olympics

Total Medal tally Of Olympics

2008-08-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

1.Top 20 nation At Olympics(1-20)

2.Next Top 20(21-40)

3.Next Top 20(41-60)
India is in this category is at 50th position which is better in previous olympics

4.Next Top 20(61-81)

Olympics 2008 Beijing Opening Ceremony revisited

2008-08-25T15:36:00.001-07:00

Forgotten Heroes

2008-08-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

Besides a string of gold medals in hockey, India's record in the Olympics has been, to put it mildly, pedestrian. There are a few names that invariably pop up when discussing India at the Olympics — hockey wizard Dhyan Chand, the so-near-yet-so-far experiences of Milkha Singh and PT Usha and the more recent medal winners such as Rajyavardhan Rathore and Leander Paes.But if you rummage through India's dismal history at the Games, there are some remarkable stories that stand out. Of players who excelled on the playing field — and sometimes off it — and are now largely forgotten.Perhaps the most remarkable of these Olympians is Jaipal Singh, the captain of the hockey team that won India its first Olympic gold medal — several years before Independence — in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. Born in a remote village in what is now Jharkhand, Jaipal was taken to England by the English principal of his school in Ranchi. After two terms at a college in Canterbury, Jaipal joined St John's College, Oxford, where he made a name for himself as an ace defender in the university's hockey team. When he was chosen to play for India, Jaipal was a probationer in the Indian Civil Service. The decision to captain India, however, meant taking leave from the India Office in London. "I did not get leave! I decided to defy the ruling and take the consequences," he writes in his autobiography.
The Indian team, which included Dhyan Chand, would go on to win the Olympic gold medal convincingly. But by a twist of fate Jaipal did not play in the final. Dhyan Chand later said, "It is still a mystery to me why Jaipal Singh, after ably captaining us in England, and in two of the three matches in the Olympic Games, suddenly left us. I have heard many stories, but so far I have not had the truth." Jaipal himself did not throw any light on his sudden withdrawal. He merely says in his autobiography that on his return to London from the Olympics, Lord Irwin, Viceroy of India, congratulated him personally.Jaipal's story does not end there. After the Games, he was told he would have to stay one more year in England because he had taken unauthorised leave. He immediately quit the ICS. After various jobs that took him from Calcutta to Ghana to Bikaner, Jaipal returned to Ranchi. There, he took a decision that changed the trajectory of his life. In 1939, along with a few others he formed the Adivasi Mahasabha which sowed the seeds for a separate Jharkhand. A Constituent Assembly member and a four-time MP, Jaipal remained till his death in 1970 an eloquent defender of Adivasi rights.If Jaipal was part of India's first tryst with hockey glory, there was another athlete — Norman Pritchard — who had already won two medals in the 1900 Paris Games. Born in 1875 in Calcutta to an English couple, he studied in St Xavier's School. Pritchard was a name to reckon with in the Calcutta maidan , winning the 100-yard dash for seven consecutive years.Pritchard's participation in the Olympics happened almost by chance. During a visit to London in 1900 he took part in and won the London Athletic Club's Challenge Cup for the 440-yard hurdles. Within a week he was competing against international athletes at the AAA Championship. Pritchard came second in the 120-yard hurdles and was chosen for the Paris Olympics. Pritchard competed in five events and won silver medals in the 200m sprint and 200m hurdles.There is, however, a dispute over whether Pritchard represented India in Paris. Though the International Olympic Committee credited his medals to India, the athletics statistics book of the 2004 Olympics said he represented Britain. This was after an article appeared in the Journal of Olympic History arguing that Pritchard had represented Great Britain.As for Pritchard, he returned to Calcutta after the Olympics and served as secretary of the Indian Football Association for two years. Later, he left for America and made a career in Hollywood, starring in silent films under the name of Norman Trevor alongside stars such as Cary Grant, Clara Bow and Ronald Colman. Legend has it that he died penniless in 1929.There are two sportsmen worth recalling in the years immediately following Independence. In the 1948 London Olympics, a teenage triple jumper from Bangalore, Henry Rebello, was considered a sure medal prospect. With the best jump worldwide in 1948 — 50 feet 2 inches at a national meet in Lucknow — he was the favourite for the event. Rebello followed it with a 52-ft one-and-half-inches jump, a few inches short of the world record, a fortnight before the Games. But on D-day, he faltered.As Rebello has recounted in an interview to sports journalist Gulu Ezekiel, he committed two fateful mistakes that drizzly and cold afternoon in London. One, he did not warm up before his jump; two, he went flat out in his first jump itself. The result was a torn hamstring as Rebello launched into his jump. He landed in a heap in the pit, his medal dreams in tatters. His misfortune was partially rectified by KD Jadhav, who won independent India's first individual medal in 1952 — a bronze in bantamweight wrestling.These pioneer Olympians are now mere names in the record books. But for a nation starved of Olympic glory, they serve as reminders of athletic achievement in the face of formidable odds.

Talking Hindi, eating dal-chaawal(pluses and rice)

