London 2012 Olympics Pictures

The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad (and known informally as London 2012) are in full swing in London, United Kingdom. Around 10,500 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees (the group responsible for organizing their people's participation in the games) will compete. Thousands and thousands of images will be made in London of the athletes and the spectators; the venues and the celebrations; the pomp and the circumstance. A search of current images in a wire database reveals images coming into the system at a rate of over 1,000 an hour during the hours of competition, resulting in a major picture editing challenge. A small sampling follows. -- Paula Nelson (55 photos total)

Kyla Ross of the U.S. performs on the balance beam during the women's gymnastics team final, July 31, 2012. (Dylan Martinez/Reuters)

Canada's Christine Girard celebrates her third place on the women's 63Kg weightlifting competition, July 31, 2012. (Paul Hanna/Reuters) 

Britain's Crista Cullen celebrates a goal by teammate Alex Danson during their women's Group A hockey match against South Korea, July 31, 2012. (Dominic Ebenbichler/Reuters) 

Russia's Maria Paseka performs on the vault during the women's gymnastics team final, July 31, 2012. (Brian Snyder/Reuters) 

Germany's team members stand to receive their gold medals during the Eventing Team Jumping equestrian event victory ceremony, July 31, 2012. (Eddie Keogh/Reuters) 

Russia's Aliya Mustafina weeps as she watches the results at the women's gymnastics team final, July 31, 2012. (Mike Blake/Reuters) 

Italy's Alex Giorgetti (5), Massimo Giacoppo (7) and other players gather before their men's preliminary round Group A water polo match against Greece at the Water Polo Arena, July 31, 2012. (Laszlo Balogh/Reuters) 

Kinesio tape is seen on Germany's Katrin Holtwick during their women's beach volleyball preliminary match against Czech Republic's Hana Klapalova and Lenka Hajeckova at the Horse Guards Parade, July 28, 2012. Athletic tape made in every colour under the sun seems to be the latest must-have sports injury treatment at London 2012, where athletes may have been influenced by other big name tape fans such as Serena Williams and David Beckham. (Marcelo Del Pozo/Reuters) 

Brazil's Ricardo Santos sails before the first race of the men's RS-X sailing class in Weymouth and Portland, southern England, July 31, 2012. (Pascal Lauener/Reuters) 

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

Illya Kvasha and Oleksiy Prygorov of Ukraine compete in the Men's Synchronised 3m Springboard Diving on Day 5 of the London 2012 Olympic Games, August 1, 2012. (Clive Rose/Getty Images) 

Japan's Sayaka Sato falls during play against Britain's Susan Egelstaff during their women's singles group play stage Group H badminton match, July 31, 2012. (Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters) 

Kazakhstan's players dive into the pool before their men's preliminary round Group A water polo match against Australia, July 31, 2012. (Laszlo Balogh/Reuters) 

Spain's Pau Gasol fights for the ball next to Australia's players during the men's preliminary round Group B basketball match, July 31, 2012. (Sergio Perez/Reuters) 

Miles Chamley-Watson of the U.S. reacts as he competes against Egypt's Alaaeldin Abouelkassem during their men's individual foil round of 32 fencing competition, July 31, 2012. (Damir Sagolj/Reuters) 

Cristina Direito of Angola can't prevent a goal in their Women's Handball Preliminaries Group A match against Montenegro on Day 5 of the London 2012 Olympic Games, August 1, 2012. (Rob Carr/Getty Images) 

Yura Mun of Korea competes in the Women's 69kg Weightlifting on Day 5 of the London 2012 Olympic Games, August 1, 2012. (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) 

Canada's Marie-Pier Beaudet aims for the target during an elimination round of the individual archery competition, Aug. 1, 2012. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press) 

Kenya's Mercy Apondi Obiero prepares to compete during the women's 69-kg weightlifting competition, Aug. 1, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Mike Groll) 

Bojana Popovic of Montenegro passes in their Women's Handball Preliminaries Group A match against Angola, August 1, 2012. (Rob Carr/Getty Images) 

Hassine Ghada of Tunisia reacts while competing in the Women's 69kg Weightlifting, August 1, 2012. (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) 

China's Chen Nan rubs her head after getting elbowed against Angola during a women's basketball game, Aug. 1, 2012. (Charles Krupa/Associated Press) 

Algeria's Safia Boukhima and Sehryne Hennaoui collide as they chase after a ball during their women's Group A volleyball match against Russia at Earls Court, August 1, 2012. (Ivan Alvarado/Reuters) 

Michael Phelps of the U.S. swims in his men's 200m individual medley heat at the Aquatics Centre, August 1, 2012. (David Gray/Reuters) 

Angola's Luisa Kiala jumps to shoot during the women's preliminaries Group B handball match, August 1, 2012, at the Copper Box hall. (Javier Soriano/AFP/GettyImages) 

Belgium's John-John Dohmen falls on the pitch during their men's Group B hockey match against Netherlands at the Riverbank Arena, August 1, 2012. (Phil Noble/Reuters) 

A combination of pictures taken during the London 2012 Olympic Games shows athletes' fingernails decorated with their national colors. From top left : USA's Allison Schmitt, Hungary's Suzana Jacobos, Britain's Rebecca Adlington, Mexico's Luz Mercedes Acosta Valdez, Britain's Alison Williamson, USA's Venus Williams, Britain's Alison Williamson, France's Margaux Farrell, Lithuania's Ruta Meilutyte. (AFP/GettyImages) 

