Away from the spotlight | Scenes from the sidelines of the 2012 Olympics

Silhouetted spectators cast shadows inside the Excel Centre at the London 2012 Olympic Games.   (Dennis M. Sabangan / EPA)

A tourist enjoys a rain shower along the banks of the River Thames opposite the Olympic rings and Parliament in London.  (Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images)

A stand-in approximates the position of a competitor as workers set up the stage in the weightlifting venue in preparation for the start of the 2012 Summer Olympics. Among many television camera angles set up for the event is a camera embedded in the floor of the stage a few feet from the athletes’ lifting position.  (Mike Groll, / Associated Press)

A pedestrian passes by an Olympics-inspired mural in East London.  ( Facundo Arrizabalaga / EPA)

Olympic spectators sit in the rain prior to the show-jumping phase of the equestrian eventing competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics.  (Markus Schreiber / Associated Press)

Athletes give each other a fist bump after practicing at the Olympic Stadium.   (Adrian Dennis / AFP / Getty Images)

Team USA’s Erik Storck and Trevor Moore practice before starting the 49er class sailing race.  (Bernat Armangue / Associated Press)

An electrical storm illuminates the skyline above London as seen from the banks of the River Thames.  (Andrew Cowie / AFP / GettyImages)

Journalists protect their computers, cameras and other equipment from the rain at the Olympic Stadium.  (Jewel Samad / AFP / Getty Images)

A worker makes his way between two BMX bicycle tracks at the BMX Arena inside Olympic Park.   (Robert Ghement / EPA)

Work crews prepare the floor for the men’s individual all-around gymnastics event at the 2012 London Olympics.   (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A worker cleans the diving board while an athlete trains at the Aquatics Center at Olympic Park ahead of the competition.   (Barbara Walton / EPA)

Team USA fans head toward the Olympic Stadium during the 2012 Summer Olympics.  (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)