12 years ago
And that is it from the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics from the Olympic Stadium. Now, the Games and the journey towards medals officially begins. All the best and wishes to all participating athletes...
A spectacle for the eyes followed by a treat for the ears...Sir Paul McCartney now entertains the crowd.
A breath-taking sight to mark the end of what is now the official beginning of London 2012. Fireworks around London lights up the night sky....
The Olympic bell rings out, the flames engulf the center stage...
And the Olympic flame is here! Sarah Stevenson takes the oath now on behalf of all the athletes.
And the speed boat races across River Thames, being driven by David Beckham and carrying the Olympic Torch!
The Olympic anthem is being played as the Olympic flag gets set to be hoisted.
Queen Elizabeth II declares the London 2012 Olympic Games as officially open!
Sebastian Coe thanks all for supporting the Games and hails the spirit of London - the only city to have hosted the event thrice. He calls it a triumph!
London Organising Committee chairman Sebastian Committee and President of International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge addresses all present at the Olympic Stadium.
A massive and sensational display of fireworks over the Olympic Stadium here. What a completely incredible display of sound, light and magic coming together to form a brilliant atmosphere. Truly, this is one of a kind experience for each and everyone present here.
556 British athletes take the lap in front of their home fans. What a moment and what an opportunity. Too much pressure or just a lot of reason to perform their best? Only time will tell.
And for sure, the loudest that the decibel levels have reached all night. Here they are..the host contingent comes out to fire-crackers and cheers from the fans and every person present here.
And the team from the United States gets perhaps, the biggest welcome here. Cheered on by US First Lady Michelle Obama, wonderful scenes emerge from the Olympic Stadium
And here is India's flag bearer Sushil Kumar. His expression clearly shows the pride on being handed with the task of carrying the tri-colour.
Sania Mirza is seen here marching with Rushmi Chakravarthy (left), her doubles partner.
The Spanish contingent is out with all eyes on their football team. The World Champions were recently stunned by Japan. What is in store for the team from here on? Any guess would be a great guess.
As Slovenia walks out, the question doing the rounds here is who will light the Olympic cauldron. Unofficial bets are with David Beckham and Prince William. Confirmation though, is awaited.
Of the several facts being thrown about, an interesting one catches the eye: This is the first time in the history of Olympics that every competing nation has at least one woman athlete as part of the contingent.
And HERE IT IS...The Indian contingent as it marched proudly around the Olympic Stadium.
Meanwhile, take a look at this...and no it is not in London. It in fact is in Allahabad with sports students lighting candles to form an Olympic ring at Madan Mohan Malviya Stadium. This is their way of showing support to the Indian contingent.
Pakistan comes out as the 141st contingent. It is a fairly large team dressed in their traditional attire.
Do read our complete report on the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony.
As contingents keep walking out, some very interesting facts are dug out to mark their welcome. Like Myanmar. The country made its Olympic debut here in London when the Games last came to the British Island, in 1948.
Jamaica is now out. Led by a man who is described as a man who hardly walks, athletes follow Usain Bolt's lead.
A grand welcome from the fans. The hockey team in particular marching tall as is Sania Mirza and Mary Kom!
AND HERE THEY ARE....The Indian contingent, billed as the strongest ever, is out and marching proudly with wrestler Sushil Kumar waving the tri-colour at the Olympic Stadium.
Chef de Mission Ajit Pal Singh is also marching and it is great to see athletes out-numbering officials by a huge margin for a change!!
Yes the wait nears its end. Hungary is out and the Indian contingent must be right at the gate.
Wow.. what a welcome for Germany. Field Hockey player Natascha Keller leads what is surprisingly the smallest German contingent to the Olympics since unification.
Watch out for these athletes. A look at India's northern neighbours who continue to be the most challenging team in every sport they participate in. Here is China...
Music from Adele now surrounds the Olympic Stadium.
There are several countries which have never won a single medal in Olympics. And yet, each time the athletes walk out, there is a sense of anticipation, of ambition and of determination to clinch the honour. That is the aura of an Olympic medal as we now have the Egyptian contingent walking out.
A great aspect of these marches is that one gets to discover so many new countries. The contingent from Comoros walks out. It is of course, a grand experience for athletes from these countries as well.
For those getting just a bit impatient, it is Burundi out taking a lap. One of the smallest contingent, the energy is not missing from any of the African nations participating.
