a gold medal in 2010 World Wrestling Championship in Moscow.

- Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore`s silver medal in Men`s Double Trap at 2004 Athens Games was the best individual performance by an Indian post independence. His exploits made him a national hero and a poster boy for Indian army. The sports loving lad from Rajasthan had interest in cricket but his fate brought him to National Defence Academy and from there he emerged as an ace shooter. - Karnam Malleswari Karnam Malleswari, a weightlifter from Andhra Pradesh, became the first Indian women to win an Olympic medal in the team or individual category in 2004 at Sydney Games. She lifted 110kg in the Snatch and 130 kg in the Clean and Jerk for a total of 240 kg. In 1995, Malleswari had won the world weightlifting title in her class (54 kg) with a new record, by lifting 113.0 kg. - Leander Paes After a gap of over four decades, Leander Paes, had the Indian flag flying at the medal presentation ceremony at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

He won a bronze medal in the single event of Lawn Tennis by defeating Fernando Meligeni of Brazil. His journey to the finals was blocked by American great Andre Agassi who eventually won the gold medal. Paes, whom Agassi describes as a flying jumping bean, a bundle of hyperkinetic energy, has been the torch-bearer of Indian tennis after turning professional in 1991. - KD Jadhav: The forgotten hero Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav was independent India`s first ever Olympic medal winner. He fought official apathy and overcame financial crunch to win a bronze medal in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Games. Khashaba`s interest in the sport began at an early age as his father introduced him and his four elder brothers with the game. After finishing 6th at the 1948 Olympic Games, Jadhav fought his way to represent India at London Olympics. His trip was sponsored by close friends, well wishers and teachers. He defeated wrestlers from Canada, Mexico and Germany, to win bronze medal on 23rd July 1952. Thus he created history that was only repeated in 1996.

The government, to honour his feat, re-christened the wrestling venue in the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi as K. D. Jadhav Stadium. - Norman Pritchard The case of Norman Pritchard is as enigmatic as it gets. Record books suggest that Pritchard, of British decent, was an Indian athlete and the first from the country to take part in Olympics. Going by this, he becomes the first ever medal winner from the country. He won two silver medals in 1900 Paris Games in 200m dash and 200m hurdles. However, there are contrarian opinions claiming that Norman never represented India and actually was a British colonial living in India and was chosen to represent Great Britain at the 1900 Paris Games. - Did you know - India has won only 20 medals in Olympics | India | Abhinav Bindra | London Olympics 2012 - Oneindia London Olympics 2012 Specials Though the country's list of medal winners nor the medals aren't fabulous when compared to other nations, there are a few athletes who have time and again proved their worth in Olympics.

So far, India has won 20 medals in Olympics having appeared in 21 editions, though the ratio is less, here is a quick look at the athletes who have made India proud at the Olympics. With 9 Gold medals, 4 Silver and 7 Bronze, India look to grab many this time around at London. Also Read: Facts on Olympic Medals How many of us are aware of the first athlete to win an Olympic medal for our country? Ask about various sports, especially cricket, we might have all the stats on our fingertips but somehow we miss out on such crucial, important details. Well that's not our fault though, as Indians are crazy about cricket, there is nothing wrong in it, but knowing the details, names of athletes who strive for excellence at a global level is a must and shouldn't be ignored. Coming back to the first medal winner for India in Olympics, Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won a bronze medal in Wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Games. After Jadhav's feat, the government in order to honour him, re-christened the wrestling venue in the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, New Delhi as K D Jadhav Stadium.

The national sport, Hockey has contributed the most to India's medal tally in Olympics so far, as the Hockey team has won 11 medals, of which 8 were gold, one silver and two bronze medals. While 7 athletes have won the Olympic medal in individual events and have made India proud over the years. After Jadhav, it was India's Tennis sensation Leander Paes to create waves at the Olympic Games, as he won the bronze medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, during the singles event of Lawn Tennis. In the next Olympics Karnam Malleshwari , weight lifter from Andhra Pradesh stole the show as she became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal at the Sydney Olympics 2000. Olympic Sports List Home > Events > Olympics > Summer > Sports Sports of the Olympic Games At the first Olympic Games in 1896, there were nine sports contested. Since that time many sports have been added (and removed too) from the program. Only five sports have been contested at every summer Olympic Games since 1896: Athletics , Cycling , Fencing , Gymnastics and Swimming .

In 2012 there were 26 sports contested, and in 2016 there was 28, and 33 are scheduled for 2020 (see list ). In addition to the official sports on the program, there are other recognized sports that are set for possible inclusion in the future. See also the pages about the number of sports at each Olympiad, and also the changes over time . Recent Changes After the 2008 Olympics the sports of Baseball and Softball were dropped from the program. In August 2009 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted on the two sports to be added to the program for Rio 2016 . There was a list of seven sports that they chose from: golf, rugby union, roller sports, karate, softball, baseball and squash. They selected golf and rugby union . There are many other possible new sports for future Games. In February 2013, wrestling was dropped from the core sports list, and joined with baseball and softball (joint bid), climbing , karate , roller sport , squash , wakeboard and wushu to attempt to gain a place on the program for 2020.

