Gold Medal Win for London 2012 Olympics

London will host the Summer Games of the 30th Olympiad in 2012.

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Britain in the Olympics

On July 6, 2020 the United Kingdom won the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. London will host the Olympic Games for the third time in its history, beating out Paris with 54-50 votes in the final round, after Moscow, New York and Madrid were eliminated in the first voting rounds.

The London 2012 win brought British sport together: not just those that compete in the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, but ones like cricket and rugby that are outside the Olympic family. The games will transform one of the most deprived sections of London, brining thousands of new jobs and new homes, business for British companies providing services and facilities for the Games and a proud sporting legacy, inspiring a fresh generation to get active and stay healthy will take place.

Great Britain last hosted the Olympics in 1948 and before that in 1908 when British athletes won 141 medals. Britain has won gold at the Olympics in a great many sports including archery, weightlifting, football, tennis, running, decathlon, swimming, cycling, shooting, hurdling, walking, rowing, yachting, equestrians, fencing, steeple-chase, boxing, long jump, relay, pentathlon, javelin, hockey, ice skating, bobsleigh and curling.

History of the Olympics

The modern Olympics are modeled after the games played by the ancient Greeks starting in 700 BC. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens in 1896.

Today, there are two Olympic games: Winter and Summer. The games are played every two years, alternating between Winter and Summer. The Summer Olympics will next be held in Beijing, China in 2008 and the next Winter Olympics will be in Vancouver, Canada in 2010.