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Front Page Talking Points

FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 23, 2012

Thousands of world's top athletes are in London as Summer Olympics start this week

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1.gifFind profiles or news of athletes from your state . . . or from a favorite sport.

2.gifLook for other Olympic items, such as reports on security or TV coverage.

3.gifNow see what you can learn about London. Where is the opening ceremony? What was built for the Olympics? How far away are some outdoor events?

Even those who aren't rabid sports fans can find lots of reason to watch the Summer Olympics, which begin Friday in London. There will be colorful pageantry, especially at the opening ceremonies and grand finale Aug. 12. There will be sports you've probably tried, such as ping pong, badminton or swimming. And there will be drama from close finishes, new global stars and winners showing emotion as national anthems play when they get medals.

This worldwide athletic competition, held every four years, dates back to the 8th Century B.C. in Olympia, Greece. The modern version has sports the ancient Greeks would recognize, such as archery, weightlifting and wrestling, and many they wouldn't -- including beach volleyball, cycling and synchronized swimming. Overall, more than 10,000 athletes from 204 countries will participate in 26 sports. Team USA has nearly 600 members, while some African countries and island nations sent fewer than 10.

Perhaps the biggest "team" in the United Kingdom is from NBC, which has 2,800 people handling broadcasts and live streaming these next three weeks. Another 700-plus will work in New York. For the first time, every minute of every competition will be available in real time on nbcolympics.com.

Well-known names are among the competitors. Michael Phelps, a 14-time gold medalist from Maryland, plans to swim in seven races. Jamaican runner Usain Bolt returns after winning three sprints with world record times at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. And the U.S. basketball team includes LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony. Other events feature American teens, including Michigan gymnast Jordyn Wieber, 17; Colorado swimmer Missy Franklin, also 17; California high school junior Ariel Hsing, a table tennis star; and 18-year-old fencer Lee Kiefer of Kentucky. The youngest Team USA member is Maryland swimmer Katie Ledecky, 15.

Broadcaster says: "We believe this will be the biggest digital event of all time." -- Mike Lazarus, NBC Sports president

Athlete says: "It's just like a chess game. You have to beat the opponent mentally while they're trying to change their strategies." -- Ariel Hsing, 16, table tennis Olympian from San Jose, Calif.

Editorial writer says: "The Olympics have endured as a singular effort to foster peace and understanding through competition and human interaction among different nationalities. For a couple of weeks, political disputes and ethnic hatreds are put aside." -- Chicago Tribune

Front Page Talking Points is written by Alan Stamm for NIEonline.com, Copyright 2024

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Common Core State Standard
SL.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: An essay of a current news event is provided for discussion to encourage participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the article. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event within the news, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.