July 30, 2012 | Vol. 180, No. 5

COVER
The Cheers for London (2012 Olympics)
The Olympics head to Britain for an unprecedented third time. Global economic gloom can’t dim the competition for gold

Lolo’s No Choke (2012 Olympics)
The U.S. hurdler stumbled horribly in Beijing, losing gold. What we can learn from her nightmare

Rivalries (2012 Olympics)
One legend. One phenom. Only one winner

Survival Of the Fittest (2012 Olympics)
Want to compete in the Olympics? Science says your VO2 max better be up for it

The Gold Standard (2012 Olympics)
China’s athletes demolish the competition in weight lifting and diving. It’s not a passion; it’s a job

Flip Artist (2012 Olympics)
Gabby Douglas swapped families and changed coaches to make herself an Olympic contender

The Challenger (2012 Olympics)
Afghanistan’s first female boxer may take a pounding in the ring. Big deal. She’s been in much tougher scraps back home

Fight Club (2012 Olympics)
The wrestlers of Chechnya and Dagestan compete as Russians. But in the hills ― and even the gym ― Russia is still the enemy

Swift Kick (2012)
Homare Sawa lifted Japan with a World Cup win ― and put women’s football on the map

Great In ’48 (2012 Olympics)
Medalists of the last London Games look back on their summer of victory
THE CULTURE

10 Questions for Tom Jones
Welsh singer and Olympic Games opening act Tom Jones on longevity, Sinatra and nixing the underwear toss

LETTERS
Inbox