USA TODAY Sports' Olympics staff covered the London Games from start to finish and from every angle. Throughout the Games, our reporters and editors saw it all, from elation to rejection … from golden realities to shattered dreams.
Kayla Harrison celebrating her judo gold medal with her coach, Jimmy Pedro, is just one of our many most memorable moments from the 2012 London Olympics.
Below, each of them has described the moment of the Olympic Games in their eyes.
And we also want to hear from you. What was your most memorable experience from the 2012 Olympics? Let us know on our Facebook page or via Twitter.
Enjoy. These are our best memories from the 2012 London Olympics:
Childhood dream become a reality
As a kid, July in my house meant waking up early to watch John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors at Wimbledon. My rooting interest progressed through the years to Agassi, Federer and Nadal, but my affection for tennis played in white on grass remained constant.
So for me, a pilgrimage to Centre Court was like a journey to Mecca. I picked the right day to go -- the men's semifinals -- and although I intended to take in the spectacle of the British fans cheering on favorite son Andy Murray vs. Novak Djokavic, because of a scheduling mixup on my part I lucked into what became an instant classic: Del Potro-Federer.
I never did get to see Murray in front of his home fans, but instead I got something much better: four hours and 26 minutes of pure joy -- and one little boy's bucket list item checked off.
-- Mark Pesavento, USA TODAY Sports
***
Royally flustered
The beach volleyball venue at Horse Guards Parade was by consensus the coolest of any London Olympic facility. Though a temporary structure, it was nestled among historic buildings. You could see Big Ben in one direction, the Prime Mininster's residence of 10 Downing Street in another. The atmosphere was an outdoor party.
So there I sat on a postcard-perfect Wednesday evening, not a cloud in the sky, the stands starting to fill for the women's bronze and gold medal matches. During the first set of the bronze match, there was suddenly a little commotion about 10 rows in front of me. People quickly pulled out cameras and young women serving as ushers pressed a railing to watch as Prince Harry and his entourage walked in. After the prince had been seated, one of the young ladies stood next to my seat still giggling. I said, "Prince Harry, right?" She said, "Yes, that's why we're all a bit flustered."
-- Thomas O'Toole, USA TODAY Sports
***
Farah's magical runs
When I think of the London Games, it's Mo Farah's face I see.
Here I spend most of my time inside the Main Press Center. But on Super Saturday, the electric atmosphere at the Olympic Stadium seeped into our office. It was impossible not to get caught up in the Brits' amazing three gold-medal night. Best of all was the men's 10,000. Farah, urged on by the frantic screams of 80,000 fans, crossed the line first and then immediately looked back to see where training partner Galen Rupp had finished. An only in the Olympics kind of moment.
So, when a colleague forgot his power cord at Olympic Stadium the other night I was happy to make a delivery in hopes of catching Farah in the 5,000. I raced up the stairs to the press tribune and made it for the final three laps. Standing among Olympic volunteers jumping, yelling and pleading for Farah to hang onto the lead for the historic double, I stood on my tiptoes to see him cross the line, goosebumps up my arms and a huge grin on my face.
-- Mary Byrne, managing editor for USA TODAY Sports
***
One final gold medal
Fifty-one seconds. Gold Medal Number 17. Michael Phelps' last individual gold offered plenty of drama and another example of his supremacy as a closer.
He went from seventh place to first in the 100-meter butterfly, seven nights after his opening race in the Aquatics Centre.
I sat high in the bleachers for the 100 fly, holding my breath with the crowd, waiting to see if Phelps would do it again. It was Phelps' old rival, Milorad Cavic, who had the fastest split after 50 meters. But as he has done time and again, Phelps crushed the final meters, touching out South Africa's Chad le Clos at the wall.
He'd say later that he was glad the last one was a victory. And even though it was a close race, decided by a fraction of a second, it seemed there was never any doubt.
-- Roxanna Scott, USA TODAY Sports
***
The 'golden suit'
I got the goose bumps when Kayla Harrison leaped into the arms of coach Jimmy Pedro after winning the first Olympic gold ever for a U.S. judo athlete. She had been the victim of sexual abuse by her former coach as a young teenager. She found a new home at Pedro's judo school in Massachusetts.
