Discover 11 Unforgettable Fun Facts About the 2012 London Summer Olympics
1. Dancing Horses in Greenwich Park
When horses decided to join the dance at the park: The 2012 Summer Olympics equestrian team and individual eventing competitions took place at Greenwich Park in London, from July 28 to July 31, with Germany galloping away with gold, Great Britain trotting behind with silver, and New Zealand cantering into bronze.
Source => en.wikipedia.org
2. Queen Elizabeth's Stunt Double Debut
In a feat of royal espionage that would leave MI6 in awe, Queen Elizabeth II swapped her scepter for a parachute, giving 007 Daniel Craig a run for his money: During the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, a sketch directed by Danny Boyle featured the Queen and James Bond joining forces, culminating in Her Majesty's stunt double parachuting into the Olympic Stadium, only for the real Queen to emerge moments later, dressed like her airborne doppelgänger, to rapturous applause.
Source => scotsman.com
Did you know the youngest Olympic swimming gold medalist, Kusuo Kitamura, switched from a Speedo to cement shoes and made a splash in multiple industries? Dive into his fascinating journey!
=> Fun Facts about The-Olympics
3. Sir Chris Hoy, Cycling Legend
Pedaling his way into the record books like a finely tuned thigh-master on a unicycle, our man Sir Chris Hoy certainly knows how to keirin it up on the track: At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he bagged two gold medals in team sprint and keirin events, making him the most decorated Olympic cyclist in history with a grand total of six gold medals, even outshining his fellow Brit, Bradley Wiggins.
Source => olympics.com
4. Jamaican Lightning Strikes London
When Jamaican lightning strikes twice, it's quickly followed by a thunderous roar of records being shattered: The Jamaican men's 4x100 meter relay team, featuring Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, Nesta Carter, and Michael Frater, smashed the world record by 0.2 seconds at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, despite missing veteran Asafa Powell due to injury.
Source => bleacherreport.com
5. Missy Franklin, Caffeinated Dolphin
Swimming her way to the top like a caffeinated dolphin with a penchant for precious metals: Missy Franklin dominated the 2012 Summer Olympics, snagging four gold medals and a bronze, becoming the most successful female swimmer of the games, smashing the world record for the women's 200m backstroke, and joining her US teammates in making a new world record in the 4x100m medley relay.
Source => olympics.com
6. Flag Mix-up Fiasco
In a classic case of "Oops, wrong flag!" that would make even Betsy Ross blush: During the 2012 Summer Olympics, North Korea's women's football team briefly walked off the field when, instead of their own flag, South Korea's was mistakenly displayed on the stadium screens – an incident that caused quite the kerfuffle between the two nations before the players returned, won their match 2-0 against Colombia, and the organizers apologized for the mix-up.
Source => theguardian.com
7. Age-Defying Equestrian Hiroshi Hoketsu
Who needs a time machine when you’ve got Hiroshi Hoketsu, an evergreen Japanese equestrian defying age like a fine wine: At the ripe age of 71, he participated in the 2012 London Olympics, making him one of the oldest athletes at the Games, having previously competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and qualified for the 1988 Seoul Olympics but missing it due to a horse quarantine hiccup.
Source => olympics.com
8. Czech Beach Volleyball Upset
You know what they say – Czechs love to show off their buns on the beach, and in 2012, their skills were on full display: Marketa Slukova and Kristyna Kolocova of the Czech Republic shocked the world by defeating Brazilian beach volleyball favorites Talia Rocha and Maria Antonelli in a thrilling three-set match at the London Olympics.
Source => olympics.com
9. Cramped Beds for Olympic Athletes
Did Olympic athletes in 2012 have to curl up like gymnasts just to get a good night’s sleep? Surprisingly, yes: The beds in London's 2012 Olympic Village were a snug five feet, eight inches long, leading to some cramped conditions for taller competitors staying in the home-away-from-home that hosted over 10,000 athletes and officials from 200+ nations, complete with leisure areas, shops, restaurants, and a gym.
Source => cbsnews.com
10. Elusive Gender Balance at the Games
While 2012's London Olympics seemed to take a page from "Fifty Shades of Grey" by turning the tables and opening all sports to women, the elusive holy grail of perfect gender balance still evaded the games: Although women were allowed to compete in every sporting event for the first time, just 4,835 competed compared to 6,068 men, with 30 more medal events available for male athletes in certain sports without matching events for females.
Source => news.usc.edu
11. Nicola Adams: Boxing Pioneer
Before Nicola Adams stepped into the ring, the thought of women boxers was as foreign as a left-handed handshake: That all changed in 2012 when she punched her way to becoming the first woman to secure a gold medal in boxing at the London Summer Olympics, breaking barriers in a sport only declared fit for women by the International Olympic Committee in 2009.
Source => theguardian.com
