Every session at the Olympics will be jazzed up with mood-setting videos, music, and lighting but nothing will dwarf the sporting spectacle, London 2012 chiefs said on Wednesday. The 2012 Olympics Games schedule is packed with excitement.
Whether it be cycling in the velodrome, archery at Lord's or gymnastics at the North Greenwich Arena, by the time action gets going all the spectators will know their keirins from their omniums, their bow sights from their fletchings and their double backward somersaults from their front hand springs.
Educating the ticket holders, many of whom will be watching sports such as handball and water polo for the first time, is a major part of making the Games tick, according to organisers.
"We have been innovative and have come up with something different so that people will be able to connect to the sports they are watching," Debbie Jevans, LOCOG's Director of Sport, said at a news conference on the first day of competition.
"Things like modern pentathlon, handball and water polo there is not a lot of that in the UK, so what we wanted to do was present it in a way allowed people to understand what they are watching, then there enjoyment is that much more."
Before each session a "A to Z" guide video will be shown to familiarise the public with rules, techniques and tactics while "mood" sequences will help build the atmosphere.
A small number of selected sessions will include live musical acts from leading British artists while major bands such as Muse and the Chemical Brothers have written music especially for some of the main venues during the Games.
A playlist of 2,012 songs will be used over the sporting festival, but Jevans said they were sensitive not to turn the Olympics into a rock concert - a criticism of the recent Euro 2012 soccer championship where fans had their eardrums assaulted by deafening music before every match.
"What is absolutely paramount is the integrity of the sport and the atmosphere that naturally surrounds it," Jevans said.
"What we are doing is being mindful. All the music will be themed to the sport and the venue itself. In no way are we going to drown out the atmosphere.
"There will be mood VTs and the A to Z VTs while many of the announcers will be walking around interviewing fans before the event starts so there will be lots of fan interaction.
"We have gone to great length to enhance the sport, not interfere with it."
Spectators will also be able to listen to in-ear commentaries of 12 sports after purchasing earphones for 10 pounds ($15.53) - particularly useful in the athletics stadium in which multiple disciplines unfold at the same time.
"When you're looking at the stadium when there is a race going on at the same time as the pole vault, we can educate people to know when a potential medal vault may be about to happen. We believe that will be very popular."
Take a look at the 2012 Olympics schedule below.
2012 Olympics Schedule
Gymnastics:
July 28th
6:00 am Men’s Qualification-Subdivision 2
10:30 am Men’s Qualification- Subdivision 2
3:00 pm Men’s Qualification- Subdivision 3
July 29th
4:30 am Women’s Qualification- Subdivision 1
6:15 am Women’s Qualification-Subdivision 2
9:45 am Women’s Qualification- Subdivision 3
11:30 Women’s Qualification- Subdivision 4