Uplifting to watch her fulfill a dream. But I had Pedro connections, too. Four-time Olympian, greatest U.S. judo athlete ever, but his two Olympic medals both were bronze. I was there for them. He showed up to Harrison's competition day in his opening ceremony marching outfit: blue blazer, white shirt and tie, white pants, whites shoes.
I emailed one of our mutual buddies that Jimmy looked like a yachtsman. He called it his "golden suit." It was as golden a moment for him, too.
Funny moment: A British journalist was reading an article, and he asked me this question, "What does 'flipping the bird' mean?' " I showed him.
-- Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY Sports
***
Olympic spirit hits home
My dad has covered everything from the World Cup to the Super Bowl in his career, and gave two pieces of advice prior to my first Olympics:
Look both ways before crossing the street and soak in the moments.
The first bit was immediately applied when I attempted to cross the street without looking left. Cabs don't stop in London. I admit I didn't take heed of my dad's second piece of advice until it, too, almost ran me over.
I was offered a ticket to attend the Opening Ceremony. Jet lagged and hungry, I wearily slumped into a chair at Olympic Stadium. Seated beside me were journalists from Indonesia and Romania. We sat in silence.
I watched Mary Poppins fighting Voldemort, Kenneth Branagh reading Shakespeare, I couldn't help myself - it was infectious.
Despite my new Olympic spirit, I was alone in my revelry. Then Paul McCartney appeared singing "Hey Jude." As Sir Paul began, the Romanian reporter grabbed me, belting the lyrics. I grabbed the Indonesian journalist to my left, also singing the song.
For five minutes, 4,000 miles from home, the world seemed really small and wholly intimate. I will vividly remember but never adequately comprehend the experience. The only thing I can be sure of is this:
My dad gave good advice.
-- Mike Foss, USA TODAY Sports
***
Superstar in the making?
Team USA had a lot of stars entering these Games and, for the most part, it's the same stars leaving. Michael Phelps. Ryan Lochte. Allyson Felix. etc.
My favorite moment of the London Olympics was 17-year-old Missy Franklin's emergence -- her winning the 100-meter backstroke. It was her first gold medal, and as I like to put it, it feels like I imagine Phelps' first gold medal felt like to watch in person. You just knew it was only the beginning.
Of course, Justin Bieber tweeted her and so did other celebrities. Quickly, she became one of the darlings of these Games. Franklin set a world record in the 200-meter backstroke and as a member of the women's medley relay, too. But it was that first gold -- coming from behind on that last 50 meters, swum just 14 minutes after another event's semifinal -- that stands out as my defining moment of the Olympics.
And I'm sure she'll give us more defining moments in Games to come.
-- Nicole Auerbach, USA TODAY Sports
***
Personality in an unexpected place
When we think about the Olympic athletic ideal, we will forever think of Holley Mangold, the 350-pound super-heavyweight from Columbus, Ohio, who is a member of the U.S. women's weight-lifting team.
Here was a young woman making her Games' debut under extreme pressure and physical duress. Someone who refused to let her family down (including brother Nick, the New York Jets' Pro Bowl center) — or herself. Gritting her teeth through the pain of a torn wrist ligament that she reinjured during warm-ups for her big moment, Holley persevered through three lift attempts. She finished tenth in the official standings but No. 1 for me.
Afterward, Holley regaled reporters, particularly when discussing her ripped singlet, a potentially embarrassing moment. She called it a "wardrobe malfunction.'' Never has a big girl carried her plus-size so well with equal dollops of humor, class, grace and dignity. We could use more like her — at all weights.
-- Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY Sports
***
International spirit
We'd managed to secure an interview with Michael Phelps on the first day of his retirement, which may have seemed like a highlight in itself but something much more exhilarating was happening outside the London Media Centre.
The women's marathon was underway and I happened to see all the runners racing nimbly through the section at Whitehall -- with Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament acting as a truly epic backdrop.
The atmosphere was electric as it was but when the final runner came through trailing behind, the huge crowd of supporters waving flags from all over the world exploded in an uproar of honest encouragement. I felt privileged to be a part of that crowd and it summed up to me the exuberant international spirit of the Games.
-- Rollo Ross, special to USA TODAY Sports
***
Collector's item
My most memorable moment was meeting Serena Williams. She had come to the MPC to do a press conference and mentioned that she was "an avid pin collector." She told us that she frames her medals and fills the space around them with the pins that she's collected.