2008-08-23T11:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday evening came upon you like a breath of fresh air. Through with the boxing report after Jitender had punched holes in his Uzbek rival's confidence bag, it was time to take a small break. The invite on the table looked too tempting.There had been no time to look at these pretty cards till now. Now you did, and decided to go to the Indian ambassador's dinner at the Marriot the prospect of getting Indian 'khaana' drew you like a magnet.Outside, in the world beyond the Olympic Games, you found two things you were desperately looking for these past two weeks a taxi driver who could say more than Hello and Thank You and yes, the good old dal-chaawal.It was quite a fight to reach the hotel though and Zhu Lin should get the reward for being the most patient, helpful cabbie this side of the Brahmaputra. The address on the card was in English and you were in trouble. You got that translated by a volunteer but Lin was still clueless.A call to the press attache helped. "Hang on Alok, you'll get a call in a minute." The call came and a man speaking in chaste Hindi said: "Vishnu bol raha hoon. Driver ko phone deejiye," Well that did the trick. Vishnu was surely an Indian interpreter. Lin's face suddenly lit up and he said," Aw, cool. Let's go." He had waited for 20 minutes amidst all this confusion. And he spoke English!So how do you speak such good English? "All taxi drivers of China were asked to learn it for the Games. We were given special classes tough language, got to study so much man. The older guys just refused to learn it. For me, it opens up a new world." It sure does and it certainly helps.As you entered the hotel and walked up the stairs, you suddenly felt at home. The aroma of Indian spices casually wafted through into your system.Inside the hall, a cozy little party was on the ambassador, the Indian athletes and officials and several journalists were celebrating Abhinav Bindra's success and wishing for more. Old Bollywood numbers from the fifties and sixties were playing on a huge TV screen — Shammi Kapoor was serenading Sharmila Tagore. Yes, it felt like home.The dress code was formal but for the media, shorts and rucksacks were par for the course. You decided to mingle around and ran into a Chinese who said "Namaste"! Well, in this city of 1,000 language problems, this came as a shock. "Namasteji, aap?" "Jiang naam hai mera. University mein yahaan Hindi padhata hoon.""Good, so you call yourself Vishnu?" You got it wrong mate. "Vishnu mera shishya hai," he said and switched to English: "There are several others like Aakash, Vishal I have given them Indian names. Vishnu yahaan hai." Mindboggling."Aapko asuvidha to nahin hui?" asked Vishnu. You had not heard such chaste Hindi in a long, long time. Not even back home in Delhi. It was too much for the day. It was time to grab a plate, stuff yourself silly with dal-chaawal and roti and you were off to the Bird's Nest. Bolt was waiting to strike.

Most Golds By Any Country Since Soviet break-Up

2008-08-23T10:54:00.000-07:00

So who has got China these 48 gold, 19 silver and 27 bronze medals? For starters, its women, much more than its men. A total of 27 gold and 53 medals have been won by the women.As for disciplines, contrary to the widely held view that China maximizes its hoard from a few sports, the host country has won at least one medal in 21 different disciplines. What's more, in seven of these disciplines - gymnastics, diving, shooting, weightlifting, badminton, table tennis and trampoline - it is the top medal winner, including a clean sweep of all seven diving gold decided so far.
This kind of dominance could not have been achieved without some athletes putting in stellar performances and China is no exception.It has 19 athletes who are multiple-medal winners at the Beijing Olympics. The bulk of them, not surprisingly are in the disciplines China dominated.But a couple of stars stand out from even this crowd of winners. One of them is the 20-year old rising star of gymnastics, Zou Kai. This athlete who is from Luzhou in then Sichuan province won three gold medals at these games - the men's team, individual floor exercises and the horizontal bars.
In the immediate aftermath of the May 2008 earthquake in Sichuan, Zou had lost contact with his family back home and was planning to break off from training to try and trace them.Fortunately for him and for China, his family was able to re-establish contact with him before he could leave for Luzhou, allowing him to continue his training uninterrupted.Another definite star is Guo Jingjing, the 27-year old female diver from Baoding in Hebei province. The eye-catchingly graceful Guo, who lists music as her hobby, had already announced her intention of retiring from the sport after the Beijing games. That perhaps added to her determination to retain the 3m springboard gold that she won in Athens and with Wu Minxia also make sure China kept the 3m synchronised diving title to itself.These two apart, there are badminton stars like men's singles winner Lin Dan and TT women's winner Zhang Yining - both also getting gold in the team events — who made sure there were no major upsets for the hosts.But, unlike in the Indian case, it is not the stars but the system that has really delivered and delivered big for China at these games. That alone can explain the breadth of its penetration across disciplines you wouldn't associate with that country - including sailing, rowing, fencing, beach volleyball and hockey.

2008-08-22T06:18:00.000-07:00

Relying on the same design process used to engineer Lenovo PCs, 10 members of the award-winning Lenovo IDC worked for more than 10 months on the design and technical details of the torch, seeking to infuse it with symbols of both Chinese culture and the spirit of the Olympic Games. The result is the "Cloud of Promise," a torch that in every way - color, shape, decoration and texture - reflects the traditions and history of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and its host nation.
The inspiration behind the "Cloud of Promise's" shape and design can be pinpointed to an early brainstorm session held by Lenovo to consider challenges in designing a torch that would symbolize China's 5,000 years of civilization. A member of the team pointed out that one of China's great contributions to the world was the invention of paper, and said the traditional Chinese scroll, invented more than a thousand years ago, might serve as a good model. "Rolled paper is a powerful symbol for the Chinese people," said Yao Ying Jia, General Manager of Lenovo Group's Innovation Design Centre in Beijing. "Since ancient times it was used to hand over writings and drawings from one generation to the next, so it is a symbol of keeping Chinese culture alive and intact."
"Considering Lenovo's origins, I was thrilled to learn that BOCOG had selected the Lenovo Group's Innovation Design Center's torch design over more than 300 competitors for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games," said Lenovo's chairman Yang Yuanqing. "Lenovo has its headquarters in both the US and China, along with operations in multiple countries around the world, making it a company that transcends geographical boundaries. Our philosophy, similar to that of the Olympic Games themselves, is multicultural, collaborative and competitive. So I was especially inspired to see how our international design team succeeded in applying our guiding principles to create a torch that reflects Chinese culture while retaining universal appeal that will be appreciated and admired in whatever nations the torchbearers carry it."