In May 2013 the IOC cut Karate, roller sports, sport climbing, wakeboarding and wushu from this list, leaving Baseball-softball, squash and wrestling to be shortlisted. Then in September 2013, they voted to return wrestling to the list of sports for the 2020 Olympic program. In 2015, further voting was held for the inclusion of more sports. 2020 Summer Olympic Sports London 2012 Olympics: swimming guide - Telegraph London 2012 Olympics: swimming guide Read Telegraph Sport's guide to the swimming events at the London 2012 Olympics. Photo: GETTY IMAGES Swimming is one of the easiest Olympic sports to understand, which may explain its popularity with spectators. Swimmers use four strokes: freestyle (or front crawl), breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly. A medley race is one where all four strokes are used. Most of the races take place in the middle eight lanes of a 50 metre long, 10 lane wide pool, but a longer 10km race takes place in open water.

Pool: In a simple test of swimming speed, victory goes to the athlete who touches the pool wall first at the end of the race. In breaststroke and butterfly, swimmers must touch the wall with both hands simultaneously. Backstroke swimmers start in the water with their feet against the wall and their hands holding on to a starting grip. In the other three strokes, swimmers start by diving into the water from a starting block. Open water: Races can take place in fresh or saltwater, though there must be only minor currents or tide. The temperature of the water has to be a minimum of 61F (16C). All open-water races are freestyle events and begin with a mass start from a fixed platform. The athletes then swim up and down a course marked out by buoys. Making deliberate contact with a competitor during the race is forbidden. Any transgressions are spotted by judges, who hold up a yellow flag and a card with the swimmer’s number on it. A second offence is punishable by disqualification, signalled by a red flag. Every swimmer is required to wear a microchip transponder on their wrist, which provides split and finish times.

Swimmers who lose their transponder mid-race are issued with a replacement by an official. Finishing the race without a transponder leads to automatic disqualification. Mooted changes to the Olympic swimming programme in 2012 did not materialise, which means that the race distances remain unchanged from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Events / disciplines Men’s 50m freestyle, women’s 50 metre freestyle Men’s 100m breaststroke, women’s 100m breaststroke Men’s 100m backstroke, women’s 100m backstroke Men’s 100m butterfly, women’s 100m butterfly Men’s 100m freestyle, women’s 100m freestyle Men’s 200m freestyle, women’s 200m freestyle Men’s 200m butterfly, women’s 200m butterfly Men’s 200m breaststroke, women’s 200m breaststroke Men’s 200m backstroke, women’s 200m backstroke Men’s 200m individual medley, women’s 200m individual medley Men’s 400m individual medley, women’s 400m individual medley Men’s 400m freestyle, women’s 400m freestyle Men’s 1500m freestyle, women’s 800m freestyle Men’s 4x10

0 medley relay, women’s 4x100 medley relay Men’s 4x100 metre freestyle, women’s 4x100 freestyle relay Men’s 4x200m freestyle, women’s 4x200 freestyle relay Men’s 10k, women’s 10k Gold medals available 34 Technique varies from stroke to stroke, but, as a general rule, swimmers need to use their body position to make themselves as streamlined as possible, so that they can propel through the water with minimal drag.

Breathing and timing is also very important, and should be used to maximise the distance travelled with each stroke. The biggest change from 2008 is the new rules on swimwear. Gone are the impermeable, full-body suits that allowed a staggering 25 world records to be broken in Beijing. Male swimmers are now restricted to a pair of textile shorts and women to textile suits that must not extend above the shoulder or below the knee. Another commonly used swimming tactic is tapering, where swimmers slow down their training over a period of three to four weeks before competition to ensure that they are fully recovered from their training camp and rested before a meet. The final part of the tapering is shaving body hair, which is done the night before a swimmers first race and makes them that little bit more aerodynamic. Tapering is not the same for all swimming and is dependent on many different things, such as the type of event competed in, with sprinters more likely to reduce their pool workouts and focus on land work than a distance swimmer. A big part of swimming is diet and swimmers often consume in excess of five thousands calories when they train for more than six hours a day.

