London 2012 Paralympic Games only 50 days away. By U.S. Paralympics | July 10, 2012, 11 a.m. (ET) From Aug. 29-Sept. 9, London will welcome the world's best Paralympic athletes for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. July 10 marks 50 days to the Opening Ceremony of the Games, slated to be the largest Games in history. Here are 50 facts to get you ready for the Games: The 2012 Paralympic Games are the fourteenth edition of the Games. Opening Ceremony mysteries solved | Fourth-Place Medal. The Opening Ceremony of London's 2012 Olympic Games have come and gone, leaving many mysteries in their wake. Here, we answer some of the top head-scratchers from Danny Boyle's incredibly British event. Why do the announcers speak French first? That's because French and English are the two official Olympic languages. Remember, the modern Games were founded by Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin. If not for him, there would be no Olympics.
Did the queen really parachute into the Games? Well, no. . [ Photos: Most-searched Olympians of 2012 ] The two met up at her palace residence with her dogs in tow and took off in a helicopter together, headed to the stadium, and then, yes, parachuted down to the event. And what an entrance, even if it was a stunt double dressed as the queen. Who was that singer? In one of the few quieter moments, performers paid a tribute to war dead and the victims of the 7/7 terrorist attacks. . [ Photos: Live updates from Opening Ceremony ] Who were the torch lighters?
Ancient Olympics. Ancient Olympics. Olympics interactive: How would the champs of bygone Olympics fare against today’s best sprinters, jumpers, throwers, and swimmers? Photo by VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images. Compared with the athletes in the first modern Olympics, today’s gold medalists can run faster, swim stronger, and jump and throw farther. But how slow and weak were the champions of yore compared with the best of the 21st century? In which events could the cream of the crop from bygone eras keep up against their modern counterparts? In the visualizations below, we’ve pitted the likes of Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser against winners from olden times.
The eight contestants in each of our four events—the 100-meter dash, swimming’s 100-meter freestyle, the long jump, and the discus—were selected with an eye towards bringing together athletes from all different Olympic eras. Chariots of Fire’s Harold Abrahams—the 100-meter gold medalist in 1924—is at the starting line, as is the late-20th-century great Carl Lewis.
Click “Start” to see how these gold-medal winners compare when competing side by side. Men's 100-meter dash Start! Again! Women's discus. Gallery: Olympic medals through the years. 10 surprising facts about the Olympics.