A loud cheer around the stadium for the Brazilian contingent. The football stars are out in all their glory here!
A special note for India's flag bearer Sushil Kumar who has been given the honour of carrying the tri-colour. Of course, the order is alphabetical and so there is still some time for the Indian contingent to come out. Here is our video on him being named the flag-bearer from earlier.
A proud moment for athletes, fans and for nations as contingent after contingent comes out waving their hands and brandishing their cameras to soak in the atmosphere.
And the athletes are out. The march begins, as is the tradition, with the Greek contingent, followed by Afghanistan!
David Beckham drives a speed-boat on river Thames, carrying the Olympic Flame which is still 30 minutes away from what will surely be a grand entrance into the Olympic Stadium here.
India connect: A dance choreographed by Akram Khan is currently being performed. Akram Khan is a Britisher born to Bangladeshi parents. This dance is a fusion between Indian art form and European classical.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee honoured at the center stage here. He invented the World Wide Web.
Time for some rap to enthrall the crowds here. A bit too much song and dance?
Another look at the Olympic rings that were seen over the stadium a while back...
It is a great attempt so far and maybe too early to say but this opening ceremony lacks the 'wow' feel that Beijing did four years ago. Maybe Boyle is softening up all before the ultimate climax that will shut Beijing firmly in the history books..or may be not!
London has now entered the age of retro music, television and a whole lot of dancing. This is an all out attempt to display what this city has been through over the years. Wonder if they will predict what the future holds for London?
Ageless humour at its best. Mr Bean shows he can lighten the most serious of situations. He gets a standing ovation and takes it with a straight face!
And Mr Bean is part of the orchestra. Rowan Attkinson is on an instrument and he is chatting on his phone too!
Now the London Symphony Orchestra takes center-stage. They are performing to a number from the Chariots of Fire.
JK Rowling deserves a part in the opening ceremony as a symbol and ambassador of Britain. After all, she has sold 400,000,000 books.
A special mention: JK Rowling, creator of Harry Potter, reads from the opening paragraph of JM Barrie's classic 'Peter Pan.'
Mary Poppins, the character from the 1934 book and film, is now on the floor. A tribute to literature and cinema in Britain.
All 600 dancers of the NHS section are actual nurses from around UK who took time off to participate in the event.
The NHS was set-up in 1948, around the time Olympics last came to London. It now makes a grand entry into the opening ceremony.
Out of the history books then and onto some song and dance. Children and nurses from the National Health Service perform a cheery number!
Dan Walker has this to say about the ceremony so far. "I'm not sure Danny Boyle's head is wired correctly but I love it. Funny, inspiring, uplifting & watchable is a tough mix but he's done it."
Mixed reactions coming in from Twitter. Some are calling it spectacular already while others like Eoin Morgan are saying that it has, so far, been too much out of a cinema for their liking
Queen Elizabeth II arrives and with her, the Union Jack flag is also unfurled here...
Daniel Craig jumps off a helicopter. From Lord of the Rings and straight into a James Bond film. Defining London through cinema, then?
The Olympic Rings burn bright over the Olympic Stadium. They have been forged from red-hot metal.
It's spectacular perhaps. But it is surely a scene from the Lord of the Rings, made to look like the Olympic Rings!!
Here is what the first part of the Opening ceremony looks like. The history of Britain:
So time for some amazing stats from the first few minutes of the opening ceremony: There are 965 drummers (all volunteers,) 7 chimney stacks, 5 beam engines, 6 looms 1 crucible and 1 water wheel on the turf!
The depiction of Britain through the ages is currently being unfolded at the Olympic Stadium. From the feudal years to the age of the Industrial Revolution, it is an insight into what has contributed to London and Britain as we know, today!
All right. Prince William has reached the venue!
And an image of a part of the Indian contingent from the Twitter account of Sania Mirza:
The national anthem of Scotland - The flower of Scotland - reverberates around the Olympic Stadium.
The bell rings! We are off the block as the opening ceremony begins with a bang!
There has been a giant veil of secrecy over the opening ceremony. It is officially open now!!!
Can't have too many pictures of the Sky Arrows? Here is one more then: (Image courtesy: Associated Press)
Interesting observation: Participating athletes are raking in followers on Twitter! There seems to be a healthy competition going on, on the micro-blogging site. "800," writes one. "1200," another. Of course there are the updates too...things are buzzing inside the Olympic Stadium!
