From July 27 to August 12, London, England, will host the Summer Olympic Games. A total of 10,500 athletes from 204 nations will compete in 26 sports. Two weeks later, the Paralympic Games shines a spotlight on athletes with disabilities. The Paralympic Games will feature 4,200 athletes competing in 20 sports.

Hard Work

Olympic athletes spend thousands of hours training for the Games. Many must win national and international events to be chosen for teams. The United States will send its top athletes in swimming, gymnastics, wrestling, track and field, boxing and other sports.

Joseph Diaz Jr., 20, is getting ready for his first Olympics with the U.S. boxing team. "I'm going to be there for one thing," he told TIME FOR KIDS, "and that's the gold medal!"