The full moon rises through the Olympic Rings hanging beneath Tower Bridge during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 3, 2012.LUKE MACGREGOR/Reuters/Newscom. Find it on Newsom.com: rtrlfive412486
It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times. We saw upsets, momentous feats by the human body, and we saw disappointments. We watched Michael Phelps become the most decorated Olympian of all time. #witness.
We saw the highly favored gymnast American McKayla Maroney fall on the vault. We saw gold-medalist 400m runner Kirani James, representing a little country of 100,000 people, trade bibs with Oscar Pistorius, the first ever double amputee in the Olympics. But then there was Voula Papachristou, Greece’s triple-jumper who got disqualified for a racist tweet.
Alex Morgan sent the girls soccer Team USA into the finals with a last minute header. For the first time in history, there have been women representing every country at the Olympics, as Saudi Arabia agreed to allow two women (in the 800m run and Judo) represent their country. Qatar and Brunei also sent female athletes for the first time. Six world records were set by women in the pool. Jessica Ennis won her host country a gold medal the heptathlon. Serena Williams is returning with two gold medals. Usain Bolt is again the fastest man in history. But we also saw Roger Federer lose at Wimbeldon and Gabby Douglas fall off the balance beam. The U.S., China, Russia and Canada sent more female athletes than males for the first time. Another first was the addition of women’s boxing, which means women are competing in all 26 events.
There was Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang who fell on the first hurdle, badly hurting his ankle. He finished the event though, stopping to kiss the last hurdle. And what’s more tear jerking than watching the reactions of the Olympians’ parents? Then there was Stephan Feck with perhaps the first back flop in the Olympics – he finished last.
As inspiring (and heartbreaking) as the Olympics are, they are going by too fast. With only a few days left, the 2012 London Olympics has definitely been memorable. Take a look at these incredible photographs, and once again be awestruck by the beauty of the human body.
LONDON, Aug. 7, 2012 Aliya Mustafina of Russia competes during women’s floor event of gymnastics artistic, at London 2012 Olympic Games in London, Britain, on August 7, 2012. Aliya Mustafina of Russia won bronze medal in this event. Shen Bohan/ZUMA Press/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: zumawireworldphotosfive611852
Alexander John of Germany competes during the 110m Hurdles Round 1 at the London 2012 Olympic Games Athletics, Track and Field events at the Olympic Stadium, London, Great Britain, 07 August 2012. Michael Kappeler/dpa/picture-alliance/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: dpaphotos741828
06 August 2012 – London, England – Players take part in women’s football semifinal match between France and Japan, at London 2012 Olympic Games in London, Britain, on August 6, 2012. Japan won 2-1. Fei Maohua/Xinhua/Sipa Press/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: sipaphotosthree684771
Kirani James of Granada celebrates winning the Men’s 400M Final at the London 2012 Summer Olympics on August 6, 2012 in Stratford, London. James won a Gold Medal with a time of 43.94 seconds in the final. Szwarc Henri/ABACA/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: abaphotos905336
Aug 06, 2012 – London, England, UK – London Olympics 2012 Womens Pole Vault Final.HOLLY BLEASDALE 1st round 2nd attempt. Andy Hooper/ZUMA Press/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: zumasportswesttwo534481
Giant projections marking the opening of the 30th summer Olympic Games, are seen on the walls of the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain, July 27, 2012. The 30th summer Olympic Games opened here Friday. CHINE NOUVELLE/SIPA/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: sipaphotosthree676567
Jamaica’s Usain Bolt starts his men’s 200m round 1 heat during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium August 7, 2012. MARK BLINCH/REUTERS/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: rtrukonsports073282
McKayla Maroney won the silver for the U.S. after falling on her landing of her second vault. Bruce Chambers/ZUMA Press/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: zumasportsworldtwo262967
South Korea’s Hyeonwoo Kim bites his gold medal at the podium of Men’s 66Kg Greco-Roman wrestling at the ExCel venue during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 7, 2012. DAMIR SAGOLJ/REUTERS/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: rtrlfive426647
Slovakia’s Jana Veldakova competes in her women’s long jump qualification during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium August 7, 2012. PHIL NOBLE/REUTERS/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: rtrlfive426522
