You might have thought that after competing in the Olympic track and field events most athletes would have looked forward to a nice rest - but not so in 1948, when an 'empire grudge match' in athletics was played out, with the United States taking on the British empire.
The opening and closing ceremonies both begin at midnight UK time, while TV viewers in Great Britain and Ireland will have to stay up long after midnight to catch most marquee swimming and track and field events.
That is one major appeal at the track and field events that we don't have at the pool and at most Summer Olympic competitions.
MOST WELCOME MUSICAL SURPRISE Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" played in the Olympic Stadium during track and field events.
There is also space for field events.
For field events, the groups are more differentiated.
The most prominent is the Olympics Stadium, a white bowl crowned with origami-like folds, which will host the Opening Ceremonies, team matches and track and field events.
Today and tomorrow, the Relays, the oldest and most prestigious track and field event outside of the Olympics, will have action on all fronts for both sexes and for all ages.
The world's second-most important track and field event could not fill a stadium with only 36,000 available seats in an affluent area of nearly nine million people that has excellent public transportation.
The number of events for women grew to include cycling, rhythmic gymnastics, synchronized swimming, and several new track-and-field events, most notably the marathon.
