The Olympic Games have long been known to be a feast for the eye, and this year’s Games, held in London, the United Kingdom, are no exception.

Kicking off last Friday with an opening ceremony that was a mixture of the spectacular and the mischievous, the first half of the event has so far breezed along, leaving behind a trail of victories and dramas.

Sharper than the rest: Italy’s Elisa Di Francisca reacts after defeating Italy’s Arianna Errigo in the gold medal fencing match. AP/Dmitry Lovetsky Take, for example, the disqualification of eight female badminton players after they were accused of deliberately losing their matches in order to gain a more favorable position in the the next round of the tournament. Two Indonesian shuttlers — Meiliana Jauhari and Greysia Polii — were among them.

Troubled waters: Michael Phelps of the US reacts after taking third place in his men’s 200m butterfly heat at the Aquatic Center last Monday. Reuters/Toby Melville However, it is not all doom and gloom for Indonesia. Weightlifter Eko Yuli Irawan became the athlete who won Indonesia its first medal when he bagged the bronze in the men’s 62-kilogram weightlifting competition.

My mother the champion: Gold medalist Kristin Armstrong of the US celebrates with her 22-month-old son Lucas William Savola on the podium during the victory ceremony for the women’s cycling individual time trial.Reuters/Paul Hanna
And while some take delight in slandering the whole affair for its extravagant nature — which at the same time is also one of its main attractions — the Games’ most intriguing sights are often not found in its dazzling lights or the rows of gigantic brands sponsorin

Precious smile: Allison Schmitt of the US poses with her gold medal after winning the women’s 200m freestyle final with an Olympic record time at the aquatic center. Reuters/Toby Melville