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London 2012: The Summer Olympic Games The world's top athletes head to London to compete in more than 30 sports for the Summer Olympics.
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London 2012: The Summer Olympics

The world's top athletes head to London to compete in more than 30 Summer Olympics sports.
Racer Alex Zanardi Wins Gold Medal At London Paralympics

Alex Zanardi celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's individual H4 time trial cycling final at the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Brands Hatch circuit, in Kent, southern England. Zanardi's legs were amputated after a racecar crash in 2001. Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

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Racer Alex Zanardi Wins Gold Medal At London Paralympics

Alex Zanardi, who was a star racecar driver when he lost his legs in a 2001 crash, has won a gold medal in the London Paralympics. The Italian, 45, beat Germany's Nobert Mosandl by more than 27 seconds to win the men's handcycle time trial.

Navy Lieutenant Swims To Gold In London Paralympics, Months After Injury

U.S. swimmer Bradley Snyder poses with his gold medal after winning the men's 100m freestyle - S11 final at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images

The Two-Way

Navy Lieutenant Swims To Gold In London Paralympics, Months After Injury

Less than one year after being blinded by an explosion in Afghanistan, U.S. swimmer Bradley Snyder has won a gold medal in the men's 100m freestyle at the 2012 Paralympics. The medal came hours after Snyder set a Paralympic record in a preliminary heat at the London Aquatic Center.

Doing It To Win: Veterans Raise Bar At Paralympics

Rob Jones and Oksana Masters will compete in adaptive rowing at the London Olympics this week. Jones is a former U.S. Marine who lost both legs to an improvised land mine in southern Afghanistan. David Gilkey/NPR hide caption

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David Gilkey/NPR

Doing It To Win: Veterans Raise Bar At Paralympics

Among the athletes at the ongoing 2012 games in London are veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Organizers of the games say the vets raise the caliber of the competition. And injured veterans say Paralympic sports provide inspiration and the prospect of a normal, active life.

Paralympics Begin In London, Near 'Spiritual Home' Of Games

A team of torchbearers brings the Paralympic flame through Piccadilly Circus as the torch heads across London to the Olympic Stadium. The Paralympic Games' opening ceremony will be held Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. ET. LOCOG/Getty Images hide caption

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LOCOG/Getty Images

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Paralympics Begin In London, Near 'Spiritual Home' Of Games

More than 4,000 athletes from 147 countries will compete in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, where the opening ceremony begins at 3:30 p.m. ET today. The U.S. contingent of 227 athletes includes 133 men and 94 women. Of the American Paralympians, 20 are U.S. military veterans.

The Torch Is Out: Olympic Moments Will Burn On

Three photos show the Olympic flame slowly extinguishing at London's Olympic Stadium, as the London 2012 Games come to an end. The next Summer Olympics will be in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images

The Torch

The Torch Is Out: Olympic Moments Will Burn On

From the London Games' opening ceremony through 302 medal events, these Summer Olympics have fed fans a rich diet of history and spectacle. I can only wish that I'd been able to eat it all — but part of the allure of the Olympics is that there's no way to watch everything.

Gabby Douglas Gets One More Gold, For Winning Facebook Fans

Gabby Douglas sits in the Olympic Media Lounge at Westfield Stratford City in London. During the Olympics, Douglas' Facebook fanbase grew by nearly 4,000 percent. Alex Grimm/Getty Images for adidas hide caption

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Alex Grimm/Getty Images for adidas

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Gabby Douglas Gets One More Gold, For Winning Facebook Fans

They've been called the first "Social Games" — and the London Summer Olympics have made social stars out of athletes like gymnast Gabrielle Douglas, who saw her Facebook fanbase grow by nearly 4,000 percent.

Winners And Losers From London's Summer Olympics, 'The Crying Games'

Sir Chris Hoy of Great Britain cries as he celebrates winning the men's keirin track cycling final. In shedding Olympic tears, Hoy was far from alone in Britain. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images hide caption

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Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

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Winners And Losers From London's Summer Olympics, 'The Crying Games'

The London 2012 Olympics were billed as the Social Games, with fans following along on Twitter, Facebook and other services. But it might be remembered as "The Crying Games," for the swelling of emotions many Britons experienced. We run down some of the winners and losers of the Summer Olympics.

Olympics Closing Ceremony: Both Well-Received And Anger-Inducing

Fireworks explode at London's Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremony of the Summer Olympics. The gala has gotten good reviews — with the exception of those troubled by NBC's presentation. Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images

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Olympics Closing Ceremony: Both Well-Received And Anger-Inducing

The London 2012 Olympics are officially over, but people are still buzzing about Sunday's closing ceremony. It included many of the highlights of British culture and history that weren't in London's opening ceremony. And in America, some viewers are angry about what was left out of the U.S. feed.

