Beijing Olympics 2008

The Olympic Flame has arrived in Beijing, announcing that the first ever Olympic Games in China will soon begin.
The combination of the Olympic flame and torch is one of the most well known and strongest symbols of the Olympic movement, heralding not just the arrival of the Games but also spreading a message of peace or “Ekecheiria”, as the Greeks call it, to the world.
From today, the torch will carry the flame across the globe, creating anticipation and excitement for the Beijing Games wherever the relay passes.
Crossing five continents, 21 cities around the globe, and more than 113 cities and prefectures on mainland China, wherever it passes the Olympic torch relay will cause everyone, whatever their nationality, culture or belief, to pause for a few moments to reflect on its message of peace and the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.
All along the relay route people will be touched by the magic of the Olympic Games and what it represents.
Indeed, many people, especially young people, will find that the Olympic torch relay ignites a passion and inspires them to participate in sport, to give their very best in all they do, and emulate their heroes.
It is the torch’s ability to touch us that allows it to reach out to the world, beyond the host city, to bring the Olympic values closer to society and call the people of the world to the Games.
I am certain that the Games themselves, will not only be a moment of sporting excellence, but also an opportunity for the people of China and the world to learn, discover and respect each other.
Allow me to conclude by thanking you, President Hu Jintao, and the Chinese people, for your continued support for the Beijing Games and for the Olympic torch relay. Your passion and enthusiasm will allow these Games to fulfill their full potential.
I would also like to thank our Chinese friends from the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, and in particular its president Mr. Liu Qi, for their strong and continuous focus on making the Beijing Games a unique and exceptional celebration of humanity.
Now, let’s all celebrate together the arrival of the Olympic flame in Beijing before the real party in 130 days — the opening of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing.

from: torchrelay.beijing2008.cn

With the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay now underway and anticipation building for the Games themselves in August, the IOC’s Coordination Commission for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games will be in the host city of Beijing this week for its final review of the Beijing 2008 project. Led by Commission Chairman Hein Verbruggen, the members of the Commission will meet with their Beijing Organising Committee (BOCOG) counterparts to fully understand the state of BOCOG’s progress as the Games approach and also to help guide BOCOG as they finalise their preparations and operations.

Highest Standard
This will be the tenth visit of the full Commission to Beijing and marks the closing chapter of seven years of close collaboration between BOCOG and this expert IOC group. During that time, the members of the Commission have been able to assist and monitor BOCOG, as they collaborated towards putting on top-class Games for the athletes of the world in August 2008. And this visit will be no different as the Commission works with BOCOG down to the wire to ensure that the services that the athletes, media, spectators and National Olympic Committees (NOC) receive will be up to the highest standard possible.

ANOC and Executive Board
Following closely on the heels of the Coordination Commission, Beijing will also host the final General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Commitees (ANOC) before the Games, as well as a meeting of the IOC’s Executive Board. The ANOC meeting will give the NOCs the opportunity to learn directly from BOCOG what has been planned for Games time and also to ask BOCOG any outstanding questions that they may still have ahead of the opening of the Olympic Village in July.

Beijing 2008
The Games of the XXIX Olympiad – Beijing 2008 will take place from 8 to 24 August 2008. The Games in Beijing will play host to the 28 summer sports currently on the Olympic programme. Approximately 10,500 athletes are expected to participate in the Games with around 20,000 accredited media bringing the Games to the world.

from: olympic.org

Receiving the sacred Olympic flame and olive branch from “High Priestess” Maria Nafpliotou after the torch-lighting ceremony, Nikolaidis, the 2004 Olympic taekwondo silver medalist, became the first torchbearer for the 2008 Beijing Games yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Olympics.
“It was the biggest moment in my life,” he said, after passing the flame to the second torchbearer Luo Xuejuan, who is also China’s Olympic gold medalist for swimming.
“With the Olympic flame, I must admit that there was something special,” Nikolaidis said.
“I hope everything you saw today represents the Olympic being spirit passed on and traveling throughout world,” he added.
For Nikolaidis, being the first torchbearer of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay is not only a great honor, but also a good start to his pursuit for gold at the Beijing Games, following his silver medal won at the Athens Games.
“It is the best start for me. I hope I will be as happy at the Olympics as I was today,” Nikolaidis, who will be taking part in his third Olympic Games, said.
“I hope I get to the finals I hope I can get the gold medal.”
The 28-year-old was announced as the first torchbearer for the Beijing Games on March.
“It is the biggest honor that the Greek Olympic Committee could give me.”
The athlete was modest when asked why he was chosen for the role.
“I don’t know the real reason. Maybe my sports achievement but I’m really very happy about it,” he said.
According to Hellenic Committee President Minos Kyriakou, Nikokaidis was chosen not just because of his athletic achievements, but also because his courage, modesty and integrity were exemplary.
“High Priestest” Nafpliotou said after the event: “It’s happened today almost as it happened in history. It’s something very touching and very moving.
“I wish that all the values of the Olympic Games reflect the whole Olympiad. I wish the Beijing Games every success with peace, that’s the most important thing,” she said.

First Olympic relay torchbearer Alexandros Nikolaidis (R), Greece’s Olympic silver medallist for taekwando, hands over the flame to China’s gold medallist swimmer Luo Xuejