Here we briefly look at 10 of our favorite athletes who are competing in the London 2012 Games. While track and field has dominated our interest, we have covered swimming and cycling too. If you are looking for inspiration, or just wish to learn a little more about how these super athletes reach the top of their game, then follow the links if you wish to learn more about them.
In the following list we have 4 British athletes, 3 American, 2 Jamaican and one Russian. Let’s take a brief look at each one of them and their journey to the London 2012 Games.
The British Athletes
Jessica Ennis – Heptathlon & 100 m Hurdles
Jessica Ennis started her career in 2006 at the Commonwealth Games in Australia. Jessica is from Manchester and is coached by Toni Minichiello. This will be her first Olympic Games.
Unfortunately an injured right foot meant that she missed the Beijing Games in 2008. She has performed excellently, recently winning the 60m and beating her personal bests at the shot put. In May this year she beat Dawn Harper and Danielle Carruthers in the 100m hurdles.
She has a personal best in Heptathlon of 6,906 points, the highest score for a British woman, and has run the 100m hurdles in 12.79 seconds.
Jessica is not the only British woman aiming high in the Olympics. Katarina Johnson Thompson, 19 year old from Liverpool, has qualified for a place in the London Games. Read more…..
Chris Hoy – Cycling
Yesterday Chris Hoy was chosen as the British flag holder in the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Games. He will lead all of Team GB into the Olympic Stadium.
Chris won 3 gold medals in Beijing 2008 – the first Brit in 100 years to acheive this. He started cycling when he was 6 years old – after watching E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. He was a BMX racer before taking to a racing bike. He was once ranked 9th in the World on the BMX.
He is also Scotland’s most successful Olympic athlete. Chris Hoy is also the Olympic Record holder for the Individual Sprint, winning in Beijing in 9.815 seconds. Read more …..
Rebecca Adlington
Rebecca Adlington shot to fame in Beijing 2008 after winning the 400m freestyle and also winning the 800m freestyle in a World Record time of 8 minutes 14.1 seconds. She was only 19 years old at the time.
Rebecca is from Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, stands 1.79 m (5 foot 10) tall and weighs 71 kg (160 pounds). She started swimming at the Sherwood Swimming Baths in Mansfirld when she was a child. The swimming baths have now been renamed the Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre.
Her dedication to swimming means that she spends a large part of her life in the pool, spending around 5-6 hours a day training. Read more ….
Christine Ohuruogu
Christine Ohuruogu is one of Britain’s best track and field athletes. She runs the 400m and is the third fastest British woman of all time. She is from Newham in East London, growing up within a mile of the Olympic Stadium at Stratford.
She won gold in Beijing 2008 in 49.62 seconds. This was the only medal Britain won in 2008 over the 400m. Although she was disqualified for a false start in the 2011 World Championships she has had a good 2012 so far. Read more ….
The American Athletes
Tyson Gay
Tyson Gay was the World Champion in the 100m and 200m in 2007, until Usain Bolt came to form.
Tyson is now 29 years old. He is 5 feet 11 inches and 165 pounds. Tyson Gay holds the American record for the 100m with a time of 9.69 seconds.
He is the World’s second fastest man, and Usain’s recent poor form puts him in a strong position. He is certainly a contender for beating Usain in the London 2012 Olympics. Read more ….
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympic swimmer of all time, winning a staggering 8 gold medals in Beijing 2008. He has dropped the 200 meter freestyle, so will only compete in 7 events in London.
He won the 200m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly and 200m individual medley in the qualifying trials earlier this year. Read more ….
Allyson Felix
Allyson Felix is another of the track and field sprint athletes. She specialises in the 200 meters and also races in the 100 and 400 meters. She won gold in Beijing and hopes to repeat that performance in London.
Her personal best for the 200m is 21.69 seconds, which she achieved in 2012 at the Olympic Trials on June 30. Read more ….
The Jamaican Athletes
Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt is still the man of the moment. Nickname the Lightning Bolt, he is still the fastest man in the world. And the world is expecting him to crush his competitors in London 2012, but it has been a hard year for him as he has struggled with a niggling hamstring injury. In the Jamaican Olympic trials Usain was not the fastest, he was beaten by Yohan Blake, twice. Read more ….
Yohan Blake
Yohan Blake could certainly be the man who steals the Olympic crown from Usain Bolt. He was in the news both for his amazing performances this year and his diet of bananas.
The other great Jamaica sprinter, Asafa Powell, will also be there in London 2012 and is another contender for the title. Read more ….
The Russian
Yelena Isinbayeva
Yelena Isinbayeva is a Russian pole vaulter, having won gold in 2004 and 2008. She has also won 5 World Championships and hold the world record, 5.06 meters, which she achieved in 2009.
We first looked at her training, specifically her diet, when she shared some photos on Facebook of her meals. If you are looking for ideas for very healthy meals that will provide all the energy you need for athletics without putting on any extra weight (essential for pole vaulters!) then take a look at her meals. Read more ….
Each of these Olympians won at least one medal in the London 2012 Games. What a great show they all put on!