Michael Phelps Exits The Olympics, And Enters Retirement At 27

Phelps dives into the pool for his last Olympic race. He says that his plans for post-Olympic life include finally seeing the cities he's competed in. Al Bello/Getty Images hide caption

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Al Bello/Getty Images

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Michael Phelps Exits The Olympics, And Enters Retirement At 27

Michael Phelps leaves London with 18 gold medals and a record 22 total medals. He says that his plans for life after the Olympics include visiting some of the cities he's competed in — but outside the bubble of swim meets, for a change.

'Mobot' Day: Track Relays, Volleyball And More Results

Usain Bolt of Jamaica celebrates his relay team's world record by doing the "mobot" move, made famous by Mo Farah of Britain. Bolt crossed the finish line in front of Ryan Bailey of the United States. Mike Hewitt/Getty Images hide caption

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Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

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'Mobot' Day: Track Relays, Volleyball And More Results

On the last full day of competition in the 2012 Summer Olympics, the athletes are competing in 32 medal events. The news includes a record for the U.S. women's 4x400m relay team, and a silver medal for the U.S. men's 4x100m relay.

America's Brigetta Barrett Brings Out Her Best, And Jumps To A Silver Medal

Brigetta Barrett competes in the women's high jump final Saturday in London's Olympic Stadium. She won the silver medal. Stu Forster/Getty Images hide caption

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Stu Forster/Getty Images

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America's Brigetta Barrett Brings Out Her Best, And Jumps To A Silver Medal

Brigetta Barrett has won the silver medal in the women's high jump, setting a personal best of 6 feet, 8 inches to eke out a spot on the podium between two Russian athletes: Anna Chicerova, who jumped 2.05, and Svetlana Shkolina, who tied Barrrett at 2.03 meters.

Farah Wins His Second Gold Medal For Britain, In The 5,000m

Mo Farah of Great Britain celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win gold ahead of Dejen Gebremeskel of Ethiopia and Thomas Pkemei Longosiwa of Kenya. Farah, who has become a celebrity in Britain, is the sixth man to win both the 5,000m and 10,000m distances at one Olympics. Michael Steele/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Steele/Getty Images

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Farah Wins His Second Gold Medal For Britain, In The 5,000m

British runner Mo Farah has won the men's 5,000 meters, sending Olympic Stadium into a frenzy. His time of 13:41.66 barely edged Dejen Gebremeskel of Ethiopia. American Bernard Lagat came in fourth, while Galen Rupp finished seventh.

Mexico Devastates Brazil In Historic 2-1 Olympic Soccer Final

Oribe Peralta of Mexico celebrates scoring his second goal as Mexico beat Brazil, 2-1, to win Olympic gold medal in London's Wembley Stadium. Michael Regan/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Regan/Getty Images

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Mexico Devastates Brazil In Historic 2-1 Olympic Soccer Final

Mexico shocked Brazil in Olympic men's soccer, winning gold in a 2-1 game in which it never trailed. Mexico's Oribe Peralta scored just 29 seconds into the game, after pouncing on a turnover by to take early control of the match at London's Wembley Stadium.

Georgia Gould Wins Bronze Medal In Mountain Bike Cross-Country Race

France's gold medalist Julie Bresset (center), Germany's silver medalist Sabine Spitz (left) and U.S. bronze medalist Georgia Gould stand on the podium of the women's cycling cross-country mountain bike event in Benfleet, England. Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images

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Georgia Gould Wins Bronze Medal In Mountain Bike Cross-Country Race

"I'm glad I didn't let them all down," says U.S. cyclist Georgia Gould, of her fans in the U.S., after winning bronze in the women's mountain bike cross-country race.

An Olympian Named Mo Farah Takes Britain By Storm

British runner Mo Farah is cheered as he appears on a giant screen at Olympic Stadium, accepting his gold medal for the 10,000 meters. Farah has become a celebrity in Britain since his win. WPA Pool/Getty Images hide caption

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WPA Pool/Getty Images

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An Olympian Named Mo Farah Takes Britain By Storm

When Mo Farah, the gold medalist in the 10,000 meters, was asked if he would rather have run for Somalia, he responded with a curt retort: "Look mate, this is my country!" This Olympic summer is a world away from last year's riots in England.

Gaming The Games: The Rules That Got Bent In London

Cameron van der Burgh of South Africa celebrates his gold medal in the men's 100m breaststroke. He later admitted that he took extra dolphin kicks during his swim, a violation of the rules. Adam Pretty/Getty Images hide caption

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Adam Pretty/Getty Images

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Gaming The Games: The Rules That Got Bent In London

Several times during these Olympics, there've been moments when the Olympic oath seemed all but forgotten — you know, the one at the opening ceremony where athletes pledged to abide by the rules and spirit of fair play.

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