Looking back at the London 2012 Olympics

Tom Jenkins

The London 2012 Olympics ended on 12th August and since then I've been suffering from post Olympics blues. I really enjoyed watching the games this year and I didn't miss watching anything else on TV.

There were some great moments, from Danny Boyle's brilliant opening ceremony to the closing ceremony (yes, it was cheesy and felt like a wedding disco, but it was a good laugh) and everything in between.

I must confess that I did feel like a lazy slob watching all the different sports and I know I need to be more active. Something I plan to do after Ramadan. 

So if like me, you too miss the Olympics, check out BBC's 10 ways to fill the Olympics void.

I also recommend you read When Was The Last Time You Did Something For The First Time? from The Cool Hunter which was also inpired by the Olympics. 

Now is the time to find out what you are here to do. How much can you do? What can you achieve?. How much fun can you have? How much can you give?
 
Now is the ideal time to experience your life. To LIVE your life. We all know this is not a rehearsal, yet we live as if it were.

I leave you with one last link. The Guardian has put together this London 2012: Olympic photographic highlights by award winning Guardian and Observer sport photographer Tom Jenkins who looks back at his favourite moments during his experience at the London 2012 Olympic Games. I can't embed the clip here, so click here or on the image below. 

Click on the image to see hear and watch the highlights

[images via The Guardian]

Beat 2012 by Kim Gehrig

Beat 2012 by Kim Gehrig is a documentary about the making of Coca-Cola's Move to the Beat campaign for the London 2012 Olympics which uses music to connect young people across Great Britain. 
 

DJ, musician and music producer Mark Ronson travelled around world to meet up and coming athletes and fused the sound of their sports with music to create the Move to the Beath anthem. 

Compiled over five months, it involved working with five 'hero athletes' as well as a chorus of teenage athletes, and was eventually performed live in front of three thousand London kids in the shadow of the Olympic stadium.  (via Creativity Online) 

The documentary is 60 minutes long and quite fascinating. 

 
www.somesuchandco.com/directors/kim-gehrig 
www.markronson.co.uk

The Wall Street Journal - Olympics Homemade Highlights

I've been watching the Olympics on TV from day one and it's all very enjoyable and inspiring so far. If you've been missing out, watch these three videos of the Olympics highlights from The Wall Street Journal. They're not your average Olympics highlights. This is a low budget, homemade and really funny version of the highlights. I think more news reports should be made like this. 



Missy Franklin Wins Olympic Gold in 100 Meter Backstroke
 

 

Missy Franklin had her big Olympic moment on Monday when she won a gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke final in her first bid for an individual medal at the London Olympics.

Olympic Badminton Scandal
 

 

Eight badminton players were disqualified from the London Games on Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal Journal replays the action... with clothespins puppets.

Gabby Douglas is a Golden Girl 
 

 

On the latest Homemade Highlights, Gabby Douglas vaults her way atop the medal stand, Aly Raisman's parents watch her perform to "Hava Nagila" and Aliya Mustafina falls off the breadstick beam. Plus: Michael Phelps chases a world record.

www.youtube.com/wsj

Nike - Find Your Greatness

Nike's Find Your Greatness celebrates "every single person in sport, everyday athlete and professional alike, who push their limits to achieve new goals".

Greatness isn't reserved for the chosen few in one special city, it can also be found in London, Ohio, and London, Norway, and East London, South Africa, and Little London, Jamaica, and Small London, Nigeria and the London Hotel and London Road and anywhere else someone is trying to find it. 

Here are the shorter versions of the ad, each one highlighting a specific field. You can watch the complete series here. 

Diving

Football

  

Gymnastics

  

Baskeball

  

Waterpolo

Jogger

www.nikeblog.com/tag/find-your-greatness

PONG

The only time I watch table tennis is during the Olympics. I'm always in awe at how fast the players move and hit the ball. 

Watch this video which features young champions and I'm certain a few of them will be Olympic champions in the future.  

I love the opening quote from this clip by Krish, ranked number 1 in the US in the under 12 category. 

Before winning it, first comes having fun. 
And then after having fun, you need to have passion.
And after passion, you need to fight.
And then after fighting, you can win.  

LEGO Olympic Stadium

LEGO artist Warren Elsmore has created a miniature version of the Olympic Park with LEGO bricks. Here's a timelapse video of showing how he built the Olympic Stadium. 

 

  





www.warrenelsmore.com

 

(via Londonist.com)