Campus News

WUKY Brings London to the Bluegrass With NPR Coverage of 2012 Olympics

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 20, 2012) ― WUKY, the University of Kentucky's NPR station, will carry NPR coverage of the  30th Olympic Games in London. The Olympics begin Friday, July 27, and NPR will be there starting July 22 with coverage of the athletes, events and setup of the games. Olympic veterans Tom Goldman and Howard Berkes, will be joined by Mike Pesca in his first coverage of the Olympic games. Phil Reeves will provide stories from the city, covering security and all that’s happening outside the gates. Follow "The Torch," NPR’S  Olympic blog, for the most recent Olympic stories and updates.

The games promise to be fascinating. Storylines range from veteran American swimmer Michael Phelps trying for seven gold medals to South African runner Oscar Pistorius becoming the first blade runner to compete in the games.

For the first time, the U.S. will send more women than men to the Olympics. They include:  The women’s soccer team, hoping to avenge their heartbreaking loss to Japan in 2008 and McKayla Maroney, a 16-year-old vaulter favored to win gold. Women’s boxing and weightlifting should also be exciting.

And then, there are the settings. Some of Europe’s most historic venues will serve as the athletes’ playgrounds. The famous Horse Guards Parade, which hosted jousting in the time of Henry VIII, is now covered with 2,000 tons of sand for beach volleyball. Lord’s Cricket Ground will host American archers Brady Ellison, the top-ranked in the world, and Khatuna Lorig, of Hunger Games fame. And, of course, there’s Wembley and Wimbledon.

Here are a few other threads NPRfollow:

•      Track and Field — Is the Lightning Bolt healthy? And if he isn’t the world’s fastest man, who is? Meanwhile, sprinter Allyson Felix’s recent "photo-finish tie” with Jeneba Tarmoh provided just a hint of the likely drama ahead in the women’s events. The Americans will face challenges from Jamaica and Botswana.

•      Swimming ― Michael Phelps has said this is his last Olympics and it may be a tough one.  USA teammate, Ryan Lochte is eager to emerge from Phelps’ shadow.

•      Doping ― U.S. sprinter Justin Gatlin is among the athletes trying for an Olympic comeback after being banned for doping. The U.S. soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo was just warned after failing a recent drug test. Tom Goldman covers all things doping.

•      Social Media — The tweeting, the streaming, instagram, Facebook.

•      The impact of the games, the crowds and the new venues on London’s lifestyle and economy. 

•      USA Men’s Basketball — A compressed NBA season left lots of players injured, posing some challenges to Olympic Coach Mike Krzyzewski. Is this team a dream?

•      Technology ― Redesigned swimsuits for racers, new cameras for synchronized swimmers. How can that not be interesting?

•      Random questions: Will serious athletes patronize the huge new McDonald’s? Why are the Olympic mascots so weird?

In addition to the sports mentioned above, men’s and women’s boxing,  steeplechase, dressage, water polo, wrestling, shooting, weight lifting, judo, gymnastics and many, many others will be followed.

WUKY 91.3FM enlightens, inspires, and entertains its audience through the creation and presentation of the highest quality non-commercial radio programming. Through comprehensive, unbiased news coverage, unique musical offerings, and community partnerships, WUKY fosters civic development, celebrates cultural diversity, and advances the mission of the University of Kentucky.

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