3:00 pm Women’s Qualification- Subdivision 5
July 30th
11:30 am Men’s Team Final
July 31st
11:30 am Women’s Team Final
August 1st
11:30 am Men’s Individual All Around
August 2nd
11:30 am Women’s Individual All Around
August 5th
9:00 am Men’s Floor Exercise-Final
9:50 am Women’s Vault- Final
10:41 am Men’s Pommel Horse- Final
August 6th
9:00 am Men’s Rings-Final
9:50 am Women’s Uneven Bars- Final
10:41 am Men’s Vault- Final
August 7th
9:00 am Men’s parallel Bars- Final
9:47 am Women’s Balance Beam-Final
10:37 am Men’s Horizontal Bars- Final
11:23 am Women’s Floor Exercise-Final
Swimming:
July 28th
5:00 am Men’s 400 IM-Qualification
5:45 am Women’s 100m Butterfly-Heats
5:52 am Men’s 400m Freestyle- Heats
6:17 am Women’s 400m IM-Qualification
6:53 am Men’s 100m Breaststroke- Heats
7:11 am Women’s 4x100m Freestyle-Qualification
2:30 pm Men’s 400m IM-Final
2:40 pm Women’s 100m Butterfly-Semifinals
2:49 pm Men’s 400m Freestyle-Final
3:09 pm Women’s 400m IM-Final
3:30 pm Men’s 100m Breaststroke- Semifinals
3:40 pm Women’s 4x100m Freestyle- Final
July 29th
5:00 am Women’s 100m Backstroke- Heats
5:20 am Men’s 200m Freestyle- Heats
5:40 am Women’s 100m Breaststroke- Heats
6:00 am Men’s 100m Backstroke-Heats
6:20 am Women’s 400m Freestyle- Heats
6:53 am Men’s 4x100m Freestyle- Qualification
2:30 pm Women’s 100m Butterfly-Final
2:37 pm Men’s 200m Freestyle-Semifinals
2:48 pm Women’s 100m Breaststroke-Final
3:08 pm Men’s 100m Breaststroke- Final
3:15 pm Women’s 400m Freestyle- Final
3:25 pm Men’s 100m Backstroke- Semifinals
3:44 pm Women’s 100m Backstroke-Semifinals
3:54 pm Men’s 4x100m Freestyle- Final
July 30th
5:00 am Women’s 200m Freestyle- Heats
5:21 am Men’s 200m Butterfly-Heats
5:41 am Women’s 200m IM-Qualification
2:30 pm Women’s 200m Freestyle- Semifinals
2:41 pm Men’s 200m Freestyle- Final
2:49 pm Women’s 100m Backstroke- Final
2:56 pm Men’s 100m Backstroke-Final
3:13 pm Women’s 100m Breaststroke- Final
3:30 pm Men’s 200m Butterfly-Semifinals
3:51 pm Women’s 100m IM-Semifinals
July 31st
5:00 am Men’s 100m Freestyle-Heats
5:23 am Women’s 200m Butterfly- Heats
5:40 am Men’s 200m Breaststroke- Heats
6:02 am Men’s 4x200m Freestyle-Qualification
2:30 pm Men’s 100m Freestyle-Semifinals
2:39 pm Women’s 200m Freestyle- Final
2:47 pm Men’s 200m Butterfly- Final
2:55 pm Women’s 200m Butterfly-Semifinals
3:17 pm Men’s 200m Breaststroke- Semifinals
3:39 pm Women’s 200m IM-Final
3:47 pm Men’s 4x200m Freestyle- Final
August 1st
5:00 am Women’s 100m Freestyle- Heats
5:21 am Men’s 200m Backstroke- Heats
5:43 am Women’s 200m Breaststroke- Heats
6:06 am Men’s 200m IM- Qualification
6:26 am Women’s 4x200m Freestyle- Qualification
2:30 pm Men’s 200m Breaststroke- Final
2:38 pm Women’s 100m Freestyle- Semifinals
2:47 pm Men’s 200m Backstroke- Semifinals
3:09 pm Women’s 200m Butterfly- Final
3:17 pm Men’s 100m Freestyle- Final
3:24 pm Women’s 200m Breaststroke- Semifinals
3:36 pm Men’s 200m IM – Semifinal
3:57 pm women’s 4x200m Freestyle- Final
August 2nd
5:00 am Men’s 50m Freestyle-Heats
5:19 am Women’s 800m Freestyle- Heats
6:14 am Men’s 100m Butterfly- Heats
6:31 am Women’s 200m Backstroke- Heats
2:30 pm Men’s 50m Freestyle- Semifinals
2:38 pm Women’s 200m Breaststroke- Final
2:46 pm Men’s 200m Backstroke- Final
2:54 pm Women’s 200m Backstroke- Semifinals
