Royal Mint: With The Olympic Games Now Upon Us, Here's Your Guide To The Games

The Royal Mint - The Olympic Games are now upon us, with the opening ceremony of Rio 2016 taking place on 5 August. Across the world people are preparing to rally behind their favourite athletes. For die-hard sports fans the Road to Rio will have felt like a long one. While many of us will find it hard to believe that four years have passed since the Olympic Games graced Great Britain. So, before the Olympic Games get underway, we've put together a 'Guide to the Games' to make sure you don't miss a sporting moment.



Your 'Guide to the Games'

Barring a few group stage football matches which began on 3 August, the 2016 Olympic Games will officially get under way with the opening ceremony on 5 August. The Rio 2016 opening ceremony promises to be a show of lights, sounds and colours, with music and dance sure to be the highlights in Rio de Janeiro.

In total, 32 venues in Rio de Janeiro and five football co-host cities will play host to this year's Olympics. Among the 'co-host' cities is Belo Horizonte, which is also home to Team GB's Olympic training base for this year's Games. By the time the Games close on 21 August, more than 200 nations and 10,500 athletes will have competed in 306 events across 28 sports.

Your Guide to Team Gb

Team GB will look to build on the successes of London 2012 and take a 366 strong team of athletes to Rio - the largest delegation at an away games for 24 years! The team is an experienced one, with 151 athletes and 65 medallists from London 2012 set to compete at Rio 2016. Yet, for the majority this is their first away Games.

Watch Team GB at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Watch Team GB at Rio 2016 on TV: The BBC will once again be at the heart of an Olympic Games, with blanket coverage across the 17 days of action at Rio 2016. More than 3,000 hours of live sport will be broadcast by the BBC across TV, radio, online and digital. This comprehensive coverage follows the BBC's award-winning coverage of London 2012, when over 90% of the UK population watched the London Games. The UK is four hours ahead of Rio de Janeiro, so expect a few late nights!

Watch Team GB at FanZones across the UK: Official Team GB FanZones have been set up across the UK in city centre locations. The FanZones are FREE to enter and you can watch all the action from Rio 2016 broadcast on big screens. There will also be the chance to take part in interactive Olympic Sports, giveaways and much more. They are sure to be the best place to soak up the atmosphere this summer with fellow Team GB fans.


The Team GB 2016 UK Coin Lineup

Get Behind Team GB

Support your homegrown hero: With 366 Team GB athletes competing across 23 sports this summer, it might be hard to know who to follow. There are of course the big names, such as Tom Daley, Mo Farrah, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Bradley Wiggins, Andy Murray and Nicola Adams. However there are 366 homegrown heroes, some of whom may be local sporting heroes. So why not get behind your local hero?

Show your support for Team GB: Show your support for Team GB at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with the official Team GB 50p coin. It is available as a commemorative coin in a range of finishes, from Brilliant Uncirculated to Gold Proof, starting from just £5. You can also find it in your change, with the first coins expected to enter circulation during the Games. This coin follows the series of 29 'sporting' 50p coins designed by the public to mark the London 2012 Olympic Games, and is the perfect way to continue your collection.

Here's a special message from one of the Team GB hopefuls, Olympic swimmer, Jazz Carlin.