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Usain Bolt: The Bolt show runs on

Tue, 29 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Usain Bolt has seen it all before: the madness of the media circus whenever he hits town, any town. The world's fastest man had three bodyguards in tow as he attempted to make his way into the press conference room in the basement of the Villa Pamphili Hotel in the western suburbs of the Eternal City yesterday. He needed them to clear a path through the paparazzi scrum.

Hope for excluded Cook as BOA queries Taekwondo selection

Tue, 29 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

The chances of Aaron Cook competing at the London Olympics increased yesterday when the British Olympic Association refused to accept British Taekwondo's initial selection.

Olympic Tube strike averted

Tue, 29 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Prospects of an Olympic Tube strike have been averted after the Rail, Maritime and Transport union agreed an £850 bonus for Tube workers, in recognition of the pressures staff will face this summer.

Olympians: They're fit and don't we just know it

Tue, 29 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

On Monday morning, Jessica Ennis graced the covers of no fewer than five national newspapers, including this one. Over the weekend, she won a heptathlon in Austria, breaking the British points record set by Denise Lewis, and positioning herself at the front of the pack for a gold medal at the London Olympics in July. Breaking records may be an uncommon occurrence for Ennis, but appearing on a front page is not. Newspapers will use any excuse to publish her picture. She's also the face of Aviva, Powerade, BP, Adidas, Omega watches and Olay Essentials. She may be a gold medal contender, but it doesn't hurt that she's fit – and not just in the cardiovascular sense. London 2012, more than any previous Olympics, is being sold to us with sex.

The curious case of OB216: A little bit of history that no one's watching

Tue, 29 May 2012 17:25:43 GMT

It is perhaps not altogether shocking that £15 tickets to go on a rollercoaster that has already crashed don’t appear to have sold that well.

Usain Bolt hungry for Olympic Repeat despite slow start Ostrava

Tue, 29 May 2012 15:39:01 GMT

Usain Bolt insists he would not care about losing every race between now and the Olympics as long as he retains his titles in London.

Three tips to find accommodation during the London 2012 Olympics

Tue, 29 May 2012 14:40:24 GMT

It’s London’s turn to host the biggest sporting event on the planet and while there’s a lot to live up to after Beijing’s spectacular success four years ago, the signs so far suggest a vintage Olympic year is ahead.

Ready and able: Novice presenters who'll train their expert eyes on the Games

Mon, 28 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Seven disabled presenters will make their television debuts appearing alongside some of the most recognisable faces in sports broadcasting during the the Paralympic Games this summer. Channel 4 will host the contest, showing more than 150 hours of coverage throughout the 12-day event, significantly more than has ever before been aired.

Olympic news you may have missed...

Mon, 28 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

The Stoke City manager, Tony Pulis, has been given the honour of carrying the Olympic torch. The 54-year-old will carry the flame as it passes through Stoke-on-Trent on Thursday. He is the only top-flight football manager to be given this chance.

David Faulkner: 'When Sherwani scored... I knew I had my Olympic gold'

Mon, 28 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

If any Olympian tells you that they do not dream of scoring or setting up the winning goal, saving the ball on the line, making that longest jump, throwing the furthest throw, standing on the podium... they are not telling the truth. It's what you live for. And this was the 1988 Olympic final. This was against West Germany. This was it. I had had my dreams and now they were all coming true.

Taekwondo: BOA to rule on Cook's 'political' exclusion

Mon, 28 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Aaron Cook has appealed to the British Olympic Association after being left out of this summer's London Games, despite being the European taekwondo champion and soon the world No 1.

Opera singer Bryn Terfel among those to carry Olympic torch today

Mon, 28 May 2012 09:44:34 GMT

World-famous opera singer Bryn Terfel is the high-profile face of the Olympic torch relay today.

Olympic news you may have missed...

Sun, 27 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Great Britain's domination of the rowing scene continued in Switzerland, with five medals secured on finals day at the World Cup event in Lucerne. The men's four, women's pair and women's lightweight double all prevailed, while silver was secured in the men's eight and the lightweight four won bronze.

Olympics fail to involve more people in sport

Sat, 26 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Promises that the Olympics would prompt a massive rise in people taking up sport have been left in tatters thanks to government cuts and the economic crisis, an academic working for the Government has revealed.

Games will be al-Qa'ida target, says Europol

Sat, 26 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

European terrorism experts are warning that al-Qa'ida may be planning an assault on the London Olympics in a bid to "maximise their impact" in 2012.

Reade picks herself up to climb back into Olympic contention

Sat, 26 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Sometimes you must suffer for your art and last week Shanaze Reade found out why. Riding at the BMX track in Manchester she lost control of her bike, spun to the floor and crashed. The end result was a trip to hospital, severe concussion and, probably, a little bruised pride.

Zac Purchase: 'It will be the best rowing team we have ever had'

Sat, 26 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

"Two hundred metres to go," instructs Zac Purchase. And then he starts commentating: "Here come Great Britain, the closing stages of the Olympic final, going for gold. You can hear the crowd now..."

Deng clear to play for Team GB – but at a cost

Sat, 26 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

British Basketball's performance director, Chris Spice, has opened a war of words with the NBA and the Chicago Bulls over Luol Deng's availability for this summer's Olympic Games.

The torch relay: Golden moment or flaming nuisance?

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

The Olympic torch received a rapturous reception as it crossed the borders of Wales yesterday, the second home nation to host the relay on its winding way to London and the Olympic Stadium. As crowds lined the streets of Monmouth to see the flame arrive on the seventh day of the 8,000-mile relay, it marked the culmination of a week in which the UK has been touched with a curious – and timely – outbreak of Olympic enthusiasm.

Ennis quick to dismiss 'tubby' talk as nonsense

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Jessica Ennis had to fend off unexpected and barely comprehensible claims about her weight as she set about getting her bearings in the Mösle Stadion here yesterday.

Tanni Grey-Thompson: Paragon of the Paralympics

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

There is no greater champion of the Paralympic movement than Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, nor is there a more articulate spokesperson for the rights of disabled people. In an uncomplicated world, these two compartments of her life would exist in perfect harmony. That they now cannot is largely a consequence of this week's announcement that the Paralympics are to be generously sponsored by the IT services multinational Atos, reportedly to the tune of $100m.

Joy as Olympic torch relay reaches Wales

Fri, 25 May 2012 07:12:16 GMT

The Olympic Torch has arrived in Wales on the first of a five-day relay through the principality.

Olympic torch relay reaches Wales

Fri, 25 May 2012 07:12:16 GMT

The Olympic flame is set to enter Wales on the seventh day of the UK torch relay.

BBC Olympic torch strike called off

Thu, 24 May 2012 10:54:20 GMT

A planned strike targeting the BBC's coverage of the Olympic torch relay in Wales tomorrow has been called off.

GB’s Beach Volleyball squad ‘stop traffic’

Thu, 24 May 2012 10:05:47 GMT

Team GB’s female Beach Volleyball squad literally stopped traffic this morning to launch TfL’s Temporary Road Changes - a planning tool encouraging commuters to avoid busy roads during the London 2012 Olympic Games this summer.