Olympics - Clive Gifford

Hugely informative, entertaining and practical, Olympics is the definitive guide to the biggest international event in any sphere, not just sporting. This gloriously illustrated book covers comprehensively every aspect of the summer games, including their history, the bidding process, the Olympic village, training, qualifying, and the Olympic nightmare of drug-taking and cheating. A major part of the book focuses on the events themselves - from explosive sprints on the athletics track to the grace and balance of gymnastic events, from the precision of shooting and fencing to the energy-sapping multi-sports events of triathlon and decathlon. These sections, illustrated with stunning digital artwork, truly capture the exhilaration of competing at the pinnacle of world sport;Throughout the book, special spreads celebrate the great summer Olympics of the last century, from the first truly standardized games in Stockholm, in 1912, to the record-breaking competition of Sydney 2000. A section on Olympic achievements brings to life the great rivalries down the years, and honours those competitors who fought back from injury, illness or massive disadvantage to shine on the world stage. Oly