At the London 2012 Games, Diving requires acrobatic excellence and supreme coordination skills, as athletes dive from heights of up to 10m into the waters below. The Diving competition will take place at the dazzling new Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park, designed by acclaimed architect Zaha Hadid and built especially for the Games.

At the London 2012 Olympic Games, the Dressage events will test the ability of horse and rider to display both athletic prowess and supreme elegance. Along with the other Equestrian events at London 2012, the Dressage competition takes place over four days in the temporary Arena. There will be 50 competitors in team and individual events.

Canoe slalom is a competitive sport where the aim is to navigate a decked canoe or kayak through a course of hanging gates on river rapids in the fastest time possible. Modeled on slalom skiing, the first Canoe Slalom competition was held in Switzerland in 1932. The sport was staged on flat water during its early days, but was later switched to white water rapids.

Featuring dressage, cross-country and a dramatic jumping finale, the Eventing competition at the London 2012 Games will offer an all-encompassing test of Equestrian skill.There are three distinct parts to the Eventing competition: dressage, which illustrates the harmony between horse and rider; cross-country riding, which requires speed, power and nerve; and jumping, which calls for precision, agility and impeccable technique. The combination tests every element of horsemanship, and offers the spectator plenty of excitement along the way.

At the London 2012 Olympic Games, the Jumping competition will require horse and rider to navigate a short course with precision, speed and perfect technique. Entry to the various Olympic Equestrian competitions was originally limited to members of the military. However, at the Helsinki Games of 1952, the competition was broadened to include civilian riders.

The tense, testing sport of Fencing has featured at every Olympic Games of the modern era. At London 2012, the Fencing competition will be held at ExCeL. ExCeL is an existing exhibition and conference centre in London's Docklands. Its five arenas will host a range of Olympic sports during the London 2012 Games.

Football will be a major feature of the Olympic programme at London 2012. Beginning with group matches and ending with a knockout phase, the competition will offer all the drama that fans have come to expect from major international tournaments. There will be two medal events at London 2012, one for men’s teams and one for women.

During the London 2012 Olympic Games, grace and beauty will be on show throughout the four days of Rhythmic Gymnastics competition at Wembley Arena. As with synchronised swimming, it is open only to women and has been part of the Olympic programme since the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

Prepare to be dazzled by the athletes in the Trampoline competition at the London 2012 Games, the newest of the three Gymnastics disciplines to have arrived on the Olympic programme.

Speed, skill and stamina are key attributes for competitors in modern Handball, a fast and exhilarating team sport. Handball offers plenty of physical contact and non-stop, end-to-end action. High scoring and a quicksilver pace will combine to make Handball a truly thrilling team sport and should draw big crowds throughout the competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The 2012 edition of the IBU Biathlon World Championships marks the fourth time that Ruhpolding has hosted the event, with previous editions in 1979, 1985 and 1996. The junior World Championships in1979 and 1993 were also held here. Ruhpolding is a regular stop on the annual Biathlon World Cup tour, with 28 visits to this Bavarian village over the years. For the 2012 World Championships a new stadium was built as well as to meet the demands of the future.

At the London 2012 Olympic Games, men’s and women’s teams will be shooting for gold and glory at the new Riverbank Arena in the Olympic Park. Hockey demands speed, stamina and a mastery of intricate hand-eye coordination. Played by teams of 11 on an outdoor pitch, the sport is a long-time Olympic favourite, offering non-stop action over 14 days of competition.

Judo contests at the London 2012 Olympic Games will be a five-minute whirlwind of combat, with athletes attempting a combination of throws and holds in a bid to defeat their opponents. For London 2012, the Judo competition will be held at ExCeL

The Rowing competition at the London 2012 Games will feature extraordinary displays of power and passion on the world-class waters at Eton Dorney. The venue is a 2,200m, eight-lane rowing course with a separate return lane constructed to international standards. It is set in a 400-acre park with a nature conservation area. In 2006, it hosted the Rowing World Championships, with high praise from both competitors and spectators.

Given the choice of watching a major live event on site or via television, most people would opt for the real thing. Sure, you have to get to the venue, perhaps queue to buy a ticket, find your seat or maybe stand for hours. If it is a football match, the audience in front will probably stand up for a better view of each goal, completely blocking your view. But you are there and you feel part of it.