Cheerleaders at Beijing Olympics

2008-08-22T05:31:00.001-07:00

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First Olympics:Ancient Olympia

2008-08-22T05:18:00.000-07:00

According to historical records the Olympic games were first established in 776 BC and only consisted of mens sprinting as the main event. Later durng the 7th and 8th centuries BC other events were held and these included wrestling, equestrian events, boxing and competitions for boys. During the height of its popularity the games attracted elite competitors from many cities until its popularity finally died out in AD 393.The first modern games were revived in 1896 by the Frenchman Baron Pierre de Coubertin and were held in Athens.At the start of the modern Olympics today, a ceremony is held at Ancient Olympia, where the flame is lit using a parabolic mirror and the energy reflected from the Sun. Once the flame is lit, it is carried to an altar at the Temple of Hera, where the Olympic runners begin the Torch Relay to wherever in the world the Olympics are to be held.Ancient Olympia is a fascinating site to visit, with architectural delights dating back over 2000 years on the site of the Sanctuary of Olympia, which in its renaissance looked amazing.Model of the Zeus Sanctuary in Olympia courtesy of the Archaeological Museum of OlympiaThe original running track still exists and 10 years ago when my wife and I visited we actually ran down it.
The Olympia Museum close by houses many treasures and is probably one of the richest museums in Greece, and its many galleries are are arranged chronologically, as you proceed clockwise from the entrance. From pre-history to the Classical period and right up to Roman times.In the town of Olympia nearby you can find the Modern Olympic Museum which houses many of the torches from earlier games, and Olympic paraphenalia from the past. If you ever travel to Greece this site is well worth a visit as even today its significance is immense as the bithplace of the Olympic games.
New Olympics Museum

Olympic dream leads to greener lifestyle

2008-08-22T04:55:00.000-07:00

Wang Meng quit driving his car after Beijing adopted the current plan allowing cars on the road on alternate days based on license plates ending in odd or even numbers. Even on the even-number days, when he is allowed to drive, Wang still rides his folding bicycle to and from work at the International Broadcasting Center in the Olympic Green.This summer, he started to use an electric fan instead of the air conditioner in the evenings when it is not too hot because it is "healthier", he said.Wang Meng is not the only one whose daily life has gone through some subtle changes in recent months, as the city encourages the public to play an active role in protecting the environment - part of its efforts to hold a "Green Olympics."
Many residents in Beijing are changing their habits to embrace a greener lifestyle. In the public's mind, there is a growing awareness of energy saving and environmental protection."The stringent overall environmental requirements of the Olympic Games actually served as a catalyst for various measures and the countdown to the Games made it even more urgent for the entire society to take action, " according to Zhang Lingge, an environmental awareness promotion project researcher at the Environmental Defense Fund, a US-based nonprofit organization.Living near the north Fifth Ring Road of the city, Wang Meng has witnessed an increase in the number of bicycle riders."The 25-minute ride is not troublesome at all. For me, it's just picking up an old habit again. In middle school, I used to ride my bicycle every day, as most of my classmates did," Wang said.The recent hike in the price of gasoline also contributes to the increase in people using pedal power, he added.
Wang bought five energy-saving light bulbs at 1 yuan each, thanks to subsidies from both the central government and the Beijing municipal government for downtown residents, and installed all of them."These bulbs can help cut my electricity bills in the long run," he said. "Besides, they are not that expensive."Wide media coverage on the threat of global warming and the urgency of environmental protection has contributed to raising public awareness.Many environmental organizations have produced creative media campaigns to generate public interest, including for the Olympics.Teaming up with 11 former Olympic gold medalists, the China Environment Awareness Program (CEAP) created eight public service advertisements to raise public environmental consciousness toward a "Green Olympics."Although each of the public service ads lasts only 30 seconds, the eight advertisements address key environmental protection issues, such as sorting trash for recycling, saving water resources, protecting bio-diversity, and using more clean energy.These public service ads are being broadcast on various TV channels, on the monitor screens within the Olympic facilities and at stadiums and on public transportation systems.
Popular athletes deliver the green messages. In one ad, when star badminton player Bao Chunlai stays late, head badminton coach Li Yongbo turns off the extra lights in the training center, reminding the audience that "saving energy can be as easy as pie. "In another ad, four-time Olympic table tennis champion Deng Yaping beats her rival by using both sides of the paddle. So, Deng exhorts, print on both sides of a piece of paper."On the battleground of climate change, we need more 'green champions'. I believe these athletes' influence will help people translate the green concepts into practice," said Kishan Khoday, assistant country director of the United Nations Development Project in China.In China, new laws and regulations are helping to guide the public toward greener practices.As of June 1st, free plastic shopping bags have been banned all over the country. Consumers have turned to woven baskets, or the more fashionable "eco-friendly cloth bags".Those who do pay for plastic bags are trying to buy as few as possible, reversing an old mindset prevalent before the ban.A similar initiative requiring offices, hotels, malls and other large buildings to set air conditioners no lower than 26 C in the summer is expected to become law.Visitors can see solar-powered streetlights at scenic spots in the city's suburbs. Some traffic lights in the city are also solar-powered.A survey jointly conducted by CEAP and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences this year shows that environmental protection is listed as China's fourth most important social issue, after healthcare, employment and the income gap between urban and rural areas."There has been a distinct increase in public awareness of environmental protection," Jia Feng, a Ministry of Environmental Protection official who heads the CEAP program said.The green goals set by the country's 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-10) to cut energy consumption by 20 percent and major pollutants by 10 percent toward a more sustainable mode of economic development has contributed to increased public environmental awareness, he said.The Environmental Defense Fund has been leading a green campaign since 2005, trying to persuade Beijing citizens to adopt more environmental friendly ways of commuting in the city.The campaign has chosen Shanghai, the host city of the 2010 World Expo, and Guangzhou, the host of the 16th Asian Games in 2012 as their next destinations after the Beijing Olympics, according to Zhang."Apart from all the official measures taken to clean up the environment, the real legacy of the Green Olympics for China is to make a greener lifestyle both belief and practice in the society at large," Zhang said.

