BMX cyclist Mariana Pajon won Colombia's first gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London

BMX cyclist Mariana Pajon won Colombia's first gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London Friday, securing her country's seventh medal in what already had become Colombia's most successful Olympics ever.

The 20-year old athlete won the womens' finals of the BMX cycling competition.

The Medellin native beat New Zealand's Sarah Walker and Dutchwoman Laura Smulders who respectively won silver and bronze.

Pajon's gold medal is Colombia's second ever at an Olympics; the first was won in 2000 by weightlifter Maria Isabel Urrutia.

The London Olympics by far have become the South American country's most successful Olympics ever.

Minutes after Pajon, male BMX cyclist Carlos Mario Oquendo won bronze in the men's category, lifting Colombia's total number of medals to eight.

The country's old record was set in 1972 when Colombian athletes brought home three medals.

A former world champion, Pajon achieved the dream of her life by claiming the top spot on the podium to give Colombia its first gold medal of the London Games, and its second ever.

"I'm very happy and proud," she said. "I won't believe it until I wake up with my gold medal after going to sleep with it. This is a very strong moment for Colombia cycling."

The 20-year-old Pajon was still a child when weightlifter Maria Isabela Urrutia won Colombia's first gold in Sydney 12 years ago.

"It was a great moment for Colombia," she said. "Back then I had turned my focus to gymnastics and I thought I would come to the Olympics as a gymnast. I saw those moments and they filled me with pride and I wanted to come to the Olympics. Then BMX was introduced in Beijing and I started training."

BMX, a sport where risk-taking approaches often pay off, was suited for Pajon's fiery temper.

"I started racing when I was 3 and I realized I could do this and do it well," she said. "I started winning at 4 with the boys and won my first world title at 8."

On Friday, Pajon led from the start and crossed the line in 37.706 seconds after a flawless run. With David Beckham watching from the stands, she hit form at the right time after being hampered by a shoulder injury earlier this season.

"I've been trying to win this my whole life. I just wanted go out of the gate and win it. It's unbelievable," she said.

Seconds after crossing the line, Pajon blew kisses to the capacity crowd as members of the Colombian team started to celebrate. She then was cheered by a couple dozen Colombian fans packed into a small section of the stands.

"Off the track I'm all woman, but on the track I change completely and I become aggressive and I race like a man," Pajon said. "Then at the end of the race I become a girl again and of course I cried. I didn't believe it. I cried lot of tears. This a dream come true."

Pajon credited her win on the dangerous course to the quick start coming out of the first corner ahead of her rivals. Pajon had posted three consecutive wins in the semifinals earlier Friday.

"I have tried so hard for it, and I just did it," she said. "I felt really strong, I had really good gates and that's it. I really had fun on it."

Some pictures of the best of the opening ceremony Olympic Games London 2012

  

The Olympic Rings assemble above the Stadium

The giant rings create a spectacular sight as they join together above the Olympic Stadium.

Olympic Rings rise above the Olympic Stadium

Once formed, the Olympic Rings sparkle as they rise above the Age of Industry scene during the Opening Ceremony.

Towering chimneys represent the Industrial Revolution

England's Green and Pleasant Land is quickly transformed into a hub of industry activity, celebrating Britain's role as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. 

The Olympic Rings are displayed in the Olympic Stadium

Rings representing both the Olympics and the Industrial Revolution are lit and lifted during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012.

The Stadium comes to life

Olympic Rings representing both the Olympic Games and the Industrial Revolution are lifted during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Mary Poppins performers float inside the Olympic Stadium

Performers in the role of  Britain’s best loved nanny, Mary Poppins float inside the stadium to banish away the villains from some of Britain's best loved children’s literature from earlier on in the performance during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Sir Steve Redgrave enters the stadium with the Olympic Flame

Torchbearer Sir Steve Redgrave stands with the Olympic Flame during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium. The rower won gold medals at five successive Olympic Games from 1988 to 2000. Redgrave stands in front of Young Torchbearers, seven talented athletes nominated by former British Olympic legends.

