— China picked up right where it left off from the Beijing Olympics, where it won the most gold medals with 51. The country won four on the first full day of competition in London: Yi Siling, who got the first gold of 2012 in women's 10-meter air rifle shooting; Ye Shiwen, who set a world record in women's 400 individual medley swimming; Sun Yang in men's 400 freestyle swimming; and Wang Mingjuang in women's 48-kilogram weightlifting.
— Natalie Coughlin tied Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres for most career medals by an American woman with 12 when the United States won a bronze in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay. And she didn't even have to swim in a final: She swam a leg in the preliminaries, helping the U.S. qualify second-fastest. But for the evening final, the Americans went with teenager Missy Franklin and Jessica Hardy, and brought back Olympic rookie Lia Neal and Allison Schmitt, leaving Coughlin to play cheerleader.
— Wimbledon champions Roger Federer and Serena Williams each won their opening matches. Four-time Olympian Federer beat Alejandro Falla of Colombia 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. Williams, seeded fourth, defeated former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-3, 6-1 as first lady Michelle Obama watched from the front row of Williams' box.
— The American men are atop the standings in gymnastics, while defending Olympic champion China and perennial powerhouse Japan struggled.
