BIG PICTURES

London 2012 Olympics 

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. -- 

from:http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2012/08/london_2012_olympics.html

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

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

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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) #

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

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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) #

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

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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, July 31, 2012. (Darren Staples/Reuters) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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)#

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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

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

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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

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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) #

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

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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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) #

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

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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) #

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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) #

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

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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) #

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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) #

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Players try to catch the ball during the Women's preliminary round group B basketball match of the London 2012 Olympic Games Australia vs Brazil on Aug. 1, 2012. Australia won 67 to 61. (Mark Ralston/AFP/GettyImages) #

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Britain's gold medalist Bradley Wiggins competes in the London 2012 Olympic Games men's individual time trial road cycling event, Aug. 1, 2012. (Christophe Ena/AFP/GettyImages) #

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Singapore's Feng Tianwei walks off the court during a break in her table tennis women's bronze medal singles match against Japan's Kasumi Ishikawa, Aug. 1, 2012. Feng won 11-9, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5. (Saeed Khan/AFP/GettyImages) #

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Spectators enjoy the atmosphere during the Men's Beach Volleyball preliminary match between Great Britain and Norway at Horse Guards Parade, Aug.1, 2012. (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) #

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Marcel Nguyen of Germany competes on the floor 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. (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) #

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A combination of pictures shows Kohei Uchimura of Japan competing in the six different apparatus of the men's individual all-around gymnastics final, Aug. 1, 2012. Four years after letting the title slip through his fingers, Uchimura finally won the Olympic gold medal he dreamed of to go with his three world crowns in the individual all-around gymnastics final. Clockwise: horizontal bar, parallel bars, vault, rings, floor and pommel. (Mike Blake, Dylan Martinez and Phil Noble/Reuters) #

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Kristian Thomas of Britain competes on the parallel bars during the men's individual all-around gymnastics final, Aug. 1, 2012. (Brian Snyder/Reuters) #

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Japan's gymnast Kohei Uchimura performs on the horizontal bar during the men's individual all-around competition of the artistic gymnastics event, Aug. 1, 2012. Japanese superstar Kohei Uchimura romped to the individual all-around gymnastics title to claim his first Olympic gold medal. (Thomas Coex/AFP/GettyImages)#

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Yin Alvarez, stepfather and coach of Danell Leyva of the U.S., embraces him after he competed in the horizontal bar during the men's individual all-around gymnastics final, Aug. 1, 2012. (Mike Blake/Reuters) #

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Filippos Karampetsos of Greece makes a save during a preliminary men's water polo match against Kazakhstan at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Aug. 2, 2012. Greece won 11-4. (Julio Cortez/Associated Press) #

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U.S. rowers of the women's eight team celebrate after winning the women's rowing eight gold medal in Eton Dorney, near Windsor, England, Aug. 2, 2012. (Natacha Pisarenko/Associated Press) #

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China's Xu Chen and Ma Jin, celebrate after winning against Indonesia's Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir, at a mixed doubles badminton semifinal match, Aug. 2, 2012. (Saurabh Das/Associated Press) #

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United States' Keli Puzo eyes the ball as the stick of Australia's Jade Close flies loose during their women's hockey preliminary match, Aug. 2, 2012, in London. Australia won 1-0. (Bullit Marquez/Associated Press) #

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Angelique Kerber of Germany reacts during her match against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Aug. 2, 2012. (Elise Amendola/Associated Press) #

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United States' Missy Franklin competes in a women's 200-meter backstroke swimming heat at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics, Aug. 2, 2012. (Daniel Ochoa De Olza/Associated Press) #

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Jenny Mensing of Germany competes in a women's 200-meter backstroke swimming heat at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park, Aug. 2, 2012. (Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press) #

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South Africa's Sizwe Ndlovu, John Smith, Matthew Brittain and James Thompson celebrate after winning the men's lightweight four finals rowing event, Aug. 2, 2012. (Eddie Keogh/Reuters) #

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Denmark's Lotte Friis starts in a women's 800-meter freestyle swimming heat at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park, Aug. 2, 2012. (David J. Phillip/Associated Press) #

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Germany's players react during their men's Group B volleyball match against Serbia at Earls Court, Aug 2, 2012. (Ivan Alvarado/Reuters) #

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Argentina's Maria Virginia Zonta serves against the Netherlands' Marleen van Iersel and Sanne Keizer during their women's preliminary round beach volleyball match at Horse Guards Parade, Aug. 2, 2012. (Marcelo Del Pozo/Reuters) #