The Olympic Flame roars from the fiery petals of the Cauldron

The Olympic Flame burns brightly in the stunning multi-petalled Cauldron as the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games draws to a dramatic close. The 8.5 metre cauldron was designed by Thomas Heatherwick, who opted for understated elegance and grace in his highly acclaimed and closely-guarded creation.

Fireworks are set off around the Olympic Stadium

Fireworks over the Olympic Stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 27 2012

If you want to see more pictures, these were taken from http://www.london2012.com/index.html.

Olympic Games London 2012

The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad, and also more generally known as London 2012, was a major international multi-sport event, celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), that took place in London, United Kingdom, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. The first event, the group stages in women's football, began two days earlier, on 25 July. More than 10,000 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) participated.

Following a bid headed by former Olympic champion Sebastian Coe and then-Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, London was selected as the host city on 6 July 2005 during the 117th IOC Session in Singapore, defeating bids from Moscow, New York City, Madrid and Paris. London was the first city to officially host the modern Olympic Games three times, having previously done so in 1908 and in 1948.

Construction in preparation for the Games involved considerable redevelopment, particularly themed towards sustainability. The main focus was a new 200-hectare (490-acre) Olympic Park, constructed on a former industrial site at Stratford, East London. The Games also made use of venues which were already in place before the bid.

The Games received widespread acclaim for their organisation, with the volunteers, the British military, and public enthusiasm praised particularly highly. The opening ceremony, directed by Danny Boyle, also received near-universal acclaim. During the Games, Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time, winning his 22nd medal. Great Britain achieved its highest tally of gold medals since 1908, finishing third in the medal table. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei entered female athletes for the first time, meaning every currently eligible country has sent a female competitor to at least one Olympic Games. With women's boxing included, the Games became the first at which every sport had female competitors.

What you me going to say in the oral presentation?

UNAL News

Journalist: Good afternoon TV viewer from Colombia and around the world who see us for our international signal. Today in the sports section we have all the details of the Olympic Games that is performed in London since last Friday.

Until now Colombia has won a silver medal and two bronze, hopefully Colombians representing us achieve more victories for our country. In this day there will be competitions in swimming, jumping, athletics and weightlifting. It will be a long day for the Olympic Games but here on the UNAL news as always we will keep you all the news of the day.

Our reporter is located in one of the places more important of these competencies. Today she will be reporting from the convention center ExCel London. Manuela good afternoon, what information we have today?

Reporter: Good afternoon Colombia. Today I am on EXCEL, London’s largest Exhibition and Convention Center.

This place is famous for hosting international events. It’s going to be the main attraction in this London Olympics 2012. During the game is all set to host a wide range of sport events.  The center will be divided in four halls for sporting activities like: boxing, judo, taekwondo, weightlifting, table tennis and wrestling. This is beautiful place. Undoubtedly one of most visited. 

Journalist: Manuela excuses me I have to interrupt you. Last minute! Gold to Colombia! Oscar Figueroa just won a gold medal for our country in weightlifting. This is great news for the Colombian sports. While our reporter arrives on the scene to talk to the winner of this medal, let's see the pictures (Pictures of the triumph). Manuela now is located with Oscar Figueroa, let's see what this tells us Colombian champion.

Reporter:

1). How do you feel about giving this triumph to our country?

2) Who is this triumph dedicated to?

3) How did you trained for this competition?

4) Tell something to Colombia you are in live and direct, everybody is listening to you?

Athlete: …

Journalist: Manuela thanks you very much. Well, that concludes our news this day, thank you very much to everyone for see us, and tomorrow we will bring you more details of the Olympic Games. Good afternoon.

By: Manuela Castro and Juliet Contreras

Presentation

Members of the Group

Juliet Contreras

Manuela Castro

Jordan Vasquez 

Jose Acosta 

Topic: Olimpic Games 

What you are going to do ? 

Newscast

Who is doing what? 

Reporter : Manuela C.