Spain’s Concepcion Montaner competes in her women’s long jump qualification during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium August 7, 2012. PAWEL KOPCZYNSKI/REUTERS/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: rtrlfive426618
Germany’s Matthias Steiner is injured while his weights fall during the men’s +105kg Group A snatch weightlifting competition at the ExCel venue during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 7, 2012. GRIGORY DUKOR/REUTERS/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com:rtrlfive426571
Xinhua Players Take Part in Men s Basketball Preliminary Round Group A Match between The United States and Argentina AT London 2012 Olympic Games in London Britain ON August 6 2012 The United States Won 126-77. imago sportfotodienst/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: imagosports657347
Latvia’s Martins Plavins reacts after losing a point against Brazil’s Emanuel and Alison during their men’s beach volleyball semifinal match at Horse Guards Parade during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 7, 2012. MARCELO DEL POZO/REUTERS/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: rtrlfive426124
Germany’s Tobias Hauke (L) in action against India’s Sunil Sv (R) during the men’s field hockey competition between Germany and India at the London 2012 Olympic Games in London, Great Britain, 03 August 2012. SRDJAN SUKI/EPA/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: epaphotos514438
Germany’s Sara Goller at Beach Volleyball Women’s Round of 16 during the London 2012 Olympic Games competition at the Horse Guards Parade, London, Britain, 03 August 2012. ROLF VENNENBERND/EPA/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: epaphotos514078
Michael Phelps of the USA celebrates after winning Men’s 200m Individual Medley Final at the London 2012 Olympic Games Swimming competition, London, Britain, 02 August 2012. HANNIBAL/EPA/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: epaphotos513829
Teddy Riner of France (white) fights against Alexander Mikhaylin of Russia (blue) during their men’s +100kg final judo match, at the London 2012 Olympic Games Judo competition, London, Britain, 03 August 2012. ORESTIS PANAGIOTOU/EPA/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: epaphotos514223
Gabrielle Douglas of the US on the uneven bars during the Women’s Individual All-Around Final at the London 2012 Olympic Games Artistic Gymnastics competition, London, Britain, 02 August 2012. ANDREW GOMBERT/EPA/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: epaphotos512099
Kristina Cook of Great Britain riding ‘Miners Frolic’ in a hard rain during the Dressage event of the Equestrian Eventing for the London 2012 Olympic Games in Greenwich Park, south of London, Britain, 29 July 2012. JIM HOLLANDER/EPA/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: epaphotos502596
Gold medalists from China Qin Kai and Luo Yutong during the men’s Synchronized 3m Springboard diving event at the Aquatics Center during the London 2012 Olympic Games Swimming competition, London, Britain, 01 August 2012. DENNIS M.SABANGAN/EPA/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: epaphotos508925
PICTURE TAKEN WITH A ROBOTIC CAMERA- Russia’s Elena Isinbaeva competes in the women’s pole vault final at the athletics event of the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 6, 2012 in London. ANTONIN THUILLIER/AFP/Getty Images/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: afplivefour640294
US Gabrielle Douglas falls off the beam during the women’s beam competition of the artistic gymnastics event of the London Olympic Games on August 7, 2012 at the 02 North Greenwich Arena in London. China’s Deng Linlin won gold while Sui Lu won the silver medal, with Alexandra Raisman of the United States taking the bronze medal. BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: afplivefour643522
Athletes pass by Westminster Bridge during women’s marathon final at London 2012 Olympic Games in London, Britain, August 5, 2012. Wang Lili/Xinhua/Photoshot/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: ptsphotoshot887308
Really though, there are so many more pictures than these cool 25 back at Newscom. Come check them out!
We have some other great stuff:
2012 US Olympic Swim Team Photos
The Best 15 Pictures of Gabby Douglas
Tags: 2012 olympics, best of the olympics, best pictures of the olympics, london, london 2012, london olympics, newscom, summer olympics
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It is such a shame for Stephan Feck. To practice all year and work hard everyday and dream of earning the medal only to have this happen to you. I hope he embraces every other part of his life and realizes what he has. I think things like this happen to make people realize what they have in life.
Well said.