Afterwards I rushed up to our office, grabbed a pin and went in search of Serena. I caught up to her signing autographs on High Street.
In addition to meeting Serena, it's kind of nice to think about a piece of memorabilia from our newspaper sharing space with two Olympic Gold Medals.
-- Mollie Jackson, USA TODAY
***
A soccer cathedral
A day ahead of their first match at historic Old Trafford in Manchester, the U.S. women's soccer team was led on a tour of the grounds, culminating in an introduction to the pitch. They would become the first women to play there since 1989, and they edged onto the grass like the first astronauts, in awe of occasion.
A handful of reporters watched as Megan Rapinoe took panoramic photos, Hope Solo carefully inspected the goal and Abby Wambach stood at midfield, staring up through the open roof. The moment underscored a record-setting tournament for the Americans. They set an attendance record for women's soccer in each of the four venues visited on the way to gold.
--- Robert Klemko, USA TODAY Sports
***
Pandemonium at the track
The moment of the Games happened on the second night of track and field, Saturday Aug. 4. And the moment lasted 27 minutes, 30.42 seconds. Longer actually, because there already was mass hysteria in Olympic Stadium before Mo Farah of Britain and Galen Rupp of the USA stepped to the line in the men's 10,000 meters. Moments before, the home team had collected two gold medals, Jessica Ennis in the heptathlon and Greg Rutherford in the long jump. The pro-British crowd was ecstatic but far from satisfied. For 25 laps, as Farah and the world's best distance men feinted, thrust and parried around the track, the sound never dipped below thunderous.
Usually in a race this long attention tends to waver. We might tune in and out, waiting for the latter stages to get fully involved. Not this night. The roar was sustained, rising ever louder as the laps ticked down. There was talk that the Ethiopians or the Kenyans -- the dominant forces in distance running -- would work to sabotage Farah's chances. And there were bumps, and blocks, as there will be in these kinds of races. Farah, though, stayed patient -- no easy feat considering the cacophany surrounding him -- and waited for his moment. He had moved to the front with four laps remaining, and now, with less than 200 meters to go, Farah rose up on his toes and sprinted for home.
Pandemonium. Bedlam.
I've been to many, many college football games (Go Vols!), and even Neyland Stadium at its most raucous can't out-crazy this lunacy. As he neared the line, Farah looked back to see his friend and training partner, Rupp, sprinting up for silver. The first medal for the USA in the 10,000 in 48 years. Farah called it the greatest moment of his life. Rupp called it unreal. "You dream about this for a really long time," he said.
Those 80,000 screaming themselves silly in Olympic Stadium won't forget. Neither will I.
-- Joe Fleming, USA TODAY Sports
***
A moment far from the Games
One moment? That's hard. I was lucky enough to witness greatness on an epic scale. For starters, I watched as Michael Phelps claimed the last six medals of an incomparable career, most decorated Olympian of all time. And I watched Chris Hoy win cycling's keirin race for a sixth career gold, Great Britain's most successful Olympian of all time. Hoy has already been knighted. Perhaps this time they can call him Sir Wins-a-lot.
But for all of that, my favorite moment of the Games came away from them. Saturday night I was in Fort Erie, Ont., to toast my nephew Ben Roberts as he married Amy Nazarian on a sandy beach while Lake Erie winds offered their timeless blessing. London's Big Ben is great. Ours is even better.
-- Erik Brady, USA TODAY Sports
***
Going the distance
If there were time travel, the one Olympic moment I would have love to revisit, even on television, is Billy Mills' gold medal in the 10,000 meters at Tokyo in 1964. It remains the biggest upset in Olympic history.
Now that east Africans are so dominant, I thought I would not see an American win an Olympic 10K medal in my lifetime. There was a glimpse of Galen Rupp's finishing speed when he ran his closing 400 meters in 52.54 to upset Bernard Lagat in the 5,000 at the U.S. trials. Still, I wasn't sure that would translate to an Olympic oval. It did.
Mo Farah and Rupp - who train together in Portland, Ore., under coach Alberto Salazar -- went one-two in the 10,000. That capped London's Super Saturday, a night for British golds by Farah, heptathlete Jessica Enis and long jumper Greg Rutherford.
