LONDON CALLING – Countdown to the 2012 Olympics: 18

18 – All-time record of medals won by gymnast Larissa Latynina (URS)  – under threat by Michael Phelps (16) in London 2012. Click ‘Read More’ to see the complete countdown from 100 until today.

19 – Number of Olympic gold medals won by Great Britain at Beijing 2008 – their 2nd most ever after 1908 (55).

20 – China have won 20 out of a total of 24 gold medals on offer in Olympic Table Tennis events21 – HUN and SWE share all-time lead in Olympic Modern Pentathlon medals with 21 each. Both also lead with 9 golds.

22 – Kenya have won 22 Olympic gold medals in athletics and only 1 in all other sports: boxing in 1988.

23 – Sailing is the only current Olympic sport in which GBR is the leading gold medallist, on 23 golds.

24 – Switzerland are likely to become the 24th NOC to win 50+ Olympic gold medals. However, it’s unlikely to come at London.

25 – Total medals won by Great Britain the last time the Olympics were held in London in 1948.

26 – Golds won by USA in 3m Springboard (diving), the most golds won by any country in any discipline in any sport.

27 – 27 entities have won exactly 1 Olympic medal, including Cuba/USA, which won fencing team foil gold in 1904.

28 – There will be 28 sports on the Olympic programme at Rio 2016 with Golf and Rugby7s added to the current 26.

29 – Pierre de Coubertin (FRA) was the longest serving IOC president – 29 years from 1896 until 1925.

30 – Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) has broken the women’s pole vault world record 30 times (indoor and outdoor).

31 – After the 30th Games London 2012, Brazil will cheer for Rio de Janeiro 2016 as hosts of the 31st Olympic Summer Games.

32 – The Dream Team beat Croatia by 32 pts in the 1992 basketball final, the closest game USA played in Barcelona.

33 – London has 33 boroughs. There are 33 venues London 2012 (OG and Para) and there are 3300 appartments in the Olympic Village

34 – Biggest single-game margin in men’s Olympic handball history, when Yugoslavia df Kuwait 44-10 in 1980.

35 – Carl Lewis’ age when he won the Long Jump at Atlanta 1996. No other man has won it beyond 28. Lewis also won at 31 in 1992.

36 – Germany won 36 gold medals at the Berlin ‘36 Olympic Games, 2nd most in their unified history (behind 43 in 1992).

37 – Turkey have won 37 gold medals in their Olympic history – all in Wrestling (28), Weightlifting (8) and Judo (1).

38 – It took Usain Bolt almost 38 seconds in total in 3 finals to win 3 golds in 2008 (100m, 200m, 100m relay leg).

39 – The USA’s winning time in the Athletics Men’s 4x100m Relay in 1960 was 39.0 seconds. Jamaica’s current WR is 37.04sec.

40 – At age 40, 4-time Olympic champion Janet Evans (USA) is trying to qualify for London 2012. She won 3 golds at Seoul 1988 at 17

41 – 41 NOCs have won gold medals in both Shooting & Boxing. Only Athletics has more NOCs winning gold (63).

42 days to go – To give the royal family a better view on the race, the course of the 1908 marathon became exactly 42.195km, the standard ever since.

43 days to go – There were 43 medal events at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. There will be 302 at London 2012. Click ‘Read More’ to see the complete countdown from 100 until today.

44 – Great Britain have scored a total of 44 Olympic goals in women’s hockey.

45 – Number of fencing gold medals won by Italy in Olympic history, making it their most successful Olympic discipline.

46 – Naim Suleymanoglu (TUR) set 46 WRs and won 3 gold medals in weightlifting earning him the nickname ‘The Pocket Hercules’.

47 – Medals won by GBR at Beijing 2008, their 2nd most ever but 90 short of their haul of 137 at London 1908.

48 – Age of Tebbs Johnson (GBR) when he won bronze at the ‘48 London Olympic Games in the 50km Walk.

49 – Seconds it took (49.11) for Cathy Freeman to win Australia’s most famous Olympic gold – 400m at Sydney 2000.

50 – One country has won 50+ golds at a single Games 7 times, most recently China in 2008 (51).

51 – Number of Olympic gold medals won by Bulgaria in their history, ranking them 23rd among all nations.

52 – Exact time (52.00) it took for Sweden’s Lars Frölander to win the Men’s 100m Butterfly at Sydney 2000.

53 – Number of athletes who have won at least 5 summer Olympic gold medals, led by Michael Phelps’ 14.

