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.

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 modern pentathlon is a sports contest that includes five events: fencing, 200m freestyle swimming, horse riding, and a 3km cross-country run in combination with pistol shooting. The sport is governed by the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM), the International Modern Pentathlon Union. Modern pentathlon is an Olympic event.

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.

The waters of Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour will play host to 10 exhilarating Sailing events during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Mastery over ever-changing conditions on open water requires skill and nerve. Both will be essential for competitors in the Sailing events, 14 days of competition that should offer plenty of excitement and drama in the beautiful but testing waters of Weymouth Bay, on the south coast of England.

During the London 2012 Games, nearly 400 competitors are shooting for gold across 15 dramatic events. The Royal Artillery Barracks provides a fitting location for Shooting with a heritage dating back to 1716 when a Royal Warrant authorised the formation of two artillery companies.

Hugely popular around the world as a leisure activity and a competitive sport, Swimming has featured at every modern Olympic Games. Other than the Marathon Swimming 10km event, held in the Serpentine in Hyde Park, the Swimming competition will take place in the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park.

Synchronised Swimming is all about grace under pressure, as athletes use pinpoint precision and immense stamina to deliver beautiful routines in the pool.

Power, subtlety and lightning-fast reflexes will all be on display at ExCel during the Table Tennis competition. The sport has come a long way from its origins in the late 19th century, when it developed as an after-dinner game played by upper-class English families. More than a century later, Table Tennis is a breathtaking spectacle that blends power, speed, skill and subtlety. It’s the biggest participation sport in the world.

Expect plenty of excitement at ExCeL when the Taekwondo competitors take to the court at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Just three weeks after the end of the annual grand slam tournament, Wimbledon will once again welcome the best players in the world for the London 2012 Tennis competition.

A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall course completion time, including timed "transitions" between the individual swim, bike, and run components.

Volleyball made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 1964 Games for both men and women. At Beijing 2008, the gold medals were won by the USA (men) and Brazil (women).

Water Polo developed during the 19th century as an aquatic version of rugby, played informally in rivers and lakes. The version of the game that survives today is closer to Handball: a fast, tough and demanding sport, it has featured on every Olympic programme since the Paris 1900 Games. Women’s Water Polo was introduced at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.