But for someone who has covered U.S. Olympians in track since 1972, it was Rupp's night, too.
-- David Woods, The Indianapolis Star
***
Terrifying? Yes, Olympics has that, too
What are the most terrifying Olympic events of all? By pure accident, I covered all three in London.
Is there anything scarier than jumping off a platform three stories high and diving at a speed of 35 miles per hour into a pool without making a ripple? In one of the best U.S. surprises of all, David Boudia won the gold in the 10-meter platform on Saturday. And get this - he did it by overcoming his fear of heights.
The balance beam in gymnastics is four inches of pure terror. It's even harder to watch. As physically demanding as it is to do a back flip on such a tiny splinter, mentally it's even more challenging. Just ask Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman, who failed to medal in beam finals following an emotionally draining all-around competition.
Last but not least, there was BMX, a NASCAR race on two wheels, full of high speed crashes with the added challenge of jumps. During the finals, the medics saw almost as much action as the riders.
-- Kelly Whiteside, USA TODAY Sports
***
Straight shooter
The big moment for me was when Matt Emmons finally won a medal in his big event, the 50-meter 3 position rifle event.
Remember, he was the guy who twice gave away gold on his last shot, shooting at the wrong target in 2004 and scoring an abysmal 4.4 on his final attempt in Beijing.
In London, Emmons was in second place when he fired a 7.6. The crowd gasped in horror. Everyone wanted to see him medal. When the final scores were posted he got the bronze.
He was refreshingly candid after the event, admitting he was shaking so badly on that final shot.
I'll remember the volunteers, especially the young woman who gave me a chocolate because she thought I needed a pick me up.
Her kindness won't be forgotten.
-- Bob Berghaus, Asheville Citizen-Times
***
The road of the pub crowd
Miles away from the Olympic Stadium, Britain's unrestrained embrace of the Olympic Games was on full display in Covent Garden's quaint Crown pub.
Crowded under a television hanging above the entry, patrons' hopeful cheers built into a full-fledged roar as Mo Farah crossed the finish line going away in the 5,000 meters Saturday night to cement his status as Britain's newest national hero.
-- Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY
***
A match made in heaven
The British love their beer. Coincidentally, so do I. It was inevitable these worlds would meet, but when they did it wasn't in some stodgy pub.
London is experiencing a reinaissance in craft brewing. One of the newest players is Camden Town Brewery, located under a rail station about 20 minutes north of central London. They began brewing two years ago and just opened their tap room this spring.
Timing my visit for a day where they were hosting a "street feast" of food vendors, I tucked into a spectacular salt beef, pickled cabbage and cheddar on rye. I washed it down with a sampler of several varieties of ale, including their "1908," the recipe dating to London's first Olympics.
The best part: visiting with the owners, talking about their craft, and watching the Games with the locals cheering on Team GB. After two weeks of institution-level food at the media center, it was a slice of heaven.
-- Mark Faller, Arizona Republic
***
Silence-maker Usain Bolt
World's fastest man? No doubt. And it's astoundingly clear each time the 6-foot-5 Jamaican flips on the cruise control, toying with others fuitily straining to keep pace.
What we learned about Jamaica's Bolt, too, is his ability to rob thousands of people of the capacity to make a sound — even a meek peep — in his presence.
In five trips to the Olympics, I've never experienced the moment that unfolded in the seconds before Bolt ran the 100-meter finals. When runners were announced, the Olympic Stadium found its full throat, roaring behind the lung capacity of 80,000 fans. Then, just as runners climbed into the starting blocks … silence.
Complete and utter pin-drop silence.
That phrase gets used a lot, but it's rarely, if ever, true. There's always a bit of sound lurking somewhere. But as Bolt and others lined up, and before a soon-to-be arrested fan threw a bottle on the track, a person could have closed his or her eyes and been transported to a sun-drenched country field with no one around for miles.
How did a group the size of Camden, N.J., fall quiet in unison without even a yell, a clap or a discernible conversation? Because unequaled greatness was about to reveal itself. For a once-in-a-lifetime situation like that — Bolt agreed with media that he now can be called "a legend" — the moment belongs to the eyes before the ears.