54 – Number of votes for London in the 4th and final round of the host city election in 2005, 4 votes more than Paris.

55 – Record number of gold medals won by an NOC at a single Olympic Games that they did NOT host – Soviet Union at Seoul 1988.

56 – Australia have won 56 Olympic gold medals in swimming, making it their best sport. Next is athletics with 19.

57 – Emil Zatopek (TCH) ran 57 km, 195m combined to win 3 gold medals in 1952 in the 5000m, 10000m and Marathon.

58 – Great Britain won 58 gold medals combined at the two previous London Olympic Games in 1908 and 1948.

59 – France have won 59 Olympic medals in Track Cycling, more than any other country.

60 – There are 60 different fencers to have won at least 1 Gold 1 Silver, 1 Bronze at the Olympic Games.

61 – The 61st and final part of the latest Olympic Charter (July 2011, www.olympic.org) is about Dispute Resolution.

62 – Dawn Fraser (AUS) needed 62 seconds (1:02) to win her first of a record 3 golds in W 100m Freestyle.

63 – The URS ended USA’s 63-match-unbeaten streak in Olympic basketball with a controversial win in the 1972 final.

64 – The Olympic Games return to London after 64 years since the city last held the event in 1948.

65 – With a height of 1.65m Laszlo Papp (HUN) was first to win Boxing gold at 3 Olympics in a row (1948, 52, 56).

66 – Netherlands scored 66 points in the 1996 Men’s Volleyball Final thriller vs Italy to win gold: 15-12, 9-15, 16-14, 9-15, 17-15.

67 – Hiroshi Hoketsu (JPN – Dressage) was the oldest competitor in Beijing at the age of 67. He has also qualified for London 2012.

68 – The oldest standing Olympic Record in any of the current sports is Bob Beamon’s 8.90m long jump in Mexico 1968.

69 – Korea are favourites to win their 69th Olympic Gold in one of the first medal events London 2012, Archery Men’s Team.

70 – Nadia Comaneci (ROU) scored 7 perfect 10s at the 1976 Olympics, including the first ever at the uneven bar discipline.

71 – Hungary has won 71 Olympic canoe-sprint medals, the only current instance of any NOC winning 70-79 medals in any sport.

72 – Age of the oldest Olympic medallist: Oscar Swahn (SWE), who won silver in the 100m Running Deer Double Shoot in 1920.

73 – Number of Olympic gold medals amassed by the Soviet Union in all Gymnastics disciplines. The next most is just 29 (USA).

74 – In men’s 74kg freestyle wrestling, Bouvaisa Saitiev (RUS) won 3 Olympic golds (1996, 2004-08). No one else has more than 1.

75 – Record number of gold medals won at a single non-boycotted Olympic Games, by the USA in 1904 in St. Louis.

76 – Number of men who finished the 2008 Olympic Marathon. All 76 had times that would have won at the first four modern Olympic Marathons.

77 – France’s record Olympic medal total in both forms of Cycling Track & Road combined. Their 35 track and road golds are also a record.

78 – In women’s 78kg judo at the #Olympic Games, 4 of the 5 gold medals have been won by Asian countries – China 2, Japan, Korea

79 -79 men have won gold in rugby union which returns at Rio 2016. USA won last edition in 1924.

80 – Number of NOCs to have won at least 2 Olympic gold medals in their history.

81 – The 81kg event in Judo has never been won more than once by the same athlete in all 10 editions.

82 – There will be 82 athletes at London 2012 trying to win medals in 4 Canoe-Slalom events.

83 – Rafael Nadal (ESP) won a total of 83 games en route to his Olympic gold medal in Beijing in 2008.

84 – The 84 matches in Men’s+Women’s handball in Beijing produced record 4545 goals (54.1 avg/match).

85 – Number of Olympic records broken at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

86 – A record 86 NOCs won at least 1 medal in Beijing as opposed to a record few 11 NOCs in 1904.

87 – USA have won 87 golds in women’s swimming events, the most by any NOC in women’s events in any sport.

88 – Double 8: Michael Phelps (USA) won 8 medals in 2004 before embarking on his record 8 GOLDS in Beijing.

89 – GER won 89 medals at the Berlin Games in 1936, more than double the medals they won in Beijing (41).

90 – Amunike scored a 90th minute winner to give Nigeria the first football gold for Africa in the 1996 final vs Argentina (3-2).