No point fretting too much about the weather. It is London! Instead, here is another look at the magnificent fly past by the Sky Arrows. (Image courtesy: Associated Press)
So, hopes were for having the sun out. And it was for the last three days. Right now however, it has begun drizzling in London. Spirits though are up in the city and that is always a good sign!
So how about this? The Red Arrows perform a fly past over the Olympic Stadium. Spectacular sign of even more spell-bounding things to come? (Image courtesy: Associated Press)
While eyes turned to the sky for a bit, the ground is where the action is... the Olympic Stadium to be precise. Here is what the venue for the opening ceremony looks like right now: (Image courtesy: AFP)
The fly-past has just taken place over the skies of London. It has been a sight to behold. Stay put for the pictures...
The prologue to the London Olympics opening ceremony is about to begin. Final call to get everything ready and let Mr Boyle and his troops show what Beijing could in 2008, London can do and do even better today...
The sky over London has assumed a brilliant hue to signal that the start of the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics is all set to mesmerise the world. ( Image courtesy: AFP)
Meanwhile, what else has happened during the day? Well for starters US First Lady Michelle Obama met Queen Elizabeth II and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Check our gallery here
(Images courtesy: Associated Press and AFP)
(Images courtesy: Associated Press and AFP)
The Olympic Stadium has begun filling up...and fast. There is a lot of expectations from the opening ceremony which has been directed by Danny Boyle of Slumdog Millionaire fame.
""(The ceremony)might surprise people... it's spectacular, but also inclusive - it has a warmth," is what he has to say.
""(The ceremony)might surprise people... it's spectacular, but also inclusive - it has a warmth," is what he has to say.
So you are in London. So, you have not managed to get a pass or a ticket to watch any of the sports event. So you also want to soak the rare London sun. Your best bet? Catch live action on giant screens in public spaces all across UK.
22 giant screens have been placed at several locations for the public at large to catch their favourite sport and cheer their favourite athletes in their quest for glory.
Also enjoy concerts and a whole lot more. (Image courtesy: Associated Press)
22 giant screens have been placed at several locations for the public at large to catch their favourite sport and cheer their favourite athletes in their quest for glory.
Also enjoy concerts and a whole lot more. (Image courtesy: Associated Press)
Thousands have been turned away from Hyde Park where a concert featuring Paolo Nutini and Duran Duran has kicked off, as they failed to enter before the gates shut down at 1900 (GMT).
References have been made to the 'final leg' on several occasions but without an iota of doubt, the final leg before the start of the London 2012 opening ceremony has begun.
The Victoria Park has begun filling up while a celebratory concert featuring Duran Duran and Paolo Nutini has also started, adding to the already jingoistic atmosphere here in London.
The Victoria Park has begun filling up while a celebratory concert featuring Duran Duran and Paolo Nutini has also started, adding to the already jingoistic atmosphere here in London.
Olympic Games brings out the cosmopolitan character of the host city. No other city, at the moment, can boast to be more cosmopolitan right now than London. Check it out...(Image courtesy: AFP)
Weather update: It does not look too good at the moment as grey clouds have gathered around London.
The weathermen here have predicted for the rains to stay away for the duration of the opening ceremony but the unpredictable character of the British weather is infamously known.
The weathermen here have predicted for the rains to stay away for the duration of the opening ceremony but the unpredictable character of the British weather is infamously known.
Time for what former British PM Tony Blair has to say about the London Olympic Games. "It's a party atmosphere but also an immense sense of national pride - of what we are and what we can show the world."
South Korea's sailing coach has been caught driving drunk in Dorset. He has been sent back home, according to reports emerging in the British press.
Meanwhile, another look at India's Deepika Kumari as she checks her score. She was eight in the individual rankings, on Friday. (Image courtesy: AFP)
Chairman of London Organising Committee chairman Sebastian Coe has been quoted as saying that he hopes this will be one of the best opening ceremonies in the history of Olympic Games.
" I hope everyone has a smile on their faces at the end of tonight," he said.
" I hope everyone has a smile on their faces at the end of tonight," he said.
No fresh updates on chances of rain in London but as the countdown towards the opening ceremony here reaches its final leg, the excitement has sent temperature in the city and in the Olympic Games village soaring.
An impromptu press conference by three British sailors just took place at Weymouth after a fire broke out here.