-- Bryce Miller, Des Moines Register
By Laurence Griffiths, Getty Images
Kayla Harrison celebrating her judo gold medal with her coach, Jimmy Pedro, is just one of our many most memorable moments from the 2012 London Olympics.
Kayla Harrison celebrating her judo gold medal with her coach, Jimmy Pedro, is just one of our many most memorable moments from the 2012 London Olympics.
Below, each of them has described the moment of the Olympic Games in their eyes.
And we also want to hear from you. What was your most memorable experience from the 2012 Olympics? Let us know on our Facebook page or via Twitter.
Enjoy. These are our best memories from the 2012 London Olympics:
Childhood dream become a reality
As a kid, July in my house meant waking up early to watch John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors at Wimbledon. My rooting interest progressed through the years to Agassi, Federer and Nadal, but my affection for tennis played in white on grass remained constant.
So for me, a pilgrimage to Centre Court was like a journey to Mecca. I picked the right day to go -- the men's semifinals -- and although I intended to take in the spectacle of the British fans cheering on favorite son Andy Murray vs. Novak Djokavic, because of a scheduling mixup on my part I lucked into what became an instant classic: Del Potro-Federer.
I never did get to see Murray in front of his home fans, but instead I got something much better: four hours and 26 minutes of pure joy -- and one little boy's bucket list item checked off.
-- Mark Pesavento, USA TODAY Sports
***
Royally flustered
The beach volleyball venue at Horse Guards Parade was by consensus the coolest of any London Olympic facility. Though a temporary structure, it was nestled among historic buildings. You could see Big Ben in one direction, the Prime Mininster's residence of 10 Downing Street in another. The atmosphere was an outdoor party.
So there I sat on a postcard-perfect Wednesday evening, not a cloud in the sky, the stands starting to fill for the women's bronze and gold medal matches. During the first set of the bronze match, there was suddenly a little commotion about 10 rows in front of me. People quickly pulled out cameras and young women serving as ushers pressed a railing to watch as Prince Harry and his entourage walked in. After the prince had been seated, one of the young ladies stood next to my seat still giggling. I said, "Prince Harry, right?" She said, "Yes, that's why we're all a bit flustered."
-- Thomas O'Toole, USA TODAY Sports
***
Farah's magical runs
When I think of the London Games, it's Mo Farah's face I see.
Here I spend most of my time inside the Main Press Center. But on Super Saturday, the electric atmosphere at the Olympic Stadium seeped into our office. It was impossible not to get caught up in the Brits' amazing three gold-medal night. Best of all was the men's 10,000. Farah, urged on by the frantic screams of 80,000 fans, crossed the line first and then immediately looked back to see where training partner Galen Rupp had finished. An only in the Olympics kind of moment.
So, when a colleague forgot his power cord at Olympic Stadium the other night I was happy to make a delivery in hopes of catching Farah in the 5,000. I raced up the stairs to the press tribune and made it for the final three laps. Standing among Olympic volunteers jumping, yelling and pleading for Farah to hang onto the lead for the historic double, I stood on my tiptoes to see him cross the line, goosebumps up my arms and a huge grin on my face.
-- Mary Byrne, managing editor for USA TODAY Sports
***
One final gold medal
Fifty-one seconds. Gold Medal Number 17. Michael Phelps' last individual gold offered plenty of drama and another example of his supremacy as a closer.
He went from seventh place to first in the 100-meter butterfly, seven nights after his opening race in the Aquatics Centre.
I sat high in the bleachers for the 100 fly, holding my breath with the crowd, waiting to see if Phelps would do it again. It was Phelps' old rival, Milorad Cavic, who had the fastest split after 50 meters. But as he has done time and again, Phelps crushed the final meters, touching out South Africa's Chad le Clos at the wall.
He'd say later that he was glad the last one was a victory. And even though it was a close race, decided by a fraction of a second, it seemed there was never any doubt.
-- Roxanna Scott, USA TODAY Sports
***
The 'golden suit'
I got the goose bumps when Kayla Harrison leaped into the arms of coach Jimmy Pedro after winning the first Olympic gold ever for a U.S. judo athlete. She had been the victim of sexual abuse by her former coach as a young teenager. She found a new home at Pedro's judo school in Massachusetts.
