Advertisement

Titans of the London Games

  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Maris Urtans of Latvia competes in the Men's Shot Put qualification on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
    1/11

    Maris Urtans of Latvia

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Maris Urtans of Latvia competes in the Men's Shot Put qualification on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
    Getty Images
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Reese Hoffa of the United States competes in the Men's Shot Put qualification on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
    2/11

    Shot put

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Reese Hoffa of the United States competes in the Men's Shot Put qualification on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
    Getty Images
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Tomasz Majewski of Poland competes in the Men's Shot Put Final on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
    3/11

    Majewski

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Tomasz Majewski of Poland competes in the Men's Shot Put Final on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
    Getty Images
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Dylan Armstrong of Canada competes in the Men's Shot Put Final on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
    4/11

    Shot put

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Dylan Armstrong of Canada competes in the Men's Shot Put Final on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
    Getty Images
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Christian Cantwell of the United States competes in the Men's Shot Put Final on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
    5/11

    Shot put

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Christian Cantwell of the United States competes in the Men's Shot Put Final on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
    Getty Images
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Kevin Bouly of France makes a lift in the Men's 105kg during the Weightlifting LOCOG Test Event for London 2012 at ExCel on December 11, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
    6/11

    weightlifting

    LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Kevin Bouly of France makes a lift in the Men's 105kg during the Weightlifting LOCOG Test Event for London 2012 at ExCel on December 11, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
    Getty Images
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Can Osman of Cyprus makes a lift in the Men's 105kg during the Weightlifting LOCOG Test Event for London 2012 at ExCel on December 11, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
    7/11

    weightlifting

    LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Can Osman of Cyprus makes a lift in the Men's 105kg during the Weightlifting LOCOG Test Event for London 2012 at ExCel on December 11, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
    Getty Images
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Ricardo Blas Jr of the United States competes with Facinet Keita of Guinea in the Men's 100 kg Judo on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at ExCeL on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
    8/11

    Ricardo Blas, Jr.

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Ricardo Blas Jr of the United States competes with Facinet Keita of Guinea in the Men's 100 kg Judo on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at ExCeL on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
    Getty Images
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Almir Velagic of Germany makes a lift in the Men's 105kg during the Weightlifting LOCOG Test Event for London 2012 at ExCel on December 11, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
    9/11

    weightlifting

    LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Almir Velagic of Germany makes a lift in the Men's 105kg during the Weightlifting LOCOG Test Event for London 2012 at ExCel on December 11, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
    Getty Images
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Peter Nagy of Hungary makes a lift in the Men's 105kg during the Weightlifting LOCOG Test Event for London 2012 at ExCel on December 11, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
    10/11

    weightlifting

    LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Peter Nagy of Hungary makes a lift in the Men's 105kg during the Weightlifting LOCOG Test Event for London 2012 at ExCel on December 11, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
    Getty Images
  • LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Ralf Bartels of Germany competes in the Men's Shot Put qualification on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
    11/11

    Shot Put

    LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Ralf Bartels of Germany competes in the Men's Shot Put qualification on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
    Getty Images
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Maris Urtans of Latvia competes in the Men's Shot Put qualification on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Reese Hoffa of the United States competes in the Men's Shot Put qualification on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Tomasz Majewski of Poland competes in the Men's Shot Put Final on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Dylan Armstrong of Canada competes in the Men's Shot Put Final on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Christian Cantwell of the United States competes in the Men's Shot Put Final on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Kevin Bouly of France makes a lift in the Men's 105kg during the Weightlifting LOCOG Test Event for London 2012 at ExCel on December 11, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Can Osman of Cyprus makes a lift in the Men's 105kg during the Weightlifting LOCOG Test Event for London 2012 at ExCel on December 11, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Ricardo Blas Jr of the United States competes with Facinet Keita of Guinea in the Men's 100 kg Judo on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at ExCeL on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Almir Velagic of Germany makes a lift in the Men's 105kg during the Weightlifting LOCOG Test Event for London 2012 at ExCel on December 11, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Peter Nagy of Hungary makes a lift in the Men's 105kg during the Weightlifting LOCOG Test Event for London 2012 at ExCel on December 11, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Ralf Bartels of Germany competes in the Men's Shot Put qualification on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

A look at the athletes with a larger than life presence at the London Games. -- Paul Martella, Yahoo! Sports