For a little over two weeks, London will be the centre of attraction as it’s hosting the biggest Olympic Games in history. All the sports enthusiasts in the world are following the event with keen eyes, hoping that either old records are left untouched or the event proves to be a record-galore.

Keir Radnedge’s Olympic and World Records 2012 is a book you would need if you want to be a step ahead of the rest of the world.

Did you know the name of the person who is credited with the revival of the modern Olympics? There was a father-son duo who participated at the Olympics — but one for Iran and the other for America? A member of the British Royal family also had the honour of being an Olympian? These are questions that not many people can answer, unless they are ardent followers of the
mega event or they have this amazing book to look into.

Packed with coloured, as well as black and white, photographs of Olympics as well as Olympians, this guide gives you an insight to all the sports that have been played at the modern Olympics. It is divided into 14 chapters, covering Olympic sports from aquatics to athletics, ball sports to racket sports, water sports to target sports, cycling to equestrian, gymnastics to martial arts and combat sports, nearly each and every game is given so much coverage that once you are through this book, you will become an Olympic expert for sure!

A look at the ‘defunct games’ tells you that golf and cricket used to be a part of the Olympics, although none have been an Olympic sports for more than a century now. It will also tell you that the recreational sport of tug of war used to be an Olympic sport as well. There is also a chapter about the ‘Olympic Games Heritage’ which takes you down the memory lane and discusses host cities, famous firsts as well as opening and closing ceremonies in detail.

As for the questions that are still disturbing you, here are the answers. Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin is credited as the father of the modern Olympics. American tennis star Andre Agassi not only participated in the Olympics but also struck gold in Atlanta ’ 96, whereas his father Mike Emanoul Agassi competed as an Iranian boxer in the Bantam Weight division at the 1948 and 1952 games.

And before the London Olympics, the daughter of Queen Elizabeth II — Princess Anne — was the only member of the British monarchy to compete in the Olympics. She was part of the Great Britain Eventing team in Montreal ’76 and rode her mother’s horse, Goodwill. — S.F.