Olympics to witness budget surplus

2008-08-21T15:48:00.000-07:00

The Beijing Olympic Games budget will not register a deficit, according to Wei Jizhong, the Chinese Olympic Committee former general-secretary, on Thursday.
The total cost of the Games was recently estimated to be 2.2 billion U.S. dollars, exceeding the original 1.6 billion U.S. dollars estimation when bidding for the Olympics, Wei said, adding the revenue would also increase at the same time. He did not reveal the exact figure.
The 72 year old, president of the non-profit Beijing Olympic Economy Research Association, was previously head of the budget team for the 2008 Olympic Games Bidding Committee.
He said the revenue budget was previously 1.625 billion U.S. dollars, a little bit higher than the original 1.61 billion U.S. dollars budget. "We had missed some of the factors at that time."
"The first should be the security concerns. I made the budget before the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attack in the United States and thus did not give much consideration to the non-conventional security factors," he said.
"The second is that we underestimated the change of currency exchange rate and prices. The third is the high-tech investment. We did not expect the LCD screen TVs cost so much."
However, the income also increased much more than originally forecast, Wei said.
"We used to be very conservative. We thought revenue of more than 1 billion U.S. dollars was a bold forecast, which has been proved wrong."
The revenue included two parts. One was the allocation from the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) income and the other China's own income.
The allocation from the IOC was about 49 percent, which was a large amount of money and had been increasing currently, Wei said.
He believed, for China itself, the number surely was even larger.
One direct evidence was the postponement of the Olympic lottery's release, which used to be aimed at profit but was now turned to publicizing the Olympics, he said.
"Thus, I am confident to say the Olympic budget would not be in a deficit," Wei said.

Special Olympics

2008-08-21T15:33:00.000-07:00

Special Olympics is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Special Olympics offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round training and competition in 30 Olympic-type summer and winter sports.
Special Olympics currently serves 2.5 million people with intellectual disabilities in more than 200 Programs in over 180 countries.
Today, Special Olympics stands as a leader in the field of intellectual disability. It is a truly global movement, with more than 500,000 athletes in China, more than 210,000 in India, almost 550,000 in the United States, more than 600 in Afghanistan and 4,400 athletes in Rwanda. Special Olympics World Games were held in Ireland in 2003, in Japan in 2005 and in China in 2007. Most importantly, Special Olympics sharpened the focus on its mission as not just "nice," but critical, not just as a sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities, but also as an effective catalyst for social change.
Children and adults with intellectual disabilities who participate in Special Olympics develop improved physical fitness and motor skills, greater self-confidence and a more positive self-image. They grow mentally, socially and spiritually and, through their activities, exhibit boundless courage and enthusiasm, enjoy the rewards of friendship and ultimately discover not only new abilities and talents but "their voices" as well.

Olympic Rowing Interview - David Blackham

2008-08-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

With the Olympic Rowing finals around the corner, Bob has interviewed British junior coach David Blackham to find out his thoughts on the emergence of a strong Chinese team, the weather conditions and the chance of the British rowers. Here is what he had to say, before heading out to see the Games for himself:

David Blackham – British Junior Rowing Coach

BOB: Rowing is a sport the Chinese have targeted in their campaign to top the medal table in Beijing. Have they been successful?

They have definitely made big inroads, how successful and how far they have come at the very top level is yet to be seen. What is evident is that they have become one of the major players.

They haven't got everything right yet and some areas are getting better than others; they're not competing on the heavyweight men's scene as much as they'd like, but other areas (e.g. lightweight women) seem to be going very well.

They are definitely finding success but there have been some ethical issues raised about their programmes.

BOB: Can you put this success into context?

Although it wasn't my generation, their rise has been compared to that of the East Germans. Although it is important to remember that team China still has to prove itself on the Olympic stage.

BOB: How have they done this?

From what I have seen the Chinese seem very focused and determined, which is essential for a sport like rowing. The main factors have been: investment in their programme to support their athletes and the drive of the athletes to compete in an Olympics on their home turf.

It is also a numbers game – with maybe 20,000 rowing in the UK, maybe 100,000 in Germany, there are only going to be a few who have the ability to row at Olympic level. China has a population of 1.3 billion.

It is fair to say that rowing is still an elitist sport to the global stage, and this has helped team GB in the past. The GB set up – some great athletes and some good athletes who the team can get the best out of – is much like the private school set up.

China has the athletes and is developing the set up. In many ways it is quite comparable to what's happening in the UK at the moment in junior rowing, between club and school. Rowing has always been dominated by schools but this is now being challenged by the clubs. The sport is opening up which is only good for it: more competition = faster times.

BOB: People have speculated about drugs - what are your feelings?

It is a relatively clean sport, but drug cheats do occasionally occur. My gut feeling is that the Chinese rowing team is clean, but I also think that if one or two of them aren't clean then it will be endemic, and the whole team will need to be scrutinised as it would more than likely come from their coaches.

I hope that they are clean, as it would drag the whole sport down otherwise. It is very easy to speculate about drug issues if an athlete/team do well, as a way of justifying why they are better than you, rather than looking at your own set up. Team GB though are also better than Team China at this stage so you shouldn't get ahead of yourself.

BOB: Does the rowing world have a 'world order', and if so will China's rise impact this?

Rowing, like any other sport, does have a world order but it seems to vary. GB, Australia, NZ, USA, Canada, Germany and Italy – in no order.

China is breaking into that group.

New competition is always good. Just like the economy, the Chinese rowing team has the potential to be #1!

BOB: What are the conditions like in Beijing for rowing?

Well… I gather things went well when the 2007 junior world champs where held there.

Smog, pollution and heat aren't going to help rowers but it is the same for all the athletes and the governing bodies have known it's going to be in Beijing for 7 years. Let's hope a sand storm doesn't blow off the Gobi Desert!

BOB: Are there any British stars we should keep an eye out for?

The form book says the women's quad. It would be great for women's rowing and GB rowing in general if they could do it. Individual stars – Zac Purchase in lightweight doubles has a great chance. Triggs-Hodget in the coxless four will have to 'do a Pinsent' if they are to win gold; he is a world class athlete though.

BOB: Is there a race that you are particularly looking forward to?

Everyone looks forward to the men's eight. It would be great to see GB in the medals; lightweight doubles, heavyweight coxless fours for example for GB interests. For the pure enthusiasts the men's single sculls will be a great battle and hopefully Campbell can muscle in on the act.

