English Teacher Melanie

Helping English learners move from the classroom into the real world!

  • Home
  • Vocabulary
  • Grammar
  • Study Tips
  • Reading

Vocabulary Spotlight on: The 2012 Summer Olympics!

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Melanie

Vocabulary Spotlight on: The 2012 Summer Olympics!

July 23, 2012 by Melanie

How to say the names of all the Summer Olympic sports.

Follow the Olympics in English.

Photos of the 2012 Olympic Games on Pinterest.

 

The Summer Olympics

 

It’s almost time for the biggest sporting event in the world! The 2012 Summer Olympics begin on Friday in London, England, so this is a good opportunity to review some Olympic vocabulary!

London, England is hosting the Summer Olympics. The Olympic Games can also be called The Olympics. The Olympics is a noun, while Olympic is an adjective. London has hosted the Summer Olympics twice before, in 1908 & 1948.

Over 10,490 athletes from 206 countries will compete in 36 sports over 19 days (the women’s soccer competition begins on Wednesday). The events will take place in 34 different venues all over London & other parts of England. The main venue is the Olympic Stadium. This is where the Opening & Closing ceremonies will be held, as well as the athletic (track and field) events.

 

(Photo by Craig Maccubbin)

Olympic Athletes

 

Any athlete who competes at the Olympics, whether or not they win a medal, is known as an Olympian or an Olympic athlete. Olympic athletes are often referred to as elite athletes. They are the best of the best, the top athletes in their sport.

An Olympic athlete competes to win a medal: gold, silver, or bronze. An athlete who wins a medal is also known as a medalist. The medalists stand on a podium to receive their medals and listen to the national anthem of the country of the gold medalist. This Olympics there are 302 events or opportunities to win a medal. For example, swimming is one sport, but there are 34 events within that one sport.

 

(Photo by Singapore 2010)

Competition

 

The Olympic motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger). Each athlete tries his best to go faster, jump or throw higher, or be stronger than his competitors.

All athletes must qualify for the Olympics. They compete in international and national competitions to be one of the top athletes in their sport.

Athletes also try to set a record or break a record. For example, Jamaican runner Usain Bolt is the fastest man in the world. He set a record of 9.58 seconds for the 100 metre race. That is the fastest time that anyone in the world has run 100 metres. No man has run 100 metres faster than that. He holds the world record. At the 2012 Olympics, he will try to break that record by running 100 metres in less than 9.58 seconds.

Of the 200+ countries taking part in this Olympics, 80 have never won a medal.

 

Olympic Athlete Fun Facts!

 

1. Canadian equestrian athlete Ian Millar will compete in his 10th Olympics! He will break the record for most Olympic appearances. Austrian sailor Hubert Raudaschl held the previous record for the most Olympic appearances (9).

2. Malaysian shooter Nur Suryani Mohamed Taibi is 8 months pregnant! While she is the only pregnant woman at this Olympics, she is not the 1st pregnant women to compete at an Olympics. There have been 3 other women who competed while pregnant.

3. Canadian athlete Clara Hughes is one of only five people to have won medals at both the Summer Olympics (cycling) AND the Winter Olympics (speed-skating). She is the first and only person ever to have won multiple medals at both!

4. South African runner Oscar Pistorious is the first amputee to ever take part in the Olympics. He is missing both legs below the knee.

5. Married Australian shooters Russell and Lauryn Mark are not allowed to share a room in the Olympic Village! All athletes must sleep in male and female rooms – no exceptions!

6. South Sudanese marathon runner Guor Marial will compete without a country. He lives and trains in the U.S., but he is not a citizen so he can’t compete for the U.S. South Sudan is a new country and doesn’t have a national organizing committee, so South Sudan will not send a team to the Olympics. Guor Marial will compete, but as an independent Olympic athlete.

7. There are 5 sets of siblings competing at the Olympics!
– Marc & Pau Gasol are brothers on the Spanish basketball team
– Kazuhito, Rie, & Yusuke Tanaka are all competing in gymnastics for Japan
– Diana & Steven Lopez and competing in taekwondo for the US
– Cate & Bronte Campbell are swimmers competing for Australia
– Ian & Justyn Warner are runners competing for Canada

 

 

Are you excited about the Olympics?

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Olympics

Posted in BlogTagged Blog

Post navigation

Previous: July 2012
Next: 10 Things You Can Learn in English from the 2012 Olympics!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • Food or Foods? Fruit or Fruits? When is It OK to Use Foods and Fruits?
  • Vocabulary Spotlight on: Relationships
  • Vocabulary – Sometimes, Sometime & Some Time
  • Learn Some English Words about SEX from James Bond Movies!
  • How to Use the Verb “Go”

Recent Comments

No comments to show.

Archives

  • January 2025
  • October 2017
  • May 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • May 2015
  • January 2015
  • June 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • January 2014
  • September 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • May 2011
  • February 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009

Categories

  • Blog
  • Blogiversary
  • Canada
  • Canada Fun Facts!
  • Grammar
  • Podcast
  • Popular
  • Pronunciation
  • Reading
  • Seasonal
  • Study Tip
  • Study Tips
  • Uncategorized
  • Videos
  • Vocabulary
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Amazon Disclosure

Copyright © 2023 · Lifestyle Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in