91 – Number of all-time Olympic medals won by Brazil, including 20 gold. Sailing is their best sport with 6 golds & 16 medals.

92 – Japan have won 92 Olympic medals in Artistic Gymnastics, two behind the USA for most among current NOCs (USSR have 182).

93 – Number of countries who participated in the first Olympic Games held in Asia, Tokyo 1964, a record at the time.

94 – The USA have won exactly 94 medals at three different Olympic Games 1972, 1976 & 2000. No other country has ever done it. #countdown

95 – Brazil have scored a record 95 goals in the men’s Olympic Games football tournament, though they have never won the gold.

96 – Success of the Games: 176 athletes competed in 1896 to more than 10,000 in 1996.

97 – 97 years ago, in 1915, the International Olympic Committee headquarters moved to Lausanne, Switzerland, where it is still located.

98 – There will be 98 male and 98 female participants in Artistic Gymnastics at the 2012 Olympic Games.

99 – Carl Lewis was the first man to win the Olympic 100m title in under 10 seconds at sea level, finishing in 9.99 seconds at Los Angeles 1984.

100 – Total medals won by China at Beijing 2008, the most ever by an Asian country at one Olympic Games.

PREVIEW: Phelps to dial up seven events in London

SWIMMING – Michael Phelps will not defend ALL of his eight Olympic gold medals from Beijing in London. Today, the American ace dropped the 200m Freestyle from his Olympic timetable, leaving seven – four individual events and the three relays. Below we have charted the medal moments that Phelps is pinning his hopes on.

Michael Phelps’s Olympic timetable at London 2012 Olympic Games

Sa 28 Jul – Men’s 400m Individual Medley

Su 29 Jul – Men’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay

Tu 31 Jul – Men’s 200m Butterfly

Tu 31 Jul – Men’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay

Th 02 Aug – Men’s 200m Individual Medley

Fr 03 Aug – Men’s 100m Butterfly

Sa 04 Aug – Men’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay

BIRTHDAY – 30 June: Michael Phelps (Swimming)

Michael PhelpsSWIMMING – Michael Phelps is 27 years old today. Phelps is already regarded as one of the greatest swimmers of all time, having broken numerous world records and won multiple gold medals at both World Championships and Olympic Games. “The Flying Fish” was the youngest American male swimmer at the Olympic Games of the age of 15 years in 2000 Sydney Games. After that he won 16 Olympic medals, 14 gold medals and two bronze medals. One to watch in London.

Shares birthday with: Susan Hayward, Yngwie Malmsteen, Mike Tyson

LONDON CALLING – Countdown to the 2012 Olympics: 40

40 – At age 40, four-time Olympic champion Janet Evans (USA) is trying to qualify for London 2012. She won 3 golds at Seoul 1988 at 17. Click ‘Read More’ to see the complete countdown from 100 until today.

41 – 41 NOCs have won gold medals in both Shooting & Boxing. Only Athletics has more NOCs winning gold (63).

42 days to go  - To give the royal family a better view on the race, the course of the 1908 marathon became exactly 42.195km, the standard ever since. 

43 days to go – There were 43 medal events at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. There will be 302 at London 2012. 

44 – Great Britain have scored a total of 44 Olympic goals in women’s hockey.

45 – Number of fencing gold medals won by Italy in Olympic history, making it their most successful Olympic discipline.

46 – Naim Suleymanoglu (TUR) set 46 WRs and won 3 gold medals in weightlifting earning him the nickname ‘The Pocket Hercules’. 

47 – Medals won by GBR at Beijing 2008, their 2nd most ever but 90 short of their haul of 137 at London 1908. 

48 – Age of Tebbs Johnson (GBR) when he won bronze at the ‘48 London Olympic Games in the 50km Walk. 

49 – Seconds it took (49.11) for Cathy Freeman to win Australia’s most famous Olympic gold – 400m at Sydney 2000. 

50 – One country has won 50+ golds at a single Games 7 times, most recently China in 2008 (51). 

51 – Number of Olympic gold medals won by Bulgaria in their history, ranking them 23rd among all nations.

52 – Exact time (52.00) it took for Sweden’s Lars Frölander to win the Men’s 100m Butterfly at Sydney 2000.

53 – Number of athletes who have won at least 5 summer Olympic gold medals, led by Michael Phelps’ 14.

54 – Number of votes for London in the 4th and final round of the host city election in 2005, 4 votes more than Paris.

