Countdown to London Olympics

China Daily website provides a brief summary of the latest news related to London Olympics. [Special coverage on London Olympics]

July 16

Olympic gymnastics champ Chen Yibing suffers knee injury

Chinese gymnastics Olympic champion Chen Yibing suffered an injury to his knee on Saturday while training with the Chinese men's team in Northern Ireland. [Full story]

Roster of Chinese Olympic delegation

The roster of the Chinese Olympic delegation [Full list]

July 13

Cheering song for Chinese Olympians

China's flamboyant pianist Lang Lang teamed up Hong Kong superstar, singer-actor Jacky Cheung to record a Coca-Cola-sponsored cheer song. [Full story]

I'm not the man to light Olympic flame, says Beckham

David Beckham has suggested he is not the right man to light the Olympic flame to officially open the London Games, saying on Thursday the honor should go to an Olympian who has won gold medals. [Full story]

London raises bar on greening the Games

A reed warbler sings from her nest, well hidden along the banks of a river that winds through a London park. [Full story]

July 10

Chinese tennis faces uphill task at London Olympics

Superstar Li Na will be leading the Chinese charge at the All-England Club in Wimbledon for the 2012 London Olympic tennis event which features the strongest ever field in history. [Full story]

Can China repeat table tennis sweep in London?

Will China win all four gold medals on offer in table tennis in London? The answer seems apparent. Given the country's supremacy in the sport, anything but gold would be a shocking defeat. [Full story]

Rising China set to challenge US dominance in pool

Swim prodigy Michael Phelps spearheads the United States quest for pool dominance at London Olympics as the team is ready for challenges from worldwide including China who expects a "breakthrough" to confirm new status among elites. [Full story]

July 9

Russia and Lithuania seal London berths

Former European champions Russia and Lithuania have claimed two of the last three remaining berths in the men's basketball tournament at the 2012 London Games following their victories in the semifinals of the ongoing Olympic qualifying tournament. [Full story]

Chinese people taste different side of Olympics

Snatching top prizes in the London Olympics is the number one task for Chinese athletes, but the concerns of Chinese people have gradually transferred from prizes to the charm of sporting competition. [Full story]

Olympic uniform sculpture unveiled across China

Sculptures for Chinese Olympians to wear on the London Olympics podium, towering 3.1 meters and stretching 2.86 meters, were displayed in main Chinese cities in early July to cheer for the Chinese delegation. [Full story]

July 8

James, Bryant return to US team for London Games

Five members of the gold medal winning lineup at the 2008 Bejing Games were included in the 12-man US Olympic basketball team announced by USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo on Saturday. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Deron Williams return for another bid for Olympic glory and will spearhead a potent roster in London where the US are favorites. [Full story]

July 6

Cameron: UK will get value for money from Games

The Olympics will bring more than 13 billion pounds into the British economy over the next few years, more than offsetting money spent for the Games, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Thursday. [Full story]

Bolt can run 9.4 seconds, says Michael Johnson

American great Michael Johnson believes Usain Bolt can lower his 100 meters world record from 9.58 to 9.4 seconds and has also suggested two years is not a long enough ban for drug cheats. [Full story]

Brazil announces 2016 Olympic Games promotion plan in London

Brazil's Olympic Committee (COB) announced on Thursday major investments in promotion of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games during the London Olympics next month. [Full story]

July 5

China's women boxers eye on historical gold in London

China's female boxers are ready to fight for a share of gold at the event's Olympic debut in London. Boasting reigning flyweight (51kg) amateur world champion Ren Cancan, China expects to grab at least one gold medal out of the total three categories. [Full story]

Top tennis players talk about their Olympic heroes

To mark the July 27-Aug. 12 London Games, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) has asked 35 of the world's top players to explain what the Olympics meant to them and who inspired them the most. Novak Djokovic picked Italian slalom skier Alberto Tomba and Roger Federer opted for fellow Swiss tennis player Marc Rosset. [Full story]

July 4

China qualifies for Olympic 4x100m relay

The International Association of Athletics Federations named the list of entries for men's and women's 4x100m and 4x400m relays at the London Olympics on Wednesday. Among the four events, which each feature 16 teams, China won a berth in the men's 4x100m relay, placing 14th in Olympic qualification. [Full story]

Phelps to swim seven events in London

Michael Phelps has dropped the 200 meters freestyle from his schedule for next month's London Olympics, leaving him with seven events for his Games swansong. The American qualified for eight events at the US Trials, the same number he swam at Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008, but ditched the freestyle to focus on the relays. [Full story]

UK to keep missiles near homes to protect Games

Britain will deploy missile defence systems in residential areas of London, including on the roof of a block of apartments, to defend against an aircraft attack on the Olympic Games, the government confirmed on Tuesday. [Full story]

