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The Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics marks the official beginning of the Games and will take place Friday, July 27. A three hour ceremony from London's Olympic Stadium, it will take place at 9 p.m. London time and will be broadcast on NBC at 6:30 p.m. local time.
The event will feature the traditional Parade of Nations, featuring 10,000 athletes flying their flag in front of 60,000 fans. Holding the flag for Team USA is Mariel Zagunis, a 27-year old fencer who has two gold medals to her name, one from Athens in 2004 and one from Beijing in 2008. The event will also feature the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron, a cricket match, and a performance from Paul McCartney.
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