55 – Record number of gold medals won by an NOC at a single Olympic Games that they did NOT host – Soviet Union at Seoul 1988.

56 – Australia have won 56 Olympic gold medals in swimming, making it their best sport. Next is athletics with 19.

57 – Emil Zatopek (TCH) ran 57 km, 195m combined to win 3 gold medals in 1952 in the 5000m, 10000m and Marathon. 

58 – Great Britain won 58 gold medals combined at the two previous London Olympic Games in 1908 and 1948. 

59 – France have won 59 Olympic medals in Track Cycling, more than any other country.

60 – There are 60 different fencers to have won at least 1 Gold 1 Silver, 1 Bronze at the Olympic Games.

61 – The 61st and final part of the latest Olympic Charter (July 2011, www.olympic.org) is about Dispute Resolution.

62 – Dawn Fraser (AUS) needed 62 seconds (1:02) to win her first of a record 3 golds in W 100m Freestyle.

63 – The URS ended USA’s 63-match-unbeaten streak in Olympic basketball with a controversial win in the 1972 final.

64 – The Olympic Games return to London after 64 years since the city last held the event in 1948.

65 – With a height of 1.65m Laszlo Papp (HUN) was first to win Boxing gold at 3 Olympics in a row (1948, 52, 56).

66 – Netherlands scored 66 points in the 1996 Men’s Volleyball Final thriller vs Italy to win gold: 15-12, 9-15, 16-14, 9-15, 17-15.

67 – Hiroshi Hoketsu (JPN – Dressage) was the oldest competitor in Beijing at the age of 67. He has also qualified for London 2012.

68 – The oldest standing Olympic Record in any of the current sports is Bob Beamon’s 8.90m long jump in Mexico 1968.

69 – Korea are favourites to win their 69th Olympic Gold in one of the first medal events London 2012, Archery Men’s Team.

70 – Nadia Comaneci (ROU) scored 7 perfect 10s at the 1976 Olympics, including the first ever at the uneven bar discipline.

71 – Hungary has won 71 Olympic canoe-sprint medals, the only current instance of any NOC winning 70-79 medals in any sport.

72 – Age of the oldest Olympic medallist: Oscar Swahn (SWE), who won silver in the 100m Running Deer Double Shoot in 1920.

73 – Number of Olympic gold medals amassed by the Soviet Union in all Gymnastics disciplines. The next most is just 29 (USA).

74 – In men’s 74kg freestyle wrestling, Bouvaisa Saitiev (RUS) won 3 Olympic golds (1996, 2004-08). No one else has more than 1.

75 – Record number of gold medals won at a single non-boycotted Olympic Games, by the USA in 1904 in St. Louis.

76 – Number of men who finished the 2008 Olympic Marathon. All 76 had times that would have won at the first four modern Olympic Marathons.

77 – France’s record Olympic medal total in both forms of Cycling Track & Road combined. Their 35 track and road golds are also a record.

78 – In women’s 78kg judo at the #Olympic Games, 4 of the 5 gold medals have been won by Asian countries – China 2, Japan, Korea

79 -79 men have won gold in rugby union which returns at Rio 2016. USA won last edition in 1924.

80 – Number of NOCs to have won at least 2 Olympic gold medals in their history.

81 – The 81kg event in Judo has never been won more than once by the same athlete in all 10 editions.

82 – There will be 82 athletes at London 2012 trying to win medals in 4 Canoe-Slalom events.

83 – Rafael Nadal (ESP) won a total of 83 games en route to his Olympic gold medal in Beijing in 2008.

84 – The 84 matches in Men’s+Women’s handball in Beijing produced record 4545 goals (54.1 avg/match).

85 – Number of Olympic records broken at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

86 – A record 86 NOCs won at least 1 medal in Beijing as opposed to a record few 11 NOCs in 1904.

87 – USA have won 87 golds in women’s swimming events, the most by any NOC in women’s events in any sport.

88 – Double 8: Michael Phelps (USA) won 8 medals in 2004 before embarking on his record 8 GOLDS in Beijing.

89 – GER won 89 medals at the Berlin Games in 1936, more than double the medals they won in Beijing (41).

90 – Amunike scored a 90th minute winner to give Nigeria the first football gold for Africa in the 1996 final vs Argentina (3-2).

91 – Number of all-time Olympic medals won by Brazil, including 20 gold. Sailing is their best sport with 6 golds & 16 medals.

92 – Japan have won 92 Olympic medals in Artistic Gymnastics, two behind the USA for most among current NOCs (USSR have 182).