Sushil, Vijender provide sparks to India's Olympic campaign

2008-08-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

India's fledgling Olympic campaign on Wednesday received a sensational boost with unheralded grappler Sushil Kumar clinching a bronze medal and boxer Vijender Kumar assuring himself of at least a bronze to give the country a record three medals for the first time ever.After Abhinav Bindra's gold-winning feat during the first week of the sporting extravaganza, the 25-year-old Sushil Kumar shot into fame by winning a bronze medal in the wrestling arena while Vijender has put himself on course for a silver or gold medal on a historic day for Indian sports.Sushil and Vijender's heroics not only provided the late sparks to an otherwise dismal campaign but has created a record of sorts as India had never returned with three medals from the Olympics.India had won two Olympic medals in the 1952 Helsinki Games when the hockey team had won the gold medal and wrestler KD Jadhav had won a bronze medal, a record which had stood for 56 long years. While Sushil and Vijender did the country proud, there was some heartbreak for the Indians with another medal contender pugilist Jitender Kumar losing his quarter-final bout despite a valiant effort in the ring.After days of disappointments, it turned out to be a day to cherish for the Indians as Sushil found his way to the record books by becoming only the second wrestler in India's Olympic history to win a bronze medal in the men's 66 kg freestyle category.Vijender then brought more cheers for the contingent by beating Ecuador's Carlos Gongora in the quarter finals of the 75 kg category with a 9-4 verdict.Sushil's campaign seemed nearly over when he lost his first round battle against eventual silver medallist Andriy Stadnik but repechage provided him a ray of hope and the Indian proved simply irresistible as he beat three grapplers on the trot to win the bronze.Down in the dumps after his opening round defeat, Sushil came up with an incredible show, beating Doug Schwab (USA), Albert Batyrov (Belarus) and finally the losing semifinalist Leonid Spiridonov (Kazakhstan) in the repechage rounds to earn his slice of history.Incidentally, in the 2006 Doha Asian Games also, Sushil had beaten Leonid to win the bronze.

Scandal, disaster and tragedy mark the mega event

2008-08-16T21:35:00.000-07:00

Planning and staging an Olympics has never been an easy task and the chances are that Beijing 2008 will have its share of problems before it all ends for another four years. However it will have to go some way to surpass several previous Olympics.
From the humiliating spectacle of Canadian Ben Johnson being stripped of his 100m gold medal in the 1988 Games in Seoul after testing positive for anabolic steroids to the tragedy that engulfed the 1972 Games in Munich when 18 people were killed following a Palestinian terrorist attack on the Israeli team, the Olympic movement has had to rebuild the image of the Games.
On a purely sporting front, the Johnson scandal was the biggest public relations disaster - regardless of the fact that the IOC could protest that at least drug cheats couldn't get away with it - as the winner of the 'Blue Riband' event of any Games was packed off back home. The IOC's protestations that they were fighting hard against drugs was not helped when the then head of athletics was captured on camera asking IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch if there was any way Johnson could be spared — not for the sake of the athlete but for the sport. The answer was a firm no.
It's image took a further battering later when several scientists came forward and revealed that the 1984 Games — the first that saw Samaranch take charge and the birth of the commercial Olympics - in Los Angeles had been littered with positive dope tests, but that the samples had mysteriously disappeared.
However, if Samaranch thought he had it bad he should have consulted his two predecessors American Avery Brundage — a former Olympian himself — and Ireland's Lord Killanin.
Munich was Brundage's last Games but if he wanted to go out on a high note he was to be sorely disappointed as the Palestinian terror group Black September broke into the Olympic village killing two Israeli athletes and taking nine hostage.
Brundage, whose approach to the situation contrasted sharply with that of then German Interior Minister Hans Dietrich Genscher who offered to swap places with the hostages, issued a typical patrician statement the next morning as 2000 German police officers surrounded the village aiming to make up for the appalling lapse in security that had allowed the outrage to happen in the first place. "The status quo of the Games has been interrupted by an assassination committed by terrorist criminals," his statement read and the Games were subsequently cancelled for the day for the first time in their history.
However, it was to get worse as, allowed to fly to Munich airport, the police became triggerhappy and in the resulting shootout five terrorists were killed, as well as one policeman, one of the helicopter pilots and eight more athletes.
Although Brundage declared the next day that 'the Games must go on' few had the stomach for the fight. Canadian star high jumper Debbie Brill couldn't believe Brundage's cold statement that it was what the dead athletes would have wanted and said to a fellow athlete 'God we're talking about people who were killed. Don't let them down? They're dead!'.
The very future of the Olympics was called into question.
Killanin managed to keep it going but with an African boycott at Montreal in 1976 over a New Zealand rugby tour of South Africa and the United States boycotting Moscow in 1980 over the Russian invasion of Afghanistan they rapidly started to lose their main function of being a sporting occasion and instead became a political football.
That's not to say that other host cities could smile contentedly at the misadventures that befell Munich, Montreal and Moscow as they too fell prey to the Olympic disaster syndrome — none more so than Paris in 1900.
Just four years after the Olympics had been reborn in Athens, Paris almost killed them off with a disastrous hosting. The swimmers had to compete in the Seine and doing backstroke was probably the most risky as the swimmers had to contend with swimming under or around the boats in the river as their owners stubbornly refused to hold up their trade while the Games were going on. Furthermore, several athletes got stuck in the mud while others saw their discus and hammers disappear into the trees, leading to total confusion. The Paris organisers showed they had learnt little when 24 years. Aside from the knee high thistles and weeds pricking the athletes physique as well as conscience they had to cope with poisonous fumes belching from a local energy plant which left several athletes running the opposite direction and others lying writhing in agony barely able to breathe.
As for the athletes, who flirted with triumph and disaster two stand out among a plethora of candidates.
Athens in 2004 saw the intensely proud Greek nation anticipating glory in the most high profile of sports the athletics through Katerina Thanou and Costas Kenteris in the women's 100m and men's 200m respectively. However, in the space of one manic eve of Games day those hopes were destroyed as the duo were found to have failed to undergo a dope test, one of several they had apparently missed, and were in danger of being thrown out of the Games.
In what must be one of the more bizarre episodes in the colourful history of the Games it was then revealed that on the way to the test at the Olympic Village they had had a motorbike crash. In a country more used to the Greek tragedy it became more of a British farce as they were hospitalised, though, the nature of their injuries was never really revealed and in fact were at one point photographed lying in their hospital beds but with their training shoes on!
Needless to say it was a public relations disaster for the host country and one that the Chinese — whose athletes have a suspect reputation when it comes to dope testing — will sincerely wish is not visited upon them.
However, with the Olympics one just never knows what is around the corner.

