• A general view during the men's beach volleyball preliminary round on Day 1 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Horse Guards Parade. Ryan Pierse / Getty Images
    A general view during the men's beach volleyball preliminary round on Day 1 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Horse Guards Parade. Ryan Pierse / Getty Images
  • Cyclists compete in a BMX cycling men's quarter-final run. Matt Rourke / AP Photo
    Cyclists compete in a BMX cycling men's quarter-final run. Matt Rourke / AP Photo
  • Jamaica's Usain Bolt competes in a men's 200-metre heat. Matt Dunham / AP? Photo
    Jamaica's Usain Bolt competes in a men's 200-metre heat. Matt Dunham / AP? Photo
  • The sky turns black before a heavy rain shower as Germany's Hannes Aigner competes in the heats of the K-1 men's canoe slalom at Lee Valley Whitewater Center. Kirsty Wigglesworth / AP Photo
    The sky turns black before a heavy rain shower as Germany's Hannes Aigner competes in the heats of the K-1 men's canoe slalom at Lee Valley Whitewater Center. Kirsty Wigglesworth / AP Photo
  • A diver plunges in the pool during a session at the Aquatics Centre. Daniel Ochoa De Olza / AP Photo
    A diver plunges in the pool during a session at the Aquatics Centre. Daniel Ochoa De Olza / AP Photo
  • United States' Allyson Felix, second from right, crosses the finish line to win gold ahead of Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, right, in the women's 200-metre final. Matt Dunham / AP? Photo
    United States' Allyson Felix, second from right, crosses the finish line to win gold ahead of Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, right, in the women's 200-metre final. Matt Dunham / AP? Photo
  • An athlete runs past the Olympic flame in the women's 400m semi-finals at the athletics. Jewel Samad / AFP
    An athlete runs past the Olympic flame in the women's 400m semi-finals at the athletics. Jewel Samad / AFP
  • A gymnast performs during a presentation before the start of an Artistic Gymnastics men's qualification round. Julie Jacobson / AP Photo
    A gymnast performs during a presentation before the start of an Artistic Gymnastics men's qualification round. Julie Jacobson / AP Photo
  • Italy's Valentina Vezzali celebrates defeating South Korea's Nam Hyun Hee during their women's Individual Foil bronze medal fencing competition. Damir Sagolj / Reuters
    Italy's Valentina Vezzali celebrates defeating South Korea's Nam Hyun Hee during their women's Individual Foil bronze medal fencing competition. Damir Sagolj / Reuters
  • South Korea's Hwang Woojin loses control of his horse Shearwater Oscar during the Show Jumping event of the Modern Pentathlon. John MacDougall / AFP Photo
    South Korea's Hwang Woojin loses control of his horse Shearwater Oscar during the Show Jumping event of the Modern Pentathlon. John MacDougall / AFP Photo
  • The Olympic rings are lit with pyrotechnics during the Opening Ceremony. David Goldman / AP Photo
    The Olympic rings are lit with pyrotechnics during the Opening Ceremony. David Goldman / AP Photo
  • An image of a swimmer is displayed on the wall of the Houses of Parliament as part of the festivities for the closing ceremony Toshifumi Kitamura / AFP
    An image of a swimmer is displayed on the wall of the Houses of Parliament as part of the festivities for the closing ceremony Toshifumi Kitamura / AFP

This Sporting Weekend – Our favourite pictures from London 2012


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Each Monday National View brings you the best sporting pictures from around the world.

This weekend marked the end of the Games of the XXX Olympiad, otherwise known as London 2012. What a games they were as well, to celebrate we have selected just some of our favourite images from the past 17 days of action.