3:16 pm Men’s 200m IM-Final
3:34 pm Women’s 100m Freestyle- Final
3:51 pm Men’s 100m Butterfly- Semifinals
August 3rd
5:00 am Women’s 50m Freestyle- Heats
5:24 am Men’s 1500m Freestyle- Heats
6:35 am Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay- Heats
6:49 am Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay-Heats
2:30 pm Women’s 200m Backstroke-Final
2:38 pm Men’s 100m Butterfly-Final
2:45 pm Women’s 800m Freestyle-Final
3:09 pm Women’s 50m Freestyle-Semifinals
3:09pm Men’s 50m Freestyle- Final
August 4th
2:30 pm Women’s 50m Freestyle- Final
2:36 pm Men’s 1500m Freestyle-Final
3:07 pm Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay-Final
3:27 Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay- Final
August 8th
5:00 a Women’s Open Water
August 9th
7:00 am Women’s Open Water
August 10th
7:00 am Men’s Open Water
Basketball:
July 28th
11:45 am Women’s Basketball v. Croatia
July 29th
9:30 am Men’s Basketball v. France
July 30th
5:15 pm Women’s Basketball v Angola
July 31st
5:15 pm Men’s Basketball v. Tunisia
August 1st
5:15 pm Women’s Basketball v. Turkey
August 2nd
5:15 pm Men’s Basketball v. Nigeria
August 3rd
5:15 pm Women’s Basketball v. Czech Republic
August 4th
9:30 am Men’s Basketball v. Lithuania
August 5th
11:45 am Women’s Basketball v. China
August 6th
5:15 pm Men’s Basketball v. Argentina
August 7th
9:00 am Women’s Quarterfinal
11:15 Women’s Quarterfinal
3:00 pm Women’s Quarterfinal
5:15 pm Women’s Quarterfinal
August 8th
9:00 am Men’s Quarterfinal
11:15 am Men’s Quarterfinal
3:00 pm Men’s Quarterfinal
5:15 pm Men’s Quarterfinal
August 9th
12:00 pm Women’s Semifinal
4:00 pm Women’s Semifinal
August 10th
12:00 pm Men’s Semifinal
4:00 pm Men’s Semifinal
August 11
12:00 pm Women’s Bronze Medal Game
4:00 pm Women’s Gold Medal Game
August 12th
6:00 am Men’s Bronze Medal Game
10:00 am Men’s Gold Medal Game
Track and Field:
August 3rd
5:00 am Men’s Shot Put- Qualification
5:05 am Women’s Heptathlon- 100m Hudles
5:25 am Women’s Triple Jump- Qualification
5:40 am Women’s 100m- Preliminaries
6:15 am Men’s 400 Hurdles- Round 1
6:20 am Men’s Hammer Throw-Qualification
7:00 am Women’s 400m-Round 1
8:00 am Men’s Steeplechase- Round 1
2:00 pm Women’s Heptathlon- Shot Put
2:05 pm Women’s 100m- Round1
2:10 pm Women’s Discus Throw- Qualification
2:50 pm Men’s Long Jump- Qualification
3:05 pm Men’s 1500m-Round 1
3:30 pm Men’s Shot Put- Final
3:45 pm Women’s Heptathlon- 200m
4:25 Women’s 10,000m- Final
August 4th
5:00 am Men’s 100m- Preliminaries
5:05 am Women’s Heptathlon- Long Jump
5:20 am Women’s Pole Vault Qualification
5:35 am Men’s 400m-Round 1
6:35 am Women’s Steeplechase- Round 1
6:40 am Women’s Heptathlon- Javelin Throw
7:30 am Men’s 100m- Round 1
12:00 pm Men’s 20km Walk
2:00 pm Men’s 400m Hurdles-Semifinals
2:30 pm Women’s Discus Throw-Final
2:35 pm Women’s 100m- Semifinal
2:55 pm Men’s Long Jump-Final
3:05 pm Women’s 400m-Semifinals
3:35 pm Women’s Heptathlon- 800m
4:15 pm Men’s 10,000m-Final
4:55 pm Women’s 100m-Final
August 5th
6:00 am Women’s Marathon
2:00 pm Women’s 400m Hurdles- Round 1
2:05 pm Men’s High Jump Qualification
2:35 Women’s Triple Jump- Final
2:45 pm Men’s 100m- Semifinals
3:15 pm Men’s 1500m-Semifinals
3:20 pm Men’s Hammer Throw- Final
3:40 pm Men’s 400m- Semifinals