Phelps passes Mark Spitz with golden eight

2008-08-16T21:16:00.000-07:00

What Michael Phelps accomplished tonight has never been done before. In one set of Olympic games he has become the most decorated Olympian as well as pulling in a record breaking 8 Gold medals surpassing Mark Spitz and 16 total medals.Mark Spitz won 11 Olympic medals over two Olympic Games but always will be best remembered for his remarkable seven gold medals at the 1972 Games. That summer in Munich, Spitz set four individual World records: 100-Meter (51.22), 200-Meter Freestyle (1:52.78), 100-Meter (54.27), and 200-Meter Butterfly (2:00.70). He also participated in three relay event World records: 4 x 100 Freestyle (3:26.42), 4 x 200 Freestyle (7:35.78), and 4 x 100 Medley (3:48.16). He swam the third leg of the 200 Freestyle and 100 Medley, and the last leg of the 100 Freestyle.
The Chinese consider the number 8 to be lucky. Well, I'm betting it must be one of Michael Phelps' favorite numbers, as well, as he just won his 8th gold. Wow, it was a really great race, too! Close enough to be exciting, but not so close that it was uncomfortable.
I honestly don't know how his mother manages to sit in the stands and watch without getting sick, especially through races like last night when he won the 7th medal by .01 seconds. I assume you all saw when she put up two fingers after the end, assuming he had finished second, only to sink down in shock after seeing the places go up on the board with Phelps in first. She's probably so glad it's over!
It's really an honor to even get to see this piece of sports history. I keep thinking it will never be broken, but I'm sure people thought that about Mark Spitz when he set the original record. It's just hard to imagine that someone could ever win NINE gold medals

Fastes Man On Planet Earth

2008-08-16T20:56:00.000-07:00

It was incidental that Bolt had clipped .03 seconds off his world record. He had slowed down in the last 15 metres, revelling in his own superhuman speed. It was arrogant. It was awesome. Such effortless win has not been seen in the 'super dash' since Ben Johnson, muscles bulging, eyes yellow with steroids, barged past the field and raised that naughty finger to silence the world in 1988. But that was an aberration. A blot. This was Bolt. 'Lightning Bolt'.He raised both is arms and ran from the finishing, gliding like a kite, not bothering to look behind. He stopped when he saw that Jamaican flag in the stands and stood like a champion, legs wide spread, soaking in the adulation.In the victory run, he stopped towards at the world record board, and kneeled in satisfaction. The flash of the cameras bounced off him. He was not tired, just delirious. So was everybody as the soulful beat of Reggae filled the stadium. It was party time at the Nest.But where were the others? The gladiators? Well, Bolt was the last off the blocks but once he surged ahead, the others just melted in the cauldron. Richard Thomson of Trinidad and Tobago took the silver in 9.89 seconds, 0.2 seconds off the superman while USA's Walter Dix, dreadlocks flying, came in third at 9.91 secs.Asafa Powell, Bolt's teammate whose record Bolt broke in New York on May 31 this year, was third fastest off the blocks. He trooped in fifth at 9.95 secs. And Tyson Gay? He became a footnote on the night that mattered most. He failed to qualify for the final.

Olympic ticket black market thriving despite 'crackdown'

2008-08-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

A thriving black market in tickets was operating on Saturday outside the main Olympic venues with money openly changing hands despite China's claim of a crackdown on scalpers.Dozens of Chinese ticket touts were working the crowds and attracting brisk business under the noses of police officers, some even holding banners advertising the tickets they had for sale."Uniformed and plainclothes police are hanging around to keep public order mainly, but they are also watching us," said Zhou Haixin, a clothing salesman from Shandong province in northern China."I'm here making a bit of money on the side," he said as he offered tickets for athletics finals for later on Saturday at more than 10 times their face value.Chinese and foreigners from around the world were among the buyers, with many punters searching in vain to gain entry to the "Water Cube" to see US swimmer Michael Phelps' shot at a record-equalling seventh gold medal.Tickets for Saturday's diving semi-finals with China's golden diva Guo Jingjing were selling for 4,000 yuan (580 dollars), up from the original price of 150 yuan.However entrance to the "Bird's Nest" Olympic stadium to see Chinese track icon Liu Xiang defend his title in the 110m hurdles on Thursday would cost upwards of 5,000 yuan.Olympic organisers have said that every ticket for the events in Beijing was sold out in advance, but many visitors have complained that venues are half empty during competition.Scalping Olympic tickets is illegal in China. On Friday, Beijing police detained 110 people, including at least one foreign national, for touting Olympic tickets near Games venues, official Xinhua news agency reported.

India in olympics

2008-08-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

India first participated in Olympics in 1900 in Paris. The country was represented by Norman Pritchard, an Anglo Indian who was holidaying in Paris during that time. He bagged two silver medals in 200m. dash and 200m hurdles. Then after a gap of 20 years India again participated with two athletes in 1920 Antwerp Olympics and with eight members in 1924 Paris Olympics.
But the more organised, official representation by India, was made in 1928 Amsterdam, with the formation of Indian Olympic Association in 1927. Dorabji Tata was the first president and Dr A C Northern of Young Men's Christian Association, Madras was the secretary. That year, Indian Hockey team participated in their first Olympic hockey event and won the gold medal under the captaincy of Jaipal Singh. For the next 6 successive Olympics spanning 28 years from 1928-1956, Indians retained their gold medal for the hockey event. Hockey wizard Dhyan Chand played a major role in Indian victory in the first three successive wins. It was definitely the golden era of Indian Hockey in Olympics, during which India played 24 matches and won all 24, scored 178 goals (at an average of 7.43 goals per match) and conceded only 7 goals. India again won two more gold medals in Olympic hockey in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
In athletics, six Indians and the 4x400 women's relay team have reached the finals of their events in Olympics. They are Norman Pritchard in 1900 (two silvers in sprint and hurdles), Henry Rebello in 1948 London (Triple Jump), Milkha Singh 1960 Rome ( fourth place in 400 metres), Gurbachan Singh Randhawa 1964 Tokyo (fifth place in 100 m hurdles), Sriram singh 1976 Montreal ( seventh in 800m), P.T Usha in 1984 Los Angeles ( fourth in 400m hurdles) who unfortunately lost her bronze by 1/100th of a second and the 4 member squad of the 400m. women's relay P.T.Usha, M.D.Valsamma, Vandana Rao, Shiny Abraham reached seventh place, the same year.
Apart from Hockey and a few fine performances in athletics, India's record in the Olympics paints a dismal picture, for a country having a population of over a billion people. Apart from the 8 gold medals, one silver medal and two bronzes in Hockey, two silver medals in athletics, India has won bronzes for wrestling ( Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav 1952 Helsinki), shooting ( Dr Karni Singh 1964 Tokyo), tennis ( Leander Paes 1996 Atlanta) and weightlifting ( Karnam Malleswari 2000 Sydney),silver medal in the double trap shooting event ( Rajyavardhan Rathore 2004 Athens),and finally gold medal in shooting (Abhinav Binda 2008 Beijing)

