The slightest miscalculation in the cross country can cost medals, as well as possibly lives
Great Britain’s First Olympic Gold Medal Goes to … Grass
Olympic organizers, and the tennis world, wondered whether Wimbledon could be ready for the Olympics. Game, set, match: the grass is looking good.
The 2012 Olympic Games Open with Lots of Bangs—and a Whimper
Danny Boyle’s spectacle was weird in places, patchy, a bit preachy sometimes—but the wobbles made the watching even more compelling.
Technology’s Touch: How a Photo Finish in the Olympic Pool Gets Resolved
Inside the timing suite for the Olympic swimming races. How accurate are those touch pads and clocks?
Mongolia: How the Sparsely Populated Land of Genghis Khan Succeeds at the Olympics
When their most famous native son is a 13th century conqueror who amassed the largest land empire in history, it’s not surprising that Mongolians have evolved into a rather sporty bunch. The land of Genghis Khan is populated …
Olympic Soccer: Great Britain Draws with Senegal After 52-Year Absence
Senegal denies Britain a win in front of the home crowd
Dozens of Angry Fans Turned Away from Archery
When is an Olympic event not an Olympic event?
LIFE at the 1948 London Olympics
As the 2012 London Olympics get underway, LIFE.com looks back in photos at another summer Olympiad in the great English capital, seven decades ago, when the city hosted the 1948 Games
Want to Light Up the London Eye? Just Tweet That the Olympics Are ‘Totes Amazeballs’
Who knew the London Eye would be used in, er, such a ‘totes amazeballs’ way?
Q&A: Suttirat Larlarb, Olympic Opening Ceremony Costume Designer
The designer talks about the scale of the Opening Ceremony and Danny Boyle’s vision