On this very ground in Stratford, history was made as this became the first city on Earth to host the modern Olympic Games three times. The 2012 Summer Olympics transformed 200 hectares of abandoned industrial wasteland into a spectacular sporting arena that welcomed the world. From 27 July to 12 August 2012, over 10,500 athletes from 206 nations competed here in what became a defining moment for equality in sport.
For the first time in Olympic history, every sport included female competitors. Women's boxing made its debut, while Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei sent female athletes for the very first time, meaning every eligible nation had finally sent women to compete. The opening ceremony captivated a global audience as Queen Elizabeth II appeared alongside James Bond in an unforgettable sequence. American swimmer Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympic athlete in history, winning his 22nd medal on these grounds.
The Olympic Park housed nine major venues including the stadium where you stand, the Aquatics Centre and the Velodrome. Each day, 180,000 spectators poured through the gates, supported by 70,000 volunteers who made these Games possible. The United States topped the medal table with 48 gold medals, while the host nation achieved its best performance since 1908 with 29 golds.
Sources. Story: Source Story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Summer_Olympics https://www.olympics.com/en/olympic-games/london-2012 Photos: Source Photo: Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service (Photographer name), CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