July 3

Chinese riders face daunting challenges at Games

The Chinese riders could end up medal-less despite more of their favorite events at this year's Games, says the team's leader. With a relatively strong roster in the women's short-distance track events, Team China should be happy to see the keirin, team sprint and team pursuit, added to the London schedule. [Full story]

A major road show in London

The track slate is considered the most glamorous part of cycling at the Olympics, and Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton and the rest of the powerhouse British team are sure to draw plenty of attention during the competition on home soil. Only this time, there may be even more drama surrounding the road race. [Full story]

June 29

Two held in UK over fear of attacks before Olympics

Police on Thursday arrested two men on suspicion of preparing terrorist attacks in Britain, less than a month before the opening of the London Olympic Games in the British capital. [Full story]

Saudi says will enter women for London Olympics

Saudi Arabia will allow its women athletes to compete in the Olympic Games for the first time ever in London this summer, the Islamic kingdom's London embassy said on its website. [Full story]

June 28

London moves into final month of preparations

London moved into the final month of preparations for its Olympic Games on Wednesday with a new landmark to greet visitors, and a warning that some others would not be welcome. [Full story]

Li Na angry for being asked to play doubles

Asia's first Grand Slam champion Li Na, who was eliminated at the second round of Wimbledon on Tuesday, said that she felt uncomfortable after learning that she will play the women's doubles in the Olympic Games. [Full story]

Phelps turns tables on Lochte to win 200m freestyle

Michael Phelps turned the tables on his great rival Ryan Lochte to win the 200 meters freestyle final at the US Olympic trials on Wednesday and remain on course for another massive haul at the London Games. [Full story]

June 26

Olympics to test London's subway

During the morning rush hour at the main ticket hall of London's Euston railway station, two teenage girls struggled to carry their luggage to the subway station underground.

It was their first time to London, and they couldn't find the elevator. Two passers-by stopped and offered to carry their luggage down the stairs. [Full story]

China unveils uniforms for Olympic team

Chinese athletes Huang Qiu, Chen Yibing, Sun Yang and Liu Zige show off the official uniforms for the Chinese national team for London Olympic Games at an unveiling ceremony in Beijing on Tuesday. [Full story]

IOC says can keep London betting clean

Organizers are confident that they can prevent gangs behind illegal gambling from fixing events at the Olympics in London next month, a senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) figure said on Monday. [Full story]

June 25

Zhang Lin left out of Olympic squad

Chinese swimmer Zhang Lin will not take part in the upcoming London Olympic Games, vice-president of the China Swimming Association Shang Xiutang confirmed here on Sunday. [Full story]

Olympic Manifesto Square opens in Beijing

The Olympic Manifesto Square,as a part of a program – "Let the Olympic Manifesto Spread from Beijing to the World," was opened at the Beijing Olympic Green on June 23. [Full story]

Olympic shadow looms large over Wimbledon

For all its tradition and prestige, there is an unmistakable sense swirling round Wimbledon that this year's tournament is a dress rehearsal for a bigger sporting occasion. Just weeks after the tournament finishes, the sport's best players will shed their whites and return to Southwest London wearing international colours for the Olympics.[Full story]

June 21

Chinese factory makes London Olympics mascots

A factory in Dafeng city, East China's Jiangsu province has made and sent 350,000 mascots to the UK for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. [Full story]

UK police warn over online ticket scams

British police are investigating around 30 unauthorized websites illegally selling tickets for the London Olympics and warned fans they risked being "ripped off" if they use them. [Full story]

Beckham torch lights up auction site

An Olympic torch carried by David Beckham has attracted bids of over 1,500 pounds ($2,400) after London organizers began an online auction of Games memorabilia. [Full story]

June 20

British food awaits Olympics visitors

A menu of oddly named and sometimes oddly tasting traditional British dishes awaits adventurous diners visiting London for the Olympic Games this summer. [Full story]

Hungary still the gold standard in water polo

When the Hungarian water polo team filed in for practice at the national aquatics center last week, pool mechanics sneaked nearer to take a peek. Everyone wants to catch a glimpse of the country's most popular athletes before they go for a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal.

Four members of the squad, plus coach Denes Kemeny, are preparing for their fourth Olympics. They have won the men's team gold medal in the last three Games and not lost a match in an Olympic pool since Sydney. [Full story]

June 19

London 2012 clinic offers athletes top healthcare

Athletes at the London Olympics will be offered free healthcare ranging from state of the art eye care and dentistry to sports physiotherapy, osteopathy and surgery at a 23 million pounds ($36.04 million) "polyclinic". [Full story]

Kiteboarding wrong choice for Olympics: experts

Kiteboarding is "10 times more dangerous" that windsurfing and the decision to include the sport in the 2016 Olympics is a big mistake, a leading kitesurfing expert has told Reuters. [Full story]

June 18

London announces street route for torch relay

The London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) on Thursday announced the street route for the penultimate day of the Olympic torch relay in London. [Full story]