Hungary's Laszlo Cseh competes in the men's 200m individual medley heats swimming event, August 1, 2012. (Martin Bureau/AFP/GettyImages) 

Sebastian Stoss of Austria and Derya Buyukuncu of Turkey compete in heat 1 of the Men's 200m backstroke on Day 5 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre, August 1, 2012. (Clive Rose/Getty Images) 

China's Wang Hao serves against Japan's Seiya Kishikawa during a men's quarterfinals table tennis match, Aug. 1, 2012. (Sergei Grits/Associated Press) 

Japan's players bow after defeating the Dominican Republic during their women's Group A volleyball match at Earls Court, August 1, 2012. (Ivan Alvarado/Reuters) 

South Korea's Jung Jin-hae shoots a ball, next to Norway's Amanda Kurtovic during their women's handball preliminary match, Aug. 1, 2012. (Vadim Ghirda/Associated Press) 

Japan's Saori Kimura (18) spikes the ball through Dominican Republic defenders Prisilla Altagracia Rivera Brens (14) and Candida Estafany Arias Perez (8) during a women's volleyball preliminary match, Aug. 1, 2012, in London. (Chris O'Meara/Associated Press) 

Spain's Andres Mata Perez competes in the men's 77Kg Group B weightlifting competition, Aug. 1, 2012. (Grigory Dukor/Reuters) 

China's Zhang Jike serves to Hong Kong's Jiang Tianyi in their men's singles quarterfinals table tennis match, Aug. 1, 2012. (Adrees Latif/Reuters) 

US swimmer Tyler Clary is seen behind flags with the London Olympic Games logo before the men's 200m backstroke heats swimming event, Aug. 1, 2012. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP/GettyImages) 

China's Zhang Jike serves to Hong Kong's Jiang Tianyi in their men's singles quarterfinals table tennis match, Aug. 1, 2012. (Adrees Latif/Reuters) 

Germany's Ilka Semmler waits as teammate Katrin Holtwick serves against Mauritius' Nioun Chin Elodie Li Yuk Lo and Natacha Rigobert during their women's preliminary round beach volleyball match, Aug. 1, 2012. (Marcelo Del Pozo/Reuters) 

A spectator carries a baby in the Olympic park at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Aug. 1, 2012. (Vadim Ghirda/Associated Press) 

Mathias Raymond of Monaco reacts after the Men's Single Sculls on Day 5 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Eton Dorney, Aug. 1, 2012, in Windsor, England. (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) 

Xue Chen from China signals to her teammate during the Beach Volleyball match against Greece, Aug. 1, 2012. (Petr David JosekAssociated Press) 

Alaaeldin Abouelkassem of Egypt competes with Byungchul Choi of Korea in the Men's Foil Individual Semifinal on Day 4 of the London 2012 Olympic Games, July 31, 2012. (Hannah Johnston/Getty Images) 

A fan attends the men's first round Group C preliminary soccer match between Brazil and New Zealand at St James' Park in Newcastle, Aug. 1, 2012. (Nigel Roddis/Reuters) 

Supporters of Switzerland's Roger Federer wait for the begining of the men's singles tennis match between Roger Federer and Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on Aug.1, 2012. (Martin Bernetti/AFP/GettyImages) 

Canada's men's rowing eight celebrate after winning the silver medal in Eton Dorney, near Windsor, England, Aug. 1, 2012. (Chris Carlson/Associated Press) 

Ruben Limardo Gascon of Venezuela celebrates victory in the Men's Epee Individual Fencing Semi Final against Seth Kelsey of the United States on Day 5 of the London 2012 Olympic Games, Aug. 1, 2012. (Ian Walton/Getty Images) 

Illya Kvasha and Oleksiy Prygorov of the Ukraine compete in the Men's Synchronized 3m Springboard final on Day 5 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre, Aug. 1, 2012. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images) 

A combination picture shows table tennis players watching the ball during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Players are, top row (L to R), Denmark's Michael Maze, Brazil's Caroline Kumahara, Austria's Werner Schlager. Middle row (L to R) China's Zhang Jike, Iran's Neda Shahsavari, Germany's Kristin Silbereisen. Bottom row (L to R) Colombia's Paula Medina, South Korea's Oh Sangeun, India's Soumyajit Ghosh. (Reuters/Staff) 

Kazuhito Tanaka of Japan competes on the rings in the Artistic Gymnastics Men's Individual All-Around final on Day 5 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at North Greenwich Arena, Aug. 1, 2012. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) 

A man sells flags to spectators ahead of the Men's Individual Time Trial Road Cycling, Aug. 1, 2012. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) 

Sheng Lei of China celebrates with his coach, winning the Men's Foil Individual Gold Medal bout against Alaaeldin Abouelkassem of Egypt, July 31, 2012. (Lars Baron/Getty Images) 

China's Ding Ning watches the ball as she serves during her table tennis women's gold medal singles match against compatriot Li Xiaoxia, Aug. 1, 2012. (Saeed Khan/AFP/GettyImages) 

Hungary's players react during their women's preliminary round Group A water polo match against China, Aug. 1, 2012. (Laszlo Balogh/Reuters) 

The US team on the podium after winning the bronze medal in the women's quadruple sculls final A of the rowing event, at Eton Dorney Rowing Centre in Eton, west of London, Aug. 1, 2012. (Damien Meyer/AFP/GettyImages) 

Jiyeon Kim of Korea celebrates after beating Vassiliki Vougiouka of Greece in the Women's Sabre Individual quarterfinal match, Aug. 1, 2012. (Hannah Johnston/Getty Images)