london 2012

ForeignStudents.com writer Aryan looks at the differing opinions about London hosting the Olympics and comes to a novel conclusion.

"So it looks like the summer is finally back. While many of us may not have seen our beloved Sol since way back in April, its timely return has coincided with the dawning of the grandest worldwide event of the year. The sun is shining brightly on the British Isles, the athletes are warming up, and thousands of spectators from all over the world are waiting eagerly in gates of Olympia!

Well, Stratford.

I am, of course, referring to the Olympic Games, the longest running international sporting event in history, its inception dating back over two thousand years. Granted there was a fairly lengthy hiatus during its run - several hundred years, to be precise (longer even than Doctor Who was off the air) - but since its revival in 1896 it has been going strong, developing into a global event in which almost every nation in the world participates, an impressive feat in itself.

The London 2012 Olympics are finally almost upon us. After seven years of planning, building and preparing, the Opening Ceremony will officially be opening the Games at the brand new Olympic Stadium on Friday. Here we have a round-up of all the latest news, including the opening events, some unusual statues and the weather finally turning.

Sunshine Appears in Time

After months of rain and floods spoiling the British summer, the sun has finally turned up just in time for the Olympics. Britain is expected to enjoy its hottest weather of the year this week, with forecasters predicting temperatures of over 30C (86F)- that's hotter than Hawaii. This good weather is expected to remain for much of August, though forecasters are predicting that heavy showers and even storms could afflict the Olympic Opening Ceremony.

A Met Office spokesman described how we face a "typical British summer" this weekend with unsettled conditions: "For Friday, it is still looking reasonably warm but at the same time there is a slight chance of a shower in the South but these showers should be few and far between".

It has been a remarkable few days for British cycling, with the sport taking the front and back pages of newspapers over the weekend. Bradley Wiggins was confirmed as the first British Tour de France winner in history yesterday, before it was announced today that Sir Chris Hoy will be the flagbearer for Team GB at the Olympic Opening Ceremony.

Wiggins Takes Unique Victory

As 153 cyclists rode through the streets of Paris yesterday to complete the mammoth 2,200 miles of the Tour de France race, there was one man who had dominated throughout. For the first time in its 99 year history, there was a Brit wearing the famous yellow jersey that marks the leading rider as they crossed the finishing line. Bradley Wiggins was a full 3 minutes ahead of his nearest rival in the overall time.

The victory has led to experts calling him the greatest British sportsman of his generation and possibly of all time. The Tour de France is a unique sporting event held for three weeks throughout France, Belgium and Switzerland. The cyclists spend a total of over 85 hours on their bikes, with many of the stages being held in mountainous areas with daunting uphill climbs.

There are just two weeks to go until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. The final preparations are being put in place and excitement is growing all the time. Over the last few months, the members of the team who will compete for Great Britain have gradually been revealed. The whole team has now been chosen, with an amazing 542 members competing for their country.

Selection Controversy

There have been a few controversial decisions over which athletes have been chosen for the team. The first one to make the news was when the taekwondo team was announced. Just one spot was given to the men in the under-80kg weight division, and that was taken by Lutalo Muhammad. However, it wasn't so much him that caused the controversy, but the man he replaced. Whilst Muhammad was ranked just 59th in the world, a fellow Brit who was overlooked- Aaron Cook, was ranked number one in the world and reigning European Champion.

Cook was devastated and felt that the selection process was very unfair. He therefore appealed, firstly to the British Olympic Association and then to the World Taekwondo Federation. However, both upheld the decision made by the GB Taekwondo, claiming their selection process had been transparent throughout.

The BBC used half-time of the Euro 2012 final last night as the perfect time to reveal the title sequence for their coverage of the London 2012 Olympics. The animated trailer works on the idea of the whole of the UK becoming a giant stadium for the Games. It features music created by the band Elbow specially for the campaign, which will be available for with all profits going to Children in Need and Sport Relief.

The Olympics are starting on 27 July and in the UK will be shown exclusively on the BBC. So without further ado, watch the video below.