Day 16 Beijing Olympics 2008

2008-08-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

Wow already day 16, time is moving really fast we have already been here for over two weeks. The first week went really slowly while we were staying in the villa by the rowing course. Since we have moved into the village it seems we have moved into the fast lane. It is really important for the athletes to stay focused on the job at hand, as you can now see why it is so easy to get distracted. Ramon has been an inspiration to the rest of the team on how it should be done, it is great for the athletes to be learning from him. For some athletes it is a case of rabbit in the headlights, just trying to take in to much from the word go, discipline is so important on this. I have been reading some athletes blogs who are still competing and I just don't know how they are doing all the tourist stuff, while still focusing on their race.

Anyway enough of that, it is an awesome day here in Beijing blue skies and you can see for miles over the horizon. The mountain range is now visible at the end of the course, this is only the 3rd time that we have been able to see it. The Great Wall of China goes through there. There was a slight tail wind on the course, but perfect rowing conditions temperature around 32 degrees and 55% humidity. The pair did a light 8km row focusing on preparation and keeping length in the water. They did a 500meter and a 250 to keep them sharp. The girls did 12km, it is important to keep the distance up for the girls to ensure that weight is kept under control. They did a few starts and a 250 meter. The team is feeling upbeat and ready to take on finals day here at the Olympics.

Maradona wants to go to Beijing to watch finals of soccer, basketball

2008-08-15T12:01:00.001-07:00

FIFA player of the century Diego Maradona has said that he wished to go to Beijing to watch the finals of men's soccer and basketball, in case Argentine teams in both sports advance in the Olympic competition.
"Argentina has few possibilities of medals" in other sports, Maradona told reporters in San Juan, where he will play a show ball match against Chile.
Maradona also said that he is in great health after overcoming difficult times due to his addiction for drugs and alcohol.
"I had very hard moments, but now I wakeup every morning lucid and willing to call my daughters. I'm great," Maradona said.
"When I was bad, I was ashamed of going out to the street; but today I'm fine and is thanks to them," he said referring to his daughters Dalma Nerea and Giannina Dinorah.
Maradona also said that he wishes his grandchild to be a boy and confirmed that his daughter Giannina will have a baby soon.

Behind the Olympics, a paralyzing fall

2008-08-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

A Chinese dancer had prepared for a starring role at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies but after a fall in rehearsals now just seeks to walk again.
Liu Yan, 26, considered one of China's top classical dancers, suffered nerve and spinal injuries when a malfunctioning platform sent her plunging about 10 feet down a shaft during a rehearsal 12 days before the Games opened.
She was to have had the only solo number in the spectacular opening ceremony.Instead, her fall left her paralyzed from the chest down. Doctors who took part in six hours of surgery on Liu said it was doubtful she would walk again.
Liu, who was recently married, has returned to her home in Inner Mongolia where she and her family are seeking a specialist to help determine whether she can walk again.

Abhinav Bindra: ends 108 year WAIT

2008-08-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

Abhinav Bindra Wins first individual Olympics gold for India
Abhinav Bindra won India's first ever individual Olympic gold medal on Monday with a thrilling come-from-behind victory in the men's 10m air rifle.Bindra had been fourth after qualifying but had a brilliant final round and even hit a near perfect 10.8 on his last shot to pull in front of Henri Hakkinen of Finland, who dropped to bronze with a poor final shot of 9.7.Abhinav Bindra's solitary gold medal at Beijing has ended 108 YEAR Olympic gold-medal drought for India. He is the only Indian to win an individual gold—the last time India brought home a gold was for field hockey in 1980, before Bindra was born.

Governor of Chandigarh Gen (Retd) S F Rodrigues handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to a relative Teji Bains in Bindra's absence during the Independence Day celebrations here.

Abhinav Bindra has something more to cheer about as all cash rewards announced for him by several state governments, PSUs and sports bodies will get exempted from Income Tax

TOP GUN
1.he was born on sept 28,1982 in dehradun,stays in chandigarh.
2.hold MBA degee and is a CEO of bindra futuries,a PC game distributor.His first coach Lt. Col. JS Dhillon.
3.had a indoor shooting range backyard and at 15 was the youngest participant at 1998 CommonWealth Games.
4.The youngest to represent India in Olympics at Sydney 2000
5.won bronze in 2001 Munich world cup with a new junior world record of 597/600
6.Become first Indian shooter to win a world championship gold
7.won six medals at various international meets in European circuit in 2001
8.received Rajive Gandhi khel ratna in 2001
9.won gold medal in 2002 Manchester commonwealth games
broke olympics record in athens olympics but fail to get medal
first indian shooter to win a world champianship gold in zagreb in july 2006

Michael Phelps..........I'm not unbeatable

2008-08-15T03:20:00.000-07:00

Shortly after crushing the opposition in the 200m butterfly and 4x200m freestyle relay, American swimming superstar Michael Phelps said he did not regard himself as unbeatable.Phelps, who had earlier won his fourth and fifth gold medals of the Beijing Games to take his overall tally to 11 - two more than any other athlete in Olympic history - is going for an unprecedented eight gold medals in the Beijing Water Cube."There are still three races to go and I am not unbeatable. No swimmer is unbeatable," he said. The US head coach Eddie Reese might well disagree with his star attraction, who he said was riding a wave of success."He is just sailing along this week. He's unstoppable." The 23-year-old said the last message he received by text before he entered the water was from a friend in America."He said: 'Dude it is ridiculous how many times each day I have to see your ugly face. Keep up the good work. It is time to be the best-ever'."Phelps took him by his word and made history with a men's 200m butterfly world record time of 1 minute 52.03 seconds, which was six hundredths faster than his record established at the world championships in Melbourne last year. Yet he still said he was disappointed with his time.