The beach-side pavilion in Weymouth which caught fire minutes back, has been evacuated but according to media reports coming in, the area is in disarray.
Three British sailors were supposed to hold a press conference here which has now been called off. A party was also scheduled to take place here tonight.
Three British sailors were supposed to hold a press conference here which has now been called off. A party was also scheduled to take place here tonight.
For more images on security arrangements in London, click here.
Troops have been mobilised in huge numbers to help secure London during the Olympic Games.
It has been billed as Britain's largest peace-time mobilisation of the armed forces. For these men therefore, a bit of rest looks like a welcome reprieve from what is surely going to be a high-pressure job over the course of the Games. (Image courtesy: Associated Press)
It has been billed as Britain's largest peace-time mobilisation of the armed forces. For these men therefore, a bit of rest looks like a welcome reprieve from what is surely going to be a high-pressure job over the course of the Games. (Image courtesy: Associated Press)
British media agencies are saying some showers are building up over the continent but meteorologists in Britain are predicting dry conditions to prevail for the duration of the opening ceremony. They stop short of giving a guarantee though.
While the weather is always unpredictable here, prayers are that the clouds stay away from the much awaited ceremony which has been directed by Danny Boyle.
While the weather is always unpredictable here, prayers are that the clouds stay away from the much awaited ceremony which has been directed by Danny Boyle.
Breaking: A fire has broken out in the pavilion of the sailing venue at Weymouth. The reception of the opening ceremony is scheduled to be held here.
OLYMPIC TRIVIA: Which was the first independent Asian country to host the Summer Olympics?
The answer is, 1964 summer Olympic Games which was held in Tokyo, Japan. In 1940, Tokyo were supposed to host the Olympics but it was called off due to World War II. Incidentally, Japan is also the first Asian country to host the Winter Olympics, in the year 1972.
The answer is, 1964 summer Olympic Games which was held in Tokyo, Japan. In 1940, Tokyo were supposed to host the Olympics but it was called off due to World War II. Incidentally, Japan is also the first Asian country to host the Winter Olympics, in the year 1972.
Deepika Kumari saves the day: World number 1 and India's medal hopeful, Deepika Kumari, did not impress a great deal in the first half but made-up for it in the second. Ranked a lowly 18th after the first round of attempts, Deepika fought back to finish 2nd in the second round and 8th overall. In the team section, Deepika along with Bombayla Devi and Chekrovolu Swuro stood ninth. Read report here
A Turkish boxing referee, Garip Erkuyumcu, has been found dead in his London hotel room , hours before the Olympic Games officially begin after the gala opening ceremony. Read report here
Olympic Football trivia: 1980 onwards, men's football event at the Olympics has been won either by a - defending champion - or by a - team that has not participated in the preceding Olympics.
India update: Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik has said that he will be cheering his wife - India's Sania Mirza - who begins her London Olympics campaign on Saturday. He also adds that every cricketer and cricket fans wants to be part of the Olympics. Read report here
According to the Telegraph, Saudi Arabia has threatened to quit from the Olympics unless the female judo athlete, Wujdan Shahrkhani, is allowed to wear hijab during the Games. Read here
THIS DAY THAT YEAR In 1996, Kenny Harrison of USA created a world record (broken later) in the Triple Jump event with a jump of 18.09m at the Atlanta Games.
Interesting fact: England has won four Olympic Gold medals in water polo. None however has come their way since 1920!
Indian women archers stood 9th in the Team Event, while Korea once again topped the Ranking Round. World No.1 Deepika Kumari of India finished in the top 10, whereas her teammates had an average outing. Bo Bae Ki and Sung Jin Lee of Korea took the top two positions in the Individual Event. Catch all the live action here
Indian Archery: Women's Individual ranking rounds - Deepika Kumari finishes 8th in the ranking round with a score of 662 pts, Laishram Bombayla Devi 22nd with 651 and Chekrovolu Swuro 50th with 625 pts. India ranked 9th in the team section.
India is looking for their brightest ever Olympics and the biggest ever medals tally. The men's archery team have not begun well but the nation would be banking on other seasoned athletes for medals. Here are the top contenders that could bring glory to the nation, which colour is not a question for now. Here are the medal hopefuls of an Olympic-medal hungry nation in pics.