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Australia's Patrick Mills tries to score past China's Sun Yue during their men's preliminary round Group B basketball match at the Basketball Arena, Aug. 2, 2012. (Sergio Perez/Reuters) #

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US fencer Nzingha Prescod prepares to fight against South Korea's Jung Gil Ok during the women's foil team session as part of the fencing event, Aug. 2, 2012 at the ExCel centre in London.(Toshifumi Kitamura/AFP/GettyImages) #

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South Korea's goalkeeper Park Chanyoung tries to make a save during the men's preliminary Group B handball match Spain vs South Korea, Aug. 2, 2012 at the Copper Box hall in London. (Javier Soriano/AFP/GettyImages) #

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France's centreback Nikola Karabatic vies with a tunisian player during the men's preliminary Group A handball match France vs Tunisia, Aug. 2, 2012 at the Copper Box hall in London. (Javier Soriano/AFP/GettyImages) #

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Olympic record holder Walton Eller of the US competes in the men's double trap qualification at the Royal Artillery Barracks in London, Aug. 2, 2012. (Marwan Naamani/AFP/GettyImages) #

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Choi Hyeonju of Korea competes in her Women's Individual Archery 1/8 Eliminantions match against Berengere Schuh of France during the Women's Individual Archery on Day 6 at Lord's Cricket Ground, Aug. 1, 2012. (Paul Gilham/Getty Images) #

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Britain's Gemma Gibbons celebrates winning agaisnt Mongolia's Lkhamdegd Purevjargal during their women's -78kg judo contest match, Aug. 2, 2012 at the ExCel arena in London. (Johannes Eisele/AFP/GettyImages) #

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Chuang Chih-yuan of Taiwan, reacts against Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany, during the bronze medal match at men's singles table tennis, Aug. 2, 2012. (Sergei Grits/Associated Press) #

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Bill Lucas and Sam Townsend of Great Britain react after finishing outside of the medal positions in the Men's Double Sculls final on Day 6 at Eton Dorney, Aug. 2, 2012 in Windsor, England. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images) #

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Fans cheer during the men's preliminary round beach volleyball match between Italy's Paolo Nicolai and Daniele Lupo and Brazil's Alison Cerutti and Emanuel Rego at Horse Guards Parade, Aug. 2, 2012. (Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters) #

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Denmark's Jonas Hogh Christensen competes during the finn dinghy class race at the London 2012 Summer Olympics, Aug. 2, 2012, in Weymouth and Portland, England. (Bernat Armangue/Associated Press) #

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First placed Etienne Stott of Britain jumps into the water as compatriots David Florence and Richard Hounslow celebrate their second place finish with coach Mark Delaney in the men's canoe double (C2) final at Lee Valley White Water Centre, Aug. 2, 2012. (Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters) #

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Serbia's goalkeeper Slobodan Soro reacts during their men's preliminary round Group B water polo match against Montenegro at the Water Polo Arena, Aug. 2, 2012. (Laszlo Balogh/Reuters) #

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Britain's David Florence and Richard Hounslow compete in the men's canoe double (C2) semi-final at Lee Valley White Water Centre, Aug. 2, 2012. (Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters) #

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A combination picture shows painted faces of fans from different countries during the London 2012 Olympic Games. The fans are painted in the colours of Belarus, Spain, Great Britain., Hungary, France and Spain. (Reuters/Staff) #

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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, Aug. 2, 2012. (Grigory Dukor/Reuters) #

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Denmark's Joachim Fischer with team mate Christinna Pedersen plays against China's Nan Zhang and Yunlei Zhao during their mixed doubles badminton semifinals match at the Wembley Arena, Aug. 2, 2012. (Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters) #

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Andy Murray of Great Britain celebrates after defeating Nicolas Almagro of Spain in the Quarterfinal of Men's Singles Tennis on Day 6, Aug. 2, 2012. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) #

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Team Netherlands celebrate winning the bronze medal at the victory ceremony after the women's eight finals rowing event, Aug. 2, 2012. The team comprises of Jacobine Veenhoven, Nienke Kingma, Chantal Achterberg, Sytske de Groot, Roline Repelaer van Driel, Claudia Belderbos, Carline Bouw, Annemiek de Haan and Anne Schellekens. (Darren Whiteside/Reuters) #