London Olympics 2012: United States push China aside to restore medal dominance
A star-studded closing ceremony late on Sunday night marks the end of the Games.
LONDON:
The United States finished top of the London Olympics medal table on Sunday with 46 golds ahead of China on 38 and hosts Britain with 29. The US won 104 medals in total with 29 silver and 29 bronze followed by China on 87, including 27 silver and 22 bronze. Britain won 64 medals overall with 16 silver and 19 bronze.
At the main stadium in London’s East End, the closing ceremony brought the curtain down on 16 full days of spectacular sporting action, passionate crowds and the thrill of watching hosts Britain punch well above their weight.
A star-studded closing ceremony late on Sunday night marked the end of the Games. The Spice Girls, The Who and George Michael performed at a concert titled “A Symphony of British Music” featuring more than 30 hits from the last five decades.
“This is the disco at the end of a wedding,” artistic director Kim Gavin said of the ceremony, at the conclusion of which the Olympic Flame is extinguished and all eyes turn from London to 2016 hosts Rio de Janeiro.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister David Cameron basked in the glory of hosting a successful Olympics which has helped lift the gloom in recession-hit Britain, praising the prowess of British athletes after their best medal haul for more than 100 years.
“We showed the world what we’re made of, we reminded ourselves of what we could do and, yes, we demonstrated that you should never ever count Team GB down and out,” Cameron told reporters at his official Downing Street office, where a section of running track had been laid in front of its black door.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 13th, 2012.
The United States finished top of the London Olympics medal table on Sunday with 46 golds ahead of China on 38 and hosts Britain with 29. The US won 104 medals in total with 29 silver and 29 bronze followed by China on 87, including 27 silver and 22 bronze. Britain won 64 medals overall with 16 silver and 19 bronze.
At the main stadium in London’s East End, the closing ceremony brought the curtain down on 16 full days of spectacular sporting action, passionate crowds and the thrill of watching hosts Britain punch well above their weight.
A star-studded closing ceremony late on Sunday night marked the end of the Games. The Spice Girls, The Who and George Michael performed at a concert titled “A Symphony of British Music” featuring more than 30 hits from the last five decades.
“This is the disco at the end of a wedding,” artistic director Kim Gavin said of the ceremony, at the conclusion of which the Olympic Flame is extinguished and all eyes turn from London to 2016 hosts Rio de Janeiro.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister David Cameron basked in the glory of hosting a successful Olympics which has helped lift the gloom in recession-hit Britain, praising the prowess of British athletes after their best medal haul for more than 100 years.
“We showed the world what we’re made of, we reminded ourselves of what we could do and, yes, we demonstrated that you should never ever count Team GB down and out,” Cameron told reporters at his official Downing Street office, where a section of running track had been laid in front of its black door.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 13th, 2012.