The huge intake of excess calories – the average for men is 2500 and 2000 for women – is needed to compensate for those burned off during training. A 150 pound swimmer burns roughly 210 calories in a half-hour during a relatively vigorous training session. In recent years world records have tumbled – even before the introduction of the new, now banned, swimsuits – and one of the main reasons for this is a greater importance being placed on ‘the fifth stroke’ of swimming – otherwise known as the dolphin kick. The stroke is used when swimmers reach one pool wall and have to turn. They kick-out, mimicking a dolphin flip. Led by Michael Phelps, swimmers have realised that by staying underwater longer and not rising to the surface so quickly they can increase their speed, leading to new records being set. What to say “The polyurethane suits in Beijing were effectively technological doping. London will be a fairer test of the athlete’s abilities.” What not to say “I’d like to see them try and go that fast with a bunch of kids at one end doing dive bombs.” If it were a TV programme, it would be Baywatch.

Furious action, toned bodies and lots of splashing around. Swimming is a tough enough sport as it is. But spare a thought for the very first Olympic swimmers, at Athens in 1896. That year the Games coincided with an unusual cold snap in Greece. In those days, the competition was held on open water and competitors had to endure goosebump-inducing sea temperatures of 55F (13C). Pool: Nowadays, the world governing body Fina insists on a uniform water temperature of 26C, plus or minus one degree. Since the 1908 London Games, swimming races have been held in a pool. The 1908 version was 100 metres long and built inside the running track at White City, where miraculously nobody was harpooned by a stray javelin. Open water: Long-distance swimming is one of the newest events in the Olympic programme but also, curiously, one of the oldest.

While it made its debut in Beijing in 2008 with the introduction of men’s and women’s 10km races, it is a throwback to the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, when swimming races were staged in the bitterly cold Bay of Zea. Open-water swimming has a long and colourful history stretching back to 36 BC, when the first known races were organised in Japan. The ancient Romans also held races in the Tiber, which attracted huge crowds along the banks. Jargon: Negative split: A race tactic in which a swimmer completes the second half of a race faster than the first half. Tumble turn: Underwater roll at the end of a length which is used in backstroke and freestyle. It allows swimmers to push off from the end of the pool with their feet. Drafting: Swimming in an opponent’s wake to conserve energy, similar to slipstreaming in cycling and Formula One. Legends Some of the most decorated Olympians of all time are swimmers. American swimmer Michael Phelps has won a staggering 16 medals – 14 of them gold- and will be out for more in London.

Jenny Thompson, also of the USA, has 12 medals to her name. Maarten van der Weijden (Holland), recovered from leukaemia to take gold in Beijing in 2008. Other swimming stars who splashed to multiple successes in the pool include Johnny Weissmuller (US), Dawn Fraser (Australia), Mark Spitz (US), Matt Biondi (US), and Ian Thorpe (Australia). Random fact South Africa’s Natalie du Toit, who lost her left leg in a motorcycle accident, finished an astonishing fourth against the world’s leading able-bodied athletes at the 2008 World Championships in Seville. Her achievement earned her a place at the Beijing Olympics, where she finished 16th. She went on to win five swimming gold medals at the Beijing Paralympics a few weeks later. Official sites Swimming sensation: Michael Phelps will be looking to add to his haul of 16 medals at London 2012 Photo: Getty Images How many medals targeted by Team GB? UK Sport have targeted five to seven medals for the swimming team. Where are the chances?

Beijing double gold medallist Rebecca Adlington will be joined by a powerful group of female swimmers, plus world-beating backstroke specialist Liam Tancock. If the class of 2012 are true to their potential, it should be a memorable Games for Britain in the pool. Keri-Anne Payne, who is a two-time world champion, and an Olympic silver medallist, has a great shot at gold in the 10km open water swimming event. Brits to watch? Rio Olympic Games 2016: What to expect - Telegraph Advertisement Rio Olympic Games 2016: What to expect The Brazilian Government is investing nearly £11 billion in development ahead of the 2016 Rio Games. As Olympic fever starts to diminish in London, we look ahead at Brazil's preparations to become the next hosts of the world's greatest sporting event. An artist's impression of the Rio 2016 Olympic Park Urban Masterplan Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janiero The Rio 2016 Olympic logo By Jennifer Smith and Olivia Parker 7:00AM BST 12 Aug 2012 How big is the Olympic park?

The Olympic park, including the Olympic and Paralympic village, will be just over 185 acres in size. The village will house 17,700 beds in 9,460 bedrooms over 48 buildings, made up of three and four bedroom apartments. Which events will be held where? Events will be staged in 34 venues, of which 18 are already operating, nine are new and seven are temporary. They are spread over four districts known as ‘Olympic clusters’: Barra de Tijuva, Copacabana, Deodoro and Maracana. Football games will be held in various stadiums outside the city. Related Articles Ainslie rules out Rio conquest 05 Jul 2012 The Barra de Tijuca borough in southwest Rio will host the most venues, including boxing, table-tennis, badminton, gymnastics and most aquatic events. The Olympic and Paralympic villages and the Olympic Park are all located in the Barra Zone. The southern neighbourhood of Copacabana, with its famous 4km beach, will be the site for rowing, sailing and athletics, canoeing, kayaking and beach volleyball.

