2012 London Olympics: The First 9 Days

More than 10,000 athletes from 200 national Olympic committees around the globe have gathered in London for the 17-day 2012 Summer Olympic Games. So far, dozens of Olympic and world records have already been broken and more than 500 medals have been awarded. As we pass the Games' halfway point, here's a look back at some amazing events that have taken place in the U.K. over the past nine days. [62 photos 1280px] Use j/k keys or ←/→ to navigate

U.S. gymnast Gabrielle Douglas performs on the balance beam during the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, on August 2, 2012. Douglas went on to win the Gold medal in the event. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

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Mo Farah of Great Britain, shown on a giant screen as he receives his Gold medal for the 10,000 meter race on Day 9 of the London 2012 Olympic Games, on August 5, 2012. (John Stillwell/Getty Images) #

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Jamel Herring, of the United States, after being defeated by Kazakhstan's Daniyar Yelessinov in their men's light welter 64-kg boxing match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, on July 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) #

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Russia's Aliya Mustafina warms up before competing in the balance beam during the women's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena, on August 2, 2012. (Reuters/Mike Blake) #

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Australia's Jessica Fox competes in the women's K-1 kayak slalom semifinal at the Lee Valley White Water Center in Waltham Cross, near London, on August 2, 2012. Fox won the silver medal in the final. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano) #

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The full moon rises through the Olympic Rings hanging beneath Tower Bridge during the London 2012 Olympic Games, on August 3, 2012. (Reuters/Luke MacGregor) #

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Nordine Oubaali of France (left) connects with Afghanistan's Ajmal Faisal in the men's Fly (52kg) Round of 32 boxing match at the ExCeL venue, on July 30, 2012. (Reuters/Murad Sezer) #

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Bronze medalists Nicholas McCrory, front and David Boudia, rear, from the US compete during the Men's Synchronized 10 Meter Platform Diving final at the Aquatics Center in the Olympic Park, on July 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) #

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The Olympic Cauldron burns as athletes compete in the Men's 3000m Steeplechase Heats on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games, on August 3, 2012. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) #

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Michael Phelps of the U.S. dives into the pool at the start of the men's 200m individual medley swimming final at the Aquatics Center, on August 2, 2012. (Reuters/Adam Pretty/Pool) #

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Debbie Phelps, mother of United States swimmer Michael Phelps, cries following the national anthem for the men's 4 X 100-meter medley relay at the Aquatics Center in the Olympic Park, on August 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) #

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Gold medalist Michael Phelps of the United States kisses his medal following the medal ceremony for the Men's 4x100m medley Relay Final, on August 4, 2012. Phelps is now the most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 medals, 18 of them gold. (Al Bello/Getty Images) #

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Hungary's Mate Lekai makes a shot against South Korea in their men's handball Preliminaries Group B match at the Copper Box venue, on July 31, 2012. (Reuters/Marko Djurica) #

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Samantha Arevalo Salinas of Ecuador starts in a women's 800-meter freestyle swimming heat at the Aquatics Center in London, on August 2, 2012. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) #

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Nicola Spirig of Switzerland, shown just barely beating Lisa Norden of Sweden in this photo-finish image of the women's triathlon final of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Hyde Park, on August 4, 2012. (Reuters/Omega Ltd) #

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From right: Marianne Vos of Netherlands, Elizabeth Armitstead of Great Britain, Kristin Armstrong of the United States and Olga Zabelinskaya of Russia cycle in the rain during the Women's Road Race, on July 29, 2012. (Stefano Rellandini/Getty Images) #

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Russian gymnasts and team officials react as teammate Kseniia Afanaseva falls while performing on the floor during the Artistic Gymnastics women's team final, on July 31, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) #

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A spectator views the men's Group A volleyball match between Italy and Poland on a mobile phone at Earls Court, on July 29, 2012. (Reuters/Ivan Alvarado) #

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Andrea Baldini of Italy celebrates after his match against Yuki Ota of Japan in the gold medal match during the men's foil team fencing competition, on August 5, 2012. Italy won the gold and Japan won the silver. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky) #