4:10 pm Women’s 400m- Final
4:25 pm Men’s Steeplechase- Final
4:50 pm Men’s 100m- Final
August 6th
5:00 am Men’s Discus Throw- Qualification
5:05 am Women’s 100m Hurdles- Round 1
5:45 am Women’s Shot Put- Qualification
5:50 am Men’s 800m- Round 1
6:45 am Women’s 1500m- Round 1
2:00 pm Women’s Pole Vault- Final
2:15 pm Women’s Shot Put- Final
2:20 pm Women’s 200m- Round 1
3:15 pm Women’s 400m Hurdles- Semifinals
3:45 pm Men’s 400m Hurdles- Final
4:05 pm Women’s Steeplechase- Final
4:30 pm Men’s 400m- Final
August 7th
5:00 am Women’s Javelin Throw- Qualification
5:10 am Men’s 110m Hurdles- Round 1
5:45 am Men’s Triple Jump- Qualification
5:55 am Women’s 5000m- Round 1
6:50 am Men’s 200m-Round 1
2:00 pm Men’s High Jump-Final
2:15 pm Women’s 100m Hurdles- Semifinals
2:45 pm Men’s Discus Throw- Final
2:55 pm Men’s 800m-Semifinals
3:25 pm Women’s 200m Semifinals
4:00 pm Women’s 100m Hurdles- Final
4:15 pm Men’s 1500m- Final
August 8th
5:00 am Men’s Pole Vault- Qualification
5:00 am Women’s Hammer Throw- Qualification
5:10 am Men’s Decathlon- 100m
5:45 am Men’s 5000m-Round 1
6:10 am Men’s Decathlon- Long Jump
6:35 am Women’s 800m- Round 1
7:50 am Men’s Decathlon- Shot Put
1:00 pm Men’s Decathlon- High Jump
2:05 pm Men’s Javelin Throw- Qualification
2:15 pm Men’s 110m Hurdles- Semifinals
2:45 pm Women’s 1500m-Semifinals
3:05 pm Women’s Long Jump-Final
3:10 pm Men’s 200m- Semifinals
3:45 pm Women’s 400m Hurdles- Final
4:00 pm Women’s 200m-Final
4:15 pm Men’s 110m Hurdles- Final
4:30 pm Men’s Decathlon- 400m
August 9th
4:00 am Men’s Decathlon- 110m Hurdles
4:30 am Women’s High Jump-Qualification
4:55 am Men’s Decathlon-Discus Throw
6:35 am Men’s 4x400 Relay- Round 1
7:55 am Men’s Decathlon- Pole Vault
1:30 pm Men’s Decathlon-Javelin Throw
2:20 pm Men’s Triple Jump-Final
2:30 pm Women’s 800m- Semifinals
3:00 pm Men’s 800m-Final
3:20 pm Women’s 4x100m Relay- Round 1
3:55 pm Men’s 200m-Final
4:00 pm Women’s Javelin Throw- Final
4:20 pm Men’s Decathlon-1500m
August 10th
2:00 pm Men’s Pole Vault- Final
2:10 pm Women’s 4x400m Relay-Round 1
2:35 pm Women’s Hammer Throw- Final
2:45 pm Men’s 4x100m Relay-Round 1
3:05 pm Women’s 5000m-Final
3:40 pm Women’s 4x100m Relay- Final
3:55 pm Women’s 1500m-Final
4:20 pm Men’s 4x400m Relay- Final
August 11th
4:00 am Men’s 50km walk
12:00 Women’s 20km walk
2:00 pm Women’s High Jump-Final
2:20 Men’s Javelin Throw- Final
2:30 pm Men’s 5000m-Final
3:00 pm Women’s 800m-Final
3:25 pm Women’s 4x400m Relay- Final
4:00 pm Men’s 4x100m Relay Final
August 12
6:00 am Men’s Marathon
Soccer:
July 25th
12:00 pm Women’s Soccer v. France
July 28th
12:00 pm Women’s Soccer v. Columbia
July 31st
12:15 pm Women’s Soccer v. People’s Republic of Korea
August 3rd
7:00 am Women’s Quarterfinal
9:30 am Women’s Quarterfinal
12:00 pm Women’s Quarterfinal
2:30 pm Women’s Quarterfinal
August 4th
7:00 am Men’s Quarterfinal
9:30 am Men’s Quarterfinal
12:00 pm Men’s Quarterfinal
2:30 pm Men’s Quarterfinal
August 6th
12:00 pm Women’s Semifinal
2:45 pm Women’s Semifinal
August 7th
12:00 pm Men’s Semifinal
2:45 pm Men’s Semifinal
August 9th
8:00 am Women’s Bronze Medal Match
2:45 pm Women’s Gold Medal Match
August 10th
2:45 pm Men’s Bronze Medal Match
August 11th
10:00 Men’s Gold Medal Match
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