Uplifting to watch her fulfill a dream. But I had Pedro connections, too. Four-time Olympian, greatest U.S. judo athlete ever, but his two Olympic medals both were bronze. I was there for them. He showed up to Harrison's competition day in his opening ceremony marching outfit: blue blazer, white shirt and tie, white pants, whites shoes.
I emailed one of our mutual buddies that Jimmy looked like a yachtsman. He called it his "golden suit." It was as golden a moment for him, too.
Funny moment: A British journalist was reading an article, and he asked me this question, "What does 'flipping the bird' mean?' " I showed him.
-- Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY Sports
***
Olympic spirit hits home
My dad has covered everything from the World Cup to the Super Bowl in his career, and gave two pieces of advice prior to my first Olympics:
Look both ways before crossing the street and soak in the moments.
The first bit was immediately applied when I attempted to cross the street without looking left. Cabs don't stop in London. I admit I didn't take heed of my dad's second piece of advice until it, too, almost ran me over.
I was offered a ticket to attend the Opening Ceremony. Jet lagged and hungry, I wearily slumped into a chair at Olympic Stadium. Seated beside me were journalists from Indonesia and Romania. We sat in silence.
I watched Mary Poppins fighting Voldemort, Kenneth Branagh reading Shakespeare, I couldn't help myself - it was infectious.
Despite my new Olympic spirit, I was alone in my revelry. Then Paul McCartney appeared singing "Hey Jude." As Sir Paul began, the Romanian reporter grabbed me, belting the lyrics. I grabbed the Indonesian journalist to my left, also singing the song.
For five minutes, 4,000 miles from home, the world seemed really small and wholly intimate. I will vividly remember but never adequately comprehend the experience. The only thing I can be sure of is this:
My dad gave good advice.
-- Mike Foss, USA TODAY Sports
***
Superstar in the making?
Team USA had a lot of stars entering these Games and, for the most part, it's the same stars leaving. Michael Phelps. Ryan Lochte. Allyson Felix. etc.
My favorite moment of the London Olympics was 17-year-old Missy Franklin's emergence -- her winning the 100-meter backstroke. It was her first gold medal, and as I like to put it, it feels like I imagine Phelps' first gold medal felt like to watch in person. You just knew it was only the beginning.
Of course, Justin Bieber tweeted her and so did other celebrities. Quickly, she became one of the darlings of these Games. Franklin set a world record in the 200-meter backstroke and as a member of the women's medley relay, too. But it was that first gold -- coming from behind on that last 50 meters, swum just 14 minutes after another event's semifinal -- that stands out as my defining moment of the Olympics.
And I'm sure she'll give us more defining moments in Games to come.
-- Nicole Auerbach, USA TODAY Sports
***
Personality in an unexpected place
When we think about the Olympic athletic ideal, we will forever think of Holley Mangold, the 350-pound super-heavyweight from Columbus, Ohio, who is a member of the U.S. women's weight-lifting team.
Here was a young woman making her Games' debut under extreme pressure and physical duress. Someone who refused to let her family down (including brother Nick, the New York Jets' Pro Bowl center) — or herself. Gritting her teeth through the pain of a torn wrist ligament that she reinjured during warm-ups for her big moment, Holley persevered through three lift attempts. She finished tenth in the official standings but No. 1 for me.
Afterward, Holley regaled reporters, particularly when discussing her ripped singlet, a potentially embarrassing moment. She called it a "wardrobe malfunction.'' Never has a big girl carried her plus-size so well with equal dollops of humor, class, grace and dignity. We could use more like her — at all weights.
-- Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY Sports
***
International spirit
We'd managed to secure an interview with Michael Phelps on the first day of his retirement, which may have seemed like a highlight in itself but something much more exhilarating was happening outside the London Media Centre.
The women's marathon was underway and I happened to see all the runners racing nimbly through the section at Whitehall -- with Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament acting as a truly epic backdrop.
The atmosphere was electric as it was but when the final runner came through trailing behind, the huge crowd of supporters waving flags from all over the world exploded in an uproar of honest encouragement. I felt privileged to be a part of that crowd and it summed up to me the exuberant international spirit of the Games.
-- Rollo Ross, special to USA TODAY Sports
***
Collector's item
My most memorable moment was meeting Serena Williams. She had come to the MPC to do a press conference and mentioned that she was "an avid pin collector." She told us that she frames her medals and fills the space around them with the pins that she's collected.
