Two Years to London 2012
July 27 – August 12, 2012
Olympic Games: Quick Facts
• This will mark London’s third time as Olympic host, following 1908 and 1948, the latter being the first Games after a 12-year hiatus due to World War II.
• The Games will feature 13 new sport venues: Aquatics Centre, Basketball Arena, Eton Manner (wheelchair tennis), Greenwich Park (equestrian, modern pentathlon), Hadleigh Farm (mountain bike), Handball Arena, Hockey Arena, Horse Guards Parade (beach volleyball), Hyde Park (triathlon, open water swimming), Lee Valley White Water Centre, Olympic Stadium, Royal Artillery Barracks (shooting) and VeloPark (cycling).
• Twenty-six sports will be contested.
• Women will compete in boxing events for the first time since 1904.
• Once-contaminated industrial land in east London is being transformed into Olympic Park, complete with wildlife habitat, public space and riverside gardens, markets and cafes.
• The Olympic Flame arrives May 18, 2012 after which it goes on a 70-day relay across the United Kingdom.
• The transportation aim is to have 100% of spectators get to venues via public transport, on foot, or cycling.
• Positioned as first Summer Games Host City to fully embrace environmental movement and sustainability.
• Canada may have two athletes – gymnast Karen Cockburn and diver Emilie Heymans – attempting to win their fourth straight medals.
Canada at Recent Olympic Games
• In 2008, Canada was one of only six nations that succeeded in winning more medals than it had at previous Games (others included China, Great Britain, USA, Jamaica and Kenya).
• Canada won 18 medals in Beijing, three (3) gold, nine (9) silver and six (6) bronze to finish tied for 13th in the total medal count and matching its third-best output ever.
• Ten athletes just missed the 2008 podium, finishing 4th, along with six 5th-place finishes and 59 total top-8 results.
• In 2004, Canada won 12 medals in Athens: three (3) gold, six (6) silver and three (3) bronze to finish 19th in the total medal count.
• Over the past two Games, rowers and canoe-kayakers lead the way with five medals a piece.
• Second are gymnasts and divers with four medals a piece.
• Canada has won medals in rowing, wrestling and canoe-kayak at the past five Games.
• Equestrian riders are coming off historic gold and silver medals in 2008.
• In a very competitive pool, Canadian swimmers reached 10 finals, set 27 national records and captured one medal in 2008.
• Priscilla Lopes-Schliep is one of the world’s top 100-metre hurdlers and in 2008 won Canada’s first athletics medal (bronze) in three Games.
• The men’s archery team is coming off its highest finish ever, 11th.
• Cyclists Svein Tuft and Michael Barry set new Canadian marks in time trial (7th) and road race (9th), respectively.
