The 2012 Summer Olympics, commonly known as London 2012, took place 5 years ago.  It was a major international multi-sport event celebrated in Olympic Park in east London.  Up to 180,000 spectators a day visited the grounds to enjoy the Olympic games.

The event featured 26 sports, featuring 39 disciplines, with about 10,500 athletes. It is also reported that there were 600 basketballs, 2,700 foot balls and 356 pairs of boxing gloves used during the athletic games.

Athletes—including teens–on Team USA were breaking records, showing teamwork and displaying fantastic sportsmanship—Like when 15-year old Katie Ledecky received a gold medal in the women’s 800m freestyle or when 17-year old boxer Claressa Shields overcame the many obstacles to make it to the Gold.

Luckily, I was able to capture the action. Here are some of my favorite shots:

  • Ryan Lochte Winning to GoldUSA swimmer, Ryan Lochte, brought home the Gold Medal in the Men’s Individual Medley Final. Lochte easily defeated Michael Phelps who earned a fourth place in the event.
  • Oscar Pistorius and his Men’s 400-meter race — Republic of South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius competed in the Men’s 400-meter race with two artificial “bladed” legs, doing remarkably well given his sever handicap. Pistorius secured his place in sporting history by becoming the first double amputee to compete at the Olympics. The athlete fought for the right to compete against able-bodied athletes, pursuing the IAAF to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after it ruled that his blades offered an advantage over able-bodied rivals.
  • Sanya Richards-Ross and her 400-meter win – I was able to capture Richards-Ross beaming a winning smile while getting interviewed by reporters, after she won the women’s 400 meter. Richards-Ross had also won Olympic gold in the 4×400 meters relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2008 Summer Olympics, and the 2012 Summer Olympics. She was the best 400m runner in the world for a decade, ranking No. 1 in the world from 2005-2009 and again in 2012.
  • The USA Women’s Volleyball Team Takes Gold — USA Misty-May Treanor served against China in the gold medal match in Beijing. The USA team won 2-0 to win the Gold.
  • The Fans – I loved watching the spirit of people who have traveled so far rooting on their team. Like avid fans, Lora and David Burgun, from Strasburg France, celebrating Lucie Decosse’s gold medal victory in the  women’s Judo Finals. Or when a Japanese family cheering on their team at Wembley Stadium in the Semi-final match against France. Japan won 2-1.

While we have a few years to go until the next summer Olympics, who is to say we can’t start counting down until the Winter one? It’s only a few long months away.

About Richard Druckman: Over the past 35 years, Dick has captured thousands of award winning images at the past 12 Super Bowls, World Series, Stanley Cup Finals, NBA Championships, and Olympic Games. Many of these once-in-a lifetime photographs have appeared in Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Parade Magazine, and The Associated Press, which placed them in newspapers and publications around the world. To purchase his prints visit him online at www.goldmedalimpressions.com, by phone at 609-606-9001 or in person at his shop at 43 Princeton-Hightstown Rd. Princeton Junction NJ 08550.