Afterwards I rushed up to our office, grabbed a pin and went in search of Serena. I caught up to her signing autographs on High Street.
In addition to meeting Serena, it's kind of nice to think about a piece of memorabilia from our newspaper sharing space with two Olympic Gold Medals.
-- Mollie Jackson, USA TODAY
***
A soccer cathedral
A day ahead of their first match at historic Old Trafford in Manchester, the U.S. women's soccer team was led on a tour of the grounds, culminating in an introduction to the pitch. They would become the first women to play there since 1989, and they edged onto the grass like the first astronauts, in awe of occasion.
A handful of reporters watched as Megan Rapinoe took panoramic photos, Hope Solo carefully inspected the goal and Abby Wambach stood at midfield, staring up through the open roof. The moment underscored a record-setting tournament for the Americans. They set an attendance record for women's soccer in each of the four venues visited on the way to gold.
--- Robert Klemko, USA TODAY Sports
***
Pandemonium at the track
The moment of the Games happened on the second night of track and field, Saturday Aug. 4. And the moment lasted 27 minutes, 30.42 seconds. Longer actually, because there already was mass hysteria in Olympic Stadium before Mo Farah of Britain and Galen Rupp of the USA stepped to the line in the men's 10,000 meters. Moments before, the home team had collected two gold medals, Jessica Ennis in the heptathlon and Greg Rutherford in the long jump. The pro-British crowd was ecstatic but far from satisfied. For 25 laps, as Farah and the world's best distance men feinted, thrust and parried around the track, the sound never dipped below thunderous.
Usually in a race this long attention tends to waver. We might tune in and out, waiting for the latter stages to get fully involved. Not this night. The roar was sustained, rising ever louder as the laps ticked down. There was talk that the Ethiopians or the Kenyans -- the dominant forces in distance running -- would work to sabotage Farah's chances. And there were bumps, and blocks, as there will be in these kinds of races. Farah, though, stayed patient -- no easy feat considering the cacophany surrounding him -- and waited for his moment. He had moved to the front with four laps remaining, and now, with less than 200 meters to go, Farah rose up on his toes and sprinted for home.
Pandemonium. Bedlam.
I've been to many, many college football games (Go Vols!), and even Neyland Stadium at its most raucous can't out-crazy this lunacy. As he neared the line, Farah looked back to see his friend and training partner, Rupp, sprinting up for silver. The first medal for the USA in the 10,000 in 48 years. Farah called it the greatest moment of his life. Rupp called it unreal. "You dream about this for a really long time," he said.
Those 80,000 screaming themselves silly in Olympic Stadium won't forget. Neither will I.
-- Joe Fleming, USA TODAY Sports
***
A moment far from the Games
One moment? That's hard. I was lucky enough to witness greatness on an epic scale. For starters, I watched as Michael Phelps claimed the last six medals of an incomparable career, most decorated Olympian of all time. And I watched Chris Hoy win cycling's keirin race for a sixth career gold, Great Britain's most successful Olympian of all time. Hoy has already been knighted. Perhaps this time they can call him Sir Wins-a-lot.
But for all of that, my favorite moment of the Games came away from them. Saturday night I was in Fort Erie, Ont., to toast my nephew Ben Roberts as he married Amy Nazarian on a sandy beach while Lake Erie winds offered their timeless blessing. London's Big Ben is great. Ours is even better.
-- Erik Brady, USA TODAY Sports
***
Going the distance
If there were time travel, the one Olympic moment I would have love to revisit, even on television, is Billy Mills' gold medal in the 10,000 meters at Tokyo in 1964. It remains the biggest upset in Olympic history.
Now that east Africans are so dominant, I thought I would not see an American win an Olympic 10K medal in my lifetime. There was a glimpse of Galen Rupp's finishing speed when he ran his closing 400 meters in 52.54 to upset Bernard Lagat in the 5,000 at the U.S. trials. Still, I wasn't sure that would translate to an Olympic oval. It did.
Mo Farah and Rupp - who train together in Portland, Ore., under coach Alberto Salazar -- went one-two in the 10,000. That capped London's Super Saturday, a night for British golds by Farah, heptathlete Jessica Enis and long jumper Greg Rutherford.