Lee working flat out to make London Games

Badminton world number one Lee Chong Wei is working 12 hours a day on his rehabilitation in the hope he can recover from an ankle injury in time to compete at the London Olympics next month. [Full story]

June 15

China warns athletes against doping

Chinese sports authorities warned their coaches and athletes to stay away from any attempts of doping in their preparation for the London Olympic Games. [Full story]

London torch relay to visit Buckingham Palace

The Olympic torch relay will visit the London residences of both the Queen and Prime Minister on the day before the opening ceremony next month, organizers said on Thursday. [Full story]

June 14

Home advantage will boost Team GB: study

Home advantage will help Britain to improve on its bumper 2008 medal haul when London hosts the Games next month, a study by economists from business services group PwC said on Thursday. [Full story]

Federer seeking golden seal in London

With almost impeccable Swiss timing, Roger Federer has a last chance to fill the remaining spot in his bulging trophy cabinet on the court that witnessed the blooming of a tennis genius. [Full story]

June 12

UK panel to examine health legacy of London 2012

A committee in Britain's upper chamber the House of Lords is to conduct an inquiry into how the London 2012 Olympics will help scientists and the public better understand the potential health benefits of exercise. [Full story]

Banned Saudi riders cleared for London

Two Saudi Arabian show jumpers were cleared to compete at the London Olympics after having eight-month bans reduced to two by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday. [Full story]

June 11

Ronaldinho cut from Brazil Olympic squad

Brazil coach Mano Menezes has excluded Ronaldinho from a 35-man squad for the London Olympics. The two-time FIFA world player of the year had been included in Menezes' initial list of 52 announced in March but was subsequently overlooked for Brazil's series of friendlies in Germany and the United States. [Full story]

Olympic torch reaches Shetland Islands in Scotland

The London 2012 Olympic torch reaches Shetland Islands in Scotland, June 10, 2012. [Full story]

June 8

Ways of getting into the Olympic spirit

Plant golden marigolds, bake a giant pudding or plan a sports quiz? London 2012 organizers listed 50 ways of getting into the Olympic spirit on Thursday as the countdown clock reached 50 days to go. [Full story]

No place for friendship on track, says Robles

Cuba's world-record holder Dayron Robles wants no contact with Chinese friend Liu Xiang in London, where he aims to become the third man to win the high hurdles at successive Olympic Games. [Full story]

Liu's technique makes him master of hurdling

Like a fine craftsman, China's Liu Xiang has become the world's master hurdler because of his skill, not natural speed, former world record holder Renaldo Nehemiah says. [Full story]

June 7

Chinese atheles vow anti-doping for London Olympics

China's Olympic athletes and coaches make a vow to reject using banned substances during the London 2012 Games in ceremony at the National Sports Training Center on Tuesday. [Full story]

China's tennis to endure tough test at London Games

The four Grand Slams of tennis dominate the sport's annual calendar however, every fourth year the increasingly important Olympic Games tournament rolls around. [Full story]

Chinese teacher runs torch relay in Belfast

China's Xiong Yu, a teacher at Queen's University Belfast, ran the Olympic torch relay on Wednesday welcomed by hundreds of local Chinese. [Full story]

June 6

Liu back at his best in bid for redemption

In 12.87 seconds on an Oregon track, China's Liu Xiang banished five years of injury-filled misery and annointed himself favorite to reclaim the Olympic gold he relinquished so painfully in Beijing four years ago. [Full story]

June 5

Olympic torch spotlights Northern Ireland coast

Olympic torchbearers carried the symbolic flame of the London Games to some of Northern Ireland's most beautiful coastal attractions Monday, and then headed to two communities associated with moments of terror. [Full story]

June 4

Flower power will be in hands of men in London

Only men will carry the trays of flowers and medals at the London Olympic podium ceremonies while women will have the role of escorting athletes and official presenters. "This is the first time in Games history where the flower and medal bearers will be male," organizers LOCOG said in a statement on Friday. [Full story]

Li Na relishing last Olympic chance

Having missed out on an Olympic medal on home soil four years ago, Li Na is looking forward to one more try, although she knows the atmosphere will be different from Beijing. [Full story]

Olympic torch starts 5-day Northern Ireland tour

The Olympic torch began its five-day tour of Northern Ireland with plenty of excitement and no signs of trouble Sunday as the territory's Protestants and Catholics vowed to show the world how united the community has become after four decades of conflict. [Full story]

June 1

London 2012 Chairman praises enthusiasm of athletes

The London 2012 Chairman Thursday said the levels of efforts and enthusiasm among elite athletes to compete at the London 2012 Olympic Games were among the highest he had seen. [Full story]

Olympic torch relay continues across Wales

The flame was carried through Wales on day 11 of the Torch Relay, as part of the London 2012 Olympic Games. [Full story]