93 – Number of countries who participated in the first Olympic Games held in Asia, Tokyo 1964, a record at the time.

94 – The USA have won exactly 94 medals at three different Olympic Games 1972, 1976 & 2000. No other country has ever done it. #countdown

95 – Brazil have scored a record 95 goals in the men’s Olympic Games football tournament, though they have never won the gold.

96 – Success of the Games: 176 athletes competed in 1896 to more than 10,000 in 1996.

97 – 97 years ago, in 1915, the International Olympic Committee headquarters moved to Lausanne, Switzerland, where it is still located. 

98 – There will be 98 male and 98 female participants in Artistic Gymnastics at the 2012 Olympic Games.

99 – Carl Lewis was the first man to win the Olympic 100m title in under 10 seconds at sea level, finishing in 9.99 seconds at Los Angeles 1984.

100 – Total medals won by China at Beijing 2008, the most ever by an Asian country at one Olympic Games.

BIRTHDAY – 2 Jun: Johnny Weissmuller (Swimming)

Johnny WeissmullerSWIMMING – If Johnny Weissmuller were still alive he would be 108 years old today. Weissmuller won two Olympic gold medals in the Men’s 100m Freestyle, but is at least as famous for his role as “Tarzan” in the movies. Johnny Weismuller was born in Hungary, and when he was seven months old, his family moved to the United States, where they would eventually settle in the town of Windber, Pennsylvania.

Click here to see his profile on the Wall of Fame. 

Shares birthday with: Charlie Watts, Lasse Hallström, Dana Carvey

BIRTHDAY – 9 May: Grant Hackett (Swimming)

Grant HackettSWIMMING – Grant Hackett is 32 years old today. Emerging out of the wake of the tremendously popular Kieren Perkins, Hackett proved to be an even more successful distance swimmer, winning three gold medals at the Olympic Games (2000 and 2004), twice in the 1500m Freestyle and once in the 4x200m Freestyle Relay. He also collected a stunning 10 World Championship gold medals. He registered eight world records before retiring from the sport in 2008.

Shares birthday with: James L. Brooks, Billy Joel, Dave Gahan

Click here to see Grant Hackett his Wall of Fame profile.

BIRTHDAY – 30 April: Don Schollander (Swimming)

Don SchollanderSWIMMING: Don Schollander is 66 years old today. When he was 11 years old, he considered quitting swimming after a bout of pneumonia had rattled his invincibility. He persisted. At age 18, he won four gold medals at the Olympic Games. He won Olympic Gold in the 100m Freestyle, 400m Freestyle, 4x100m Freestyle and twice in the 4x200m Freestyle (1964 and 1968). During his career, he set 19 world records in the 200m and 400m Freestyle events as well as the Freestyle Relay. 

Shares birthday with: Willie Nelson, Jane Campion, Lars von Trier

RECORD: ‘Kromo’ first to break 53 second marker

SWIMMING – Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) has propelled herself into the role of favourite for 100m Freestyle gold in London after she became the first woman ’in textile’ to officially beat the 53 seconds marker – 52.75.

> Kromowidjojo’s time is a new ‘world textile record’ for results that are posted after the ban on hightech swimsuits.
> She beat Sarah Sjostrom’s time of 53.05, from last December.
> The official WR is still Britta Steffen’s hightech swimsuit time of 52.07, set in Rome in 2009.
> Kromowidjojo’s time is the 5th best in any suit, with only Steffen and Libby Trickett having recorded the four faster times.

BIRTHDAY – 11 April: James Magnussen (Swimming)

SWIMMING – Australian swimmer James Magnussen is 21 years old today. If you have never met him allow us to introduce one of the potential stars of the forthcoming 2012 London Olympic Games. “The Missile” is the reigning world champion in the Men’s 100m Freestyle and is one of the torchbearers of a new generation of sprinters. 

Shares birthday with: Jeremy Clarkson, Lisa Stansfield, Joss Stone

BIRTHDAY – 5 April: Franziska van Almsick (Swimming)

SWIMMING – Franziska van Almsick was a swimming prodigy, accomplishing every possible accolade except that elusive Olympic gold medal. She won 10 pieces of Olympic silverware in any case, to go with her two World Championship titles and a barrage of gold medals in the continental European Championships. ‘Franzi’ is 34 years old today.

Shares birthday with: Bette Davis, Gregory Peck, Fernando Morientes