This summer is not just a time to work, enjoy the warm weather, and hang out with friends from home: this summer is an Olympic summer. This summer the 2012 Olympics will be hosted by London, England. They are scheduled to start on July 27 and end August 12. The Summer Olympics come every four years, as do the Winter Olympics. However, they are spaced out so that we can watch 200 nations from across the world compete every two years. That means that the Winter Olympics are due to occur in 2014.
You may remember Chicago being involved with the Olympics recently. Chicago officials were looking to be the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics. They made it to the final cut, but were beat out by Rio de Janeiro to host them. Some of you may be thinking that it is too early to start planning an event four years in advance, but the Olympics are not just any ordinary event.
For the London 2012 Olympics, they have created, or are utilizing, 34 park venues for the event. That is why it is so important to start early; a city must be willing to put time and money into the event in order to accommodate not only the contestants, but the visitors as well. People travel from all around the world to watch this long-standing event. Tickets can be very pricey but can be purchased through the games official site, www.london2012.com, or through www.teamusa.org. Both websites caution visitors to watch out for bogus sites that claim to sell tickets, but in reality, are just scams.
Team USA has not filled all of their spots yet. Some people have secured spots by winning competitions in 2011. Other athletes have been nominated to gain automatic qualification, but that is still pending. There is a long list of upcoming competitions where athletes can qualify to become a member of Team USA. The entire schedule and list of already qualified members can be seen at: http://espn.go.com/olympics/story/_/id/7508001/2012-london-olympics-filling-2012-team-usa-roster.
The Olympics have definitely changed over the years. The Greeks started it as a religious activity for the gods. The myth was that Zeus and his son, Heracles, were the ones who started the games. Back then city-states competed against one another in things like chariot racing or combat. That is much different than what athletes compete in today. Now the summer Olympics include swimming, basketball, football, track, gymnastics, and many more events. The Olympics have been transformed to fit the evolution of sporting events through the years.
Keep your eye out as Team USA continues to fill up, and pick your favorite to watch throughout the games!