But for someone who has covered U.S. Olympians in track since 1972, it was Rupp's night, too.
-- David Woods, The Indianapolis Star
***
Terrifying? Yes, Olympics has that, too
What are the most terrifying Olympic events of all? By pure accident, I covered all three in London.
Is there anything scarier than jumping off a platform three stories high and diving at a speed of 35 miles per hour into a pool without making a ripple? In one of the best U.S. surprises of all, David Boudia won the gold in the 10-meter platform on Saturday. And get this - he did it by overcoming his fear of heights.
The balance beam in gymnastics is four inches of pure terror. It's even harder to watch. As physically demanding as it is to do a back flip on such a tiny splinter, mentally it's even more challenging. Just ask Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman, who failed to medal in beam finals following an emotionally draining all-around competition.
Last but not least, there was BMX, a NASCAR race on two wheels, full of high speed crashes with the added challenge of jumps. During the finals, the medics saw almost as much action as the riders.
-- Kelly Whiteside, USA TODAY Sports
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Straight shooter
The big moment for me was when Matt Emmons finally won a medal in his big event, the 50-meter 3 position rifle event.
Remember, he was the guy who twice gave away gold on his last shot, shooting at the wrong target in 2004 and scoring an abysmal 4.4 on his final attempt in Beijing.
In London, Emmons was in second place when he fired a 7.6. The crowd gasped in horror. Everyone wanted to see him medal. When the final scores were posted he got the bronze.
He was refreshingly candid after the event, admitting he was shaking so badly on that final shot.
I'll remember the volunteers, especially the young woman who gave me a chocolate because she thought I needed a pick me up.
Her kindness won't be forgotten.
-- Bob Berghaus, Asheville Citizen-Times
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The road of the pub crowd
Miles away from the Olympic Stadium, Britain's unrestrained embrace of the Olympic Games was on full display in Covent Garden's quaint Crown pub.
Crowded under a television hanging above the entry, patrons' hopeful cheers built into a full-fledged roar as Mo Farah crossed the finish line going away in the 5,000 meters Saturday night to cement his status as Britain's newest national hero.
-- Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY
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A match made in heaven
The British love their beer. Coincidentally, so do I. It was inevitable these worlds would meet, but when they did it wasn't in some stodgy pub.
London is experiencing a reinaissance in craft brewing. One of the newest players is Camden Town Brewery, located under a rail station about 20 minutes north of central London. They began brewing two years ago and just opened their tap room this spring.
Timing my visit for a day where they were hosting a "street feast" of food vendors, I tucked into a spectacular salt beef, pickled cabbage and cheddar on rye. I washed it down with a sampler of several varieties of ale, including their "1908," the recipe dating to London's first Olympics.
The best part: visiting with the owners, talking about their craft, and watching the Games with the locals cheering on Team GB. After two weeks of institution-level food at the media center, it was a slice of heaven.
-- Mark Faller, Arizona Republic
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Silence-maker Usain Bolt
World's fastest man? No doubt. And it's astoundingly clear each time the 6-foot-5 Jamaican flips on the cruise control, toying with others fuitily straining to keep pace.
What we learned about Jamaica's Bolt, too, is his ability to rob thousands of people of the capacity to make a sound — even a meek peep — in his presence.
In five trips to the Olympics, I've never experienced the moment that unfolded in the seconds before Bolt ran the 100-meter finals. When runners were announced, the Olympic Stadium found its full throat, roaring behind the lung capacity of 80,000 fans. Then, just as runners climbed into the starting blocks … silence.
Complete and utter pin-drop silence.
That phrase gets used a lot, but it's rarely, if ever, true. There's always a bit of sound lurking somewhere. But as Bolt and others lined up, and before a soon-to-be arrested fan threw a bottle on the track, a person could have closed his or her eyes and been transported to a sun-drenched country field with no one around for miles.
How did a group the size of Camden, N.J., fall quiet in unison without even a yell, a clap or a discernible conversation? Because unequaled greatness was about to reveal itself. For a once-in-a-lifetime situation like that — Bolt agreed with media that he now can be called "a legend" — the moment belongs to the eyes before the ears.
-- Bryce Miller, Des Moines Register