Athlete 1: Jordan .

Athlete 2: Jose A.

Journalist: Juliet C.

Table of content 

1. Historical introduction by Journalist

2. Report  from London by Reporter 

3. Interview to the  first athlete

4. Curious data by reporter

5. Interview to the  second athlete

6. Closing 

 

GREAT REVELATIONS IN THE LONDON OLYMPICS

Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian of all time

Young American

Michael Phelps became the youngest American male swimmer in 68 years to compete at the Olympic Games when he swam the 200m butterfly at the 2000 Sydney Games. Six months later he set a world record in the same event. It would be the first of many records he would set.

 Athens prediction

As the 2004 Athens Games began, Michael Phelps stated he was aiming for a record eight gold medals. The expectation and pressure on him was immense. Phelps did not reach his goal, but still came away with an astonishing six gold and two bronze medals.

Eight golds 

Four years later in Beijing, Michael Phelps again entered eight events – five individual and three relays. This time there were no predictions, just a steely determination not to let any swimmer touch the finish wall before him. Despite a heavy programme, Phelps performed brilliantly in all distances and styles. He won a record eight gold medals and also broke seven world records.

One hundredth of a second

Phelps most dramatic race was the 100m butterfly. Before the results appeared on the giant screens, no one could say who had won. But after an agonising wait, the electronic timing made it official. Phelps’s hand had touched the wall first, only one hundredth of a second ahead of Serbia’s Milorad Cavic.

London 2012

By winning his 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd medals in London, Phelps became the most medalled Olympian of all times.

Ancient Olympics

The Ancient Olympic Games were a religious and athletic festival held every four years at the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia, Greece among representatives of several city-states and kingdoms of Ancient Greece. These games featured mainly athletic but also combat and chariot racing events. During the games, all conflicts among the participating city-states were postponed until the games were finished. The origin of these Olympics is shrouded in mystery and legend; one of the most popular myths identifies Heracles and his father Zeus as the progenitors of the Games. According to legend, it was Heracles who first called the Games "Olympic" and established the custom of holding them every four years.

A legend persists that after Heracles completed his twelve labors, he built the Olympic Stadium as an honor to Zeus. Following its completion, he walked in a straight line for 200 steps and called this distance a "stadion" (Greek: στάδιον, Latin: stadium, "stage"), which later became a unit of distance. Another myth associates the first Games with the ancient Greek concept of Olympic truce (ἐκεχειρία, ekecheiria). The most widely accepted inception date for the Ancient Olympics is 776 BC; this is based on inscriptions, found at Olympia, listing the winners of a footrace held every four years starting in 776 BC. The Ancient Games featured running events, a pentathlon (consisting of a jumping event, discus and javelin throws, a foot race, and wrestling), boxing, wrestling, pankration, and equestrian events. Tradition has it that Coroebus, a cook from the city of Elis, was the first Olympic champion.

The Olympics were of fundamental religious importance, featuring sporting events alongside ritual sacrifices honoring both Zeus (whose famous statue by Phidias stood in his temple at Olympia) and Pelops, divine hero and mythical king of Olympia. Pelops was famous for his chariot race with King Oenomaus of Pisatis. The winners of the events were admired and immortalized in poems and statues. The Games were held every four years, and this period, known as an Olympiad, was used by Greeks as one of their units of time measurement. The Games were part of a cycle known as the Panhellenic Games, which included the Pythian Games, the Nemean Games, and the Isthmian Games.

The Olympic Games reached their zenith in the 6th and 5th centuries BC, but then gradually declined in importance as the Romans gained power and influence in Greece. While there is no scholarly consensus when the Games officially ended, the most commonly held date is 393 AD, when the emperor Theodosius I decreed that all pagan cults and practices be eliminated. Another date commonly cited is 426 AD, when his successor, Theodosius II, ordered the destruction of all Greek temples.

Opening Ceremony.

THAT ALL ENJOY THIS VIDEO http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=Ei54TO1VBlM

By Manuela Castro Mazo