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Team USA celebrates winning the gold medal at a victory ceremony after the women's eight finals rowing event at Eton Dorney, on August 2, 2012. Team members are Erin Cafaro, Zsuzsanna Francia, Esther Lofgren, Taylor Ritzel, Meghan Musnicki, Eleanor Logan, Caroline Lind, Caryn Davies and Mary Whipple. (Reuters/Mark Blinch) #

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Germany's Dimitrij Ovtcharov serves to Taiwan's Chuang Chih-yuan in their men's singles bronze medal table tennis match at the ExCel venue, on August 2, 2012. (Reuters/Grigory Dukor) #

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The spinnaker of the boat of Trevor Moore and Erik Storck of the U.S., in the waves before the fifth race of the men's 49er sailing class at the London 2012 Olympic Games in Weymouth and Portland, southern England, on August 1, 2012. (Reuters/Pascal Lauener) #

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South Korea's Ryu Seungmin (right) shakes hands with North Korea's Kim Hyok-bong after a game in their men's team first round table tennis match at the ExCel venue, on August 4, 2012. (Reuters/Grigory Dukor) #

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37-year-old Oksana Chusovitina of Germany, after competing in the women's gymnastics vault final in the North Greenwich Arena, on August 5, 2012. Chusovitina placed fifth in the event, participating in her sixth Olympic games. (Reuters/Brian Snyder) #

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China's Sun Yang, after he won gold in the men's 1500m freestyle final in world record time at the Aquatics Center, on August 4, 2012. Sun clocked 14 minutes, 31.02 seconds to set a new world record. (Reuters/Toby Melville) #

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China's Zhou Lulu competes during women's over 75-kg, weightlifting competition, on August 5, 2012, in London. Lulu won the gold medal with a total of 333 kg. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) #

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South Korea's Shin A Lam reacts after being defeated by Germany's Britta Heidemann (not seen) during their women's epee individual semifinal fencing competition at the ExCel venue, on July 30, 2012. Lam had disputed the result, and had to wait on the floor while her coach made a lengthy appeal, which was denied after more than an hour. (Reuters/Damir Sagolj) #

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Brazilian gymnast Ethiene Cristina Gonser Franco prays as fellow gymnast Daniele Matias Hypolito performs on the beam in the background during the artistic gymnastics women's qualifications, on July 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) #

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The South Korean men's cycling team trains on Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev) #

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Laura Ludwig of Germany celebrates during the Women's Beach Volleyball Quarter Final match between Brazil and Germany on Day 9 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Horse Guards Parade, on August 5, 2012. (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) #

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Australia's Scott Martin competes during his men's discus throw qualification at the Olympic Stadium, on August 6, 2012. (Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach) #

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Georgie Twigg (left) of Great Britain celebrates scoring their fourth goal during the Women's Hockey Match between Great Britain and Korea at Riverbank Arena, on July 31, 2012. (Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images) #

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Olena Fedorova of Ukraine competes in the Women's 3m Springboard Diving Preliminary Round at the Aquatics Center, on August 3, 2012. (Al Bello/Getty Images) #

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Rower Julien Bahain, of France's men's double sculls team, is comforted by his girlfriend after his team finished fifth in a semifinal race and failed to advance to the final in Eton Dorney, near Windsor, on July 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) #

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A multiple-exposure image of Marcel Nguyen of Germany on the horizontal bar during the men's individual all-around gymnastics final in the North Greenwich Arena, on August 1, 2012. (Reuters/Mike Blake) #

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Jessica Ennis of Great Britain crosses the line during the Women's Heptathlon 800m to win the race and the overall gold on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium, on August 4, 2012. (Michael Steele/Getty Images) #

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Photographers and a camerman take pictures of Britain's Jessica Ennis as she celebrates winning gold in the women's heptathlon, on August 4, 2012. (Reuters/Fabrizio Bensch) #

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Britain's Jessica Ennis celebrates winning her women's heptathlon at the Olympic Stadium, on August 4, 2012. (Reuters/Lucy Nicholson) #

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Vittoria Panizzon of Italy stumbles on Borough Pennyz in the Individual Eventing Cross Country Equestrian at Greenwich Park, on July 30, 2012 in London, England. (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) #

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South Korea's Jaehyouk Sa shouts after badly injuring his elbow in the men's 77Kg Group A weightlifting competition at the ExCel venue, on August 1, 2012. (Reuters/Grigory Dukor) #

