The torch, the athletes, the huge area where thousands of fans gather to watch the events, the Summer Olympics. In one hundred days, London, England will be hosting the Summer Olympics for the third time since 1908. The much anticipated games will host 26 sports including gymnastics, water polo and table tennis and will present hundreds of well- known athletes from all over the globe.

Considering the fact that the Summer Olympics only occurs every four years, many students at AHS are planning to watch the games during their summer vacations.

“I’m really excited to watch the Olympics. I watch most of the events in the evening,” sophomore Sara Prince said.

Some AHS students choose not to watch all the games, but instead find set their clocks to certain events that interest them.

“I watch the swimming events because they always have the sexiest bodies,” freshman Kara Hoisington said.

But, there are also students who have decided that they have better things to do than watch the olympic games.

“I don’t like to watch the Olympics because I  never have the time. I would rather hang out with friends and  family and not watch television the whole day,” junior Omar Abdulrahim said.

Many AHS athletes use the olympics as a time to see those who have chosen to take their athletic careers to a national level and hope to learn more about their sport in order to better their own skills.

“I’ll be watching the swim events of the 2012 paralympics instead  because my cousin Anna is currently a US qualifier,” sophomore Erica Johnson said.

Anna Johnannes is missing her left arm all the way up to her elbow, but has been swimming competitively since she was young.

“Watching her swim makes me think of what i can do to be as good as her,” Johnson said.

The Summer, and even Winter, Olympics are not only a chance to watch athletes compete, but also represent the coming together of many countries as a global community.

“I never really thought about countries coming together, especially since I pretty much only pay attention to how well the U.S. team is doing. I guess it could, except for the fact that every country is going to be for their own team and against all the others,” Prince said.

Citizens of every country competing cheer for their own representatives and bring the citizens together as a whole for a greater good.