South Korea's Im Dong-hyun claimed the first of world records of the London Olympics on Friday with a stunning display in the men's archery ranking round at Lord's.
The Korean, who suffers from strong myopia and is registered as blind, says he just aims at a "blob of yellow colour" in the centre of the target 70 metres away. (Agency Inputs IANS)
The Women's Individual and Team Archery Ranking Round is set to begin shortly at the Lord's Cricket Ground. World No. 1 and 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medallists, Korea will be looking to draw inspiration from their male counterparts who finished on top in the Men's Ranking round held earlier today. The Indian team is ranked No. 2 and with World No. 1 Deepika Kumari in their side, will be looking to do better than their male teammates.
DISAPPOINTED FANS: Dozens of spectators were turned away from the London Olympics archery at Lord's on Friday after the first ticketing mix-up of Games. Some fans were apparently misled by unofficial websites saying they would be allowed in.
Several people had queued from early in the morning in the hope of gaining access on a first come first served basis and numbers peaked at around 50 by the time the archers started shooting.
"This has always been a non-ticketed event but it seems some people believed they could come down on the day," Lord's venue manager Vanessa Bellamy said.
"This was never the case but we believe some illegal websites may have suggested this was the case."
Some so-called "non-ticketed" Olympic events such as the cycling road race allow fans to watch for free but this was not the case for the archery.
Several people had queued from early in the morning in the hope of gaining access on a first come first served basis and numbers peaked at around 50 by the time the archers started shooting.
"This has always been a non-ticketed event but it seems some people believed they could come down on the day," Lord's venue manager Vanessa Bellamy said.
"This was never the case but we believe some illegal websites may have suggested this was the case."
Some so-called "non-ticketed" Olympic events such as the cycling road race allow fans to watch for free but this was not the case for the archery.
Now that's not a very encouraging score for India to begin
INDIA AT LONDON OLYMPICS, ARCHERY: India's Tarundeep Rai finishes 31st with 664 points. Rahul Banerjee was 46th with 655 points While Jayanta Talukdar was 53rd with 650 points out of 64 competitors.
The combined team has been ranked 12th. The men's medal event will take place tomorrow.
The combined team has been ranked 12th. The men's medal event will take place tomorrow.
France and China finish second and third respectively in the Men's event.
South Korea have claimed the first two world records of London Olympics in the men's archery ranking round. Korean archer Im Dong-hyun broke his own individual record for 72 arrows. He joined Kim Bubmin and Oh Jin-hyek to set a new team mark for 216 arrows.
Also some of the athletes were wearing their patriotism on their nails, that's right, nails. Click here to see
Olympics is also a great platform to share some fashion sensibilities. Here are top 5 uniforms that you can watch out for during the Olympic opening ceremony.
Earlier today, the Olympic Flame was carried across River Thames, where Amber Charles became the last Torchbearer. After travelling for 69 days, the Flame will finally reach the Olympic Stadium in Stratford where Danny Boyle's keenly awaited 27 million euro opening spectacle will kick off after seven years of preparation.
Viktor Ruban of Ukraine is the defending champion, while Brady Ellison of USA is currently ranked No.1 in the world. On the other side, China and France start off the Team event.
The Men's Individual Ranking Round gets underway, as USA's Jacob Wukie and India's Jayanta Talukdar start off the event.Click Here For All The Updates From London
Watch: Indian archers face their biggest test
For more pics from the Olympics Torch Relay, Click Here
While we wait for the Day 3's action to begin, here's a little update on the Olympic torch. After being carried by celebrities from all walks of like - Amitabh Bachchan, Lewis Hamilton, Ban Ki Moon etc, the Olympic flame got a Royal welcome quite literally. Prince William, his wife Kate Middleton and Prince Harry received at the Buckingham Palace, before the Olympic Torch Relay Concert... Here are some pics
The India's men archers start their campaign at the Lord's Cricket Ground, which is the Olympic venue for the archery events, at 1330 IST.
Men's Team: Jayanta Talukdar | Tarundeep Rai | Rahul Banerjee
Men's Team: Jayanta Talukdar | Tarundeep Rai | Rahul Banerjee
The London Olympics 2012 officially start from today with the Archery event. There will be the Men's Ranking Round at the Lord's Cricket Ground, followed by the Women's event. 128 Archers will aim for Olympic glory. The grand Opening Ceremony will take place later in the evening at the Olympic Stadium.