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Gabrio Zandona (right) and Pietro Zucchetti (left) of Italy compete in the Men's 470 Sailing on Day 6 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Weymouth & Portland Venue at Weymouth Harbour, on August 2, 2012. (Clive Mason/Getty Images) #

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Hungary's Hanna Kisteleki holds hands with a teammate as they watch their team play against Russia during their women's water polo quarterfinal round at the Water Polo Arena, on August 5, 2012. (Reuters/Laszlo Balogh) #

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Tuau Lapua Lapua of Tuvalu competes in the Men's 62kg Weightlifting at ExCeL, on July 30, 2012 in London, England. (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) #

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USA's Sanya Richards-Ross reacts after winning the women's 400-meter race in the Olympic Stadium, on August 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) #

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Photographers train their cameras on the pool during day 5 of the swimming events at the London 2012 Olympic Games, on August 1, 2012. (Christophe Simon/AFP/GettyImages) #

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Great Britain's Alan Campbell cries on the podium with his bronze medal won for the men's single sculls final A of the rowing event at Eton Dorney Rowing Center in Eton, west of London, on August 3, 2012. (Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Russia's Valeriy Shomin discharges rounds during the skeet men's qualification round at the Royal Artillery Barracks during the London 2012 Olympic Games, on July 31, 2012. (Reuters/Cathal McNaughton) #

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Biao Chai of China returns against Haifeng Fu and Yun Cai of China in their Men's Doubles Badminton quarter final at Wembley Arena, on August 2, 2012. (Michael Regan/Getty Images) #

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A tilt-shift lens image of Carl Hester of Great Britain riding Uthopia, as he waves to the crowd in the Dressage Grand Prix at Greenwich Park, on August 2, 2012 in London, England. (Alex Livesey/Getty Images) #

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China's Wang Hao (left) and Chen Ruolin bite their gold medals during the women's synchronized 10m platform victory ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Center, on July 31, 2012. (Reuters/Jorge Silva) #

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Russia's Ivan Nifontov celebrates after defeating Japan's Takahiro Nakai during their men's -81kg bronze medal A judo match, on July 31, 2012. (Reuters/Darren Staples) #

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Athletes compete in the 20-kilometer race walk, on Saturday, August 4, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) #

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Taiwan's Tien Chia Chen reacts after failing to qualify for the finals, during in the women's 10m Air Pistol qualification competition in the Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich in southeast London, on July 29, 2012. (Reuters/Eddie Keogh) #

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Sanya Richards-Ross of the United States kisses her husband and NFL Cornerback Aaron Ross after winning the Women's 400m final at the Olympic Stadium, on August 5, 2012 in London, England. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) #

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Jamaica's Usain Bolt crosses the finish line to win his second consecutive gold medal in the men's 100-meter final in the Olympic Stadium, on August 5, 2012. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) #

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Lithuania's Ruta Meilutyte cries on the podium before receiving her gold medal after winning the women's 100m breaststroke final at the Aquatics Center, on July 30, 2012. (Reuters/David Gray) #

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China's Zhu Fangyu lies on the ground injured during the men's preliminary round Group B basketball match against Australia at the Basketball Arena, on August 2, 2012. (Reuters/Mike Segar) #

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Yamile Aldama of Great Britain competes in the Women's Triple Jump final on Day 9 of the London 2012 Olympic Games, on August 5, 2012 in London, England. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images) #

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Gymnast Do Thi Ngan Thuong from Vietnam performs on the balance beam during the Artistic Gymnastics women's qualification, on July 29, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) #

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U.S. gymnast McKayla Maroney, right, disappointed with her silver medal finish, stands beside gold medalist Sandra Raluca Izbasa during the podium ceremony for the artistic gymnastics women's vault finals, on August 5, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) #

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Ukraine's Valentyna Horpynych Zhudina (center) lies on the track as she and other athletes recover after their women's 3000m steeplechase round 1 heats at the Olympic Stadium, on August 4, 2012. (Reuters/Lucy Nicholson) #

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Greece's Ioannis Fountoulis controls the ball during the men's preliminary round Group A water polo match against Kazakhstan at the London 2012 Olympic Games, on August 2, 2012. (Reuters/Laszlo Balogh) #