Crocker is last hurdle
American Ian Crocker has a habit of messing things up for Michael Phelps and will have the whole of the Olympics world riding against him doing it again to the greatest Olympian at the Beijing Olympics.The 25-year-old two-time Olympic gold medallist is the world record holder in the 100-metres butterfly and it is one of the remaining three gold medals Phelps needs to create Olympic history.Phelps heads into the opening heats of the event on Thursday needing to repeat his 2007 world championship and 2004 Olympics win over event specialist Crocker to continue his world-record breaking march to glory.Phelps has dominated in the Beijing Games capturing his fourth and fifth golds in the 200m butterfly and 4x200m freestyle relay finals on Wednesday.If he can win all eight of his Beijing events, he will surpass the record of seven gold at one Games set by US swimmer Mark Spitz.

Mystery of the Missing Olympic Tickets

2008-08-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

The familiar site of a huge sporting event with empty seats has struck again in Beijing it seems. Many of the lower profile events – despite being completely sold out! – have failed to draw a full crowd.
Empty Seats In Beijing Cause Concern For Organisers And Dismay For Fans
This is really upsetting for fans, particularly those who have not been able to purchase tickets legitimately, but would love to be in these empty seats. Bob is speaking from experience.

The Beijing organisers have said that they will be hiring "cheerleaders" who cheer for both teams to bolster the atmosphere. What a shame. Good job if you can get it though!

Of course this is not the first (or certainly the last) time that this has happened. Bob was is Japan in 2002 for the Football World Cup, where FIFA made a right royal mess out of the ticketing situation, leaving thousands of travelling fans outside half-empty stadia. (What made it worse in Japan was that not all of the matches were even televised locally, as the competition was so low-key!) And Bob has distinct memories of Raphael Nadal and Novak Djokovic walking onto court at Roland Garros to wage war in a semi-final in front of a fashionably later French crowd.

However BOCOG are not FIFA (thank Buddah!) and the enthusiastic Chinese crowds are far from the moody Parisians. One would be forgiven for expecting a full house for every single event, with the level of excitement that the organisers have whipped up in China.

Some people are blaming corporate ticket allocations – fair enough, it is usually these seats that are empty in Football matches, or at Wimbledon. But speaking as someone who knows a number of people in some of the top Olympic sponsors (sorry, can't name names) this doesn't appear to be the case. Even they are finding it hard to get hold of the tickets.

So, it is a mystery. But until it is solved, Bob is off to volunteer as a cheerleader… now where to go, the Bird's Nest, the velodrome…?

OLYMPICS 2008 BEIJING(CHINA)

2008-08-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, is being celebrated in Beijing, People's Republic of China, from August 8 (with football starting on August 6) to August 24, 2008, and followed by the 2008 Summer Paralympics from September 6 to September 17. 10,500 athletes are expected to compete in 302 events in 28 sports, one event more than was on the schedule of the 2004 games. The 2008 Beijing Olympics will also mark the third time that Olympic events will have been held in the territories of two different National Olympic Committees (NOC), with the equestrian events to be held in Hong Kong.The Olympic games were awarded to Beijing after an exhaustive ballot of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on July 13, 2001. The official logo of the games, titled "Dancing Beijing," features a stylised calligraphic character jīng (京, meaning capital), referring to the host city. The mascots of Beijing 2008 are the five Fuwa, each representing both a colour of the Olympic rings and a symbol of Chinese culture. The Olympic slogan, One World, One Dream, calls upon the world to unite in the Olympic spirit. Several new NOCs have also been recognised by the IOCThe Games carry a $43 billion price tag, dwarfing the $15 billion splashed out by Athens in 2004, and run until Aug. 24, with 10,500 athletes from a record 204 nations chasing 302 gold medals in 28 sports.Chinese President Hu Jintao declared the Games open.Befittingly for the world's most populous nation, Friday's show unleashed wave upon wave of humanity into the arena, revelling in past glories, like the invention of gunpowder, but also more modern triumphs, like putting astronauts into space.The careful choreography of the ceremony extended well beyond the stadium and 100,000 police fanned out to prevent attacks and protests, while dissidents have been kept out of sight.UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued an appeal at the ceremony calling on warring nations to honor a traditional truce during the Games, but his message went unheeded with fierce fighting in Georgia during the day involving Russian forces.Further denting the Olympic ideal of harmony, the two Korea's failed to agree to march at the opening as a unified team even though they managed that in 2004 and 2000.The 91,000-strong crowd saved its largest roar of the evening for the entry of the Chinese team, which is confidently expected to top the medals table for the first time and was headed onto the field by basketball player Yao Ming.Yao was accompanied by a young boy who survived an earthquake in the southwest of the country in May which killed some 70,000."For a long time, China has dreamed of opening its doors and inviting the world's athletes to Beijing for the Olympic Games," Jacques Rogge, head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said. "Tonight that dream comes true. Congratulations, Beijing!"

OPENING CEREMONIES PHOTOS:

un Jinfang (L), former volleyball athlete, passes the flame to Li Ning, former Olympic gymnast during the Opening Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics at the National Stadium on August 8, 2008 in Beijing, China.

Chinese former gymnastics champion Li Ning kindles the cauldron.