The Deodoro zone, to the west of the city, will host seven Olympic competitions – modern pentathlon, shooting, equestrian, cycling (Mountain Bike and BMX), canoe/kayak (slalom) and fencing. The Maracanã district houses the Maracanã Stadium, the site of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and some football matches. With a capacity of 90,000, the stadium can hold 10,000 more people than the main arena in the Olympic Park in London. The marathon and archery competitions will take place at the Sambódromo Stadium and the track and field athletic events will be held in the João Havelange Stadium, which is having its capacity permanently increased from 45,000 to 60,000 for the Games. How well prepared is Rio’s transport system? Rio Metro has two underground lines and plans are in place to extend one of these by 14km, adding six more subway stations. The system will be able to carry 230,000 passengers per day and is expected to be completed by December 2015. Extensive bus and train improvements are also under way.

Will there be any places for fans without tickets to gather and watch the Games? Screening locations outside the Olympic park haven’t yet been confirmed, but it’s likely that Rio’s Copacabana Beach, where people gathered as the announcement was made that Rio had won their bid for the Games, will be a popular choice. Will there be any new sports at the 2016 Games? Golf is being reintroduced as an Olympic event at the Rio Games, after a gap of 112 years. The sport is very popular in Rio, where it has attracted around 17,000 new players in the last ten years. Rugby Sevens, a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of 7 players and not 15, will also be part of these Olympics, while windsurfing will be removed from the sailing programme and replaced with kitesurfing. The triathlon will be part of the Paralympic games for the first time ever. What sport is Brazil best at? With its proximity to the coast, beach volleyball is a Brazilian favourite and is particularly popular in Rio de Janeiro.

In London 2012, Brazilian duo Alison Cerutti and Emanuel Rego won silver in beach volleyball, while Larissa França and Juliana Felisberta Silva took bronze. Brazil has also taken four medals in London 2012 in judo: one gold and three bronzes. Rio fact sheet The 2016 Rio Games will be the first Olympiad to take place in South America – leaving Africa as the only continent yet to play host. It will also be the first Olympiad at which the Opening and Closing ceremonies are not held in the athletics stadium: the ceremonies will be at the Maracanã Stadium instead. The Games’ motto will be ‘Viva Sua Paixao’, which means ‘Live Your Passion’. Every stadium, except the Morambi Stadium, will be used prior to the Olympics at the Fifa World Cup from 12 June to 13 July 2014. The official Rio 2016 Logo is made up of three figures embracing to represent the city’s famous 396m landmark, Sugarloaf Mountain. It depicts the three colours of the Brazilian flag, blue, green and yellow.

India Olympics History, Performance of Indians in Olympics Home » Olympics » India Olympics History India Olympics History Olympics are one of the earliest known sporting events in the world and their history dates back to as early as 4th century AD. Greece is the country where the games are believed to be played by no one else but the Gods themselves. A belief has it, that Zeus and his son Heracles were the founders of the sport and because of the Gods being associated with the sport; the games have been played and promoted almost religiously in different parts of the world. Such was the importance of the sporting event, that any wars or against the participating nations were put on hold during the span the event was supposed to held. The winners were acknowledged with poems addressed to them and statues built in their reverence. Olympics still remain popular as one of the most reputed sporting events in the world. Doing well in the Olympics is a matter of pride. The more the number of medals the more is the admiration a country invites which ensures that each participating nation desires and hopes to win as many medals as they can for their country. India's Olympic History India's association with the Olympics started when the country was still striving for its independence.

The national sport, Hockey was the primary sport to give the country feel of gold. India's Men's Field Hockey Team won the gold for six successive Olympic years from 1928-1956. Though, nothing can beat the craze of the Indians for cricket but Abhinav Bindra's phenomenal performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics has proven to be a catalyst to evoke interest of the Indians in the mammoth sporting event. The country for the first time welcomed and appreciated, a sports personality not hailing from the cricket background with so much admiration and reverence. Even the athletes were motivated to put up a better show. It is worth noting that India's performance at the Olympics has improved considerably after the year 1994 with more athletes getting individual medals for the country.

Indian Olympics History: Quick Facts India's First ever participation in Summer Olympics Games: 1920 India's first ever participation in Winter Olympics Games: 1964 India's first ever gold medal: Norman Pritchard in 1900 Number of Medals won by Indian athletes till date: 20 The best performance by India at Olympics: In 2008 Beijing Olympics Total Gold medals won by Indian athletes :9 Gold Medals won in Men's Field Hockey: 8 Individual Gold Medal: 1 (Abhinav Bindra in Men's 10m Air Rifle, 2008 Beijing Olympics) National Olympic Committee: Indian Olympic Association. India's Performance in Olympics

Question: How many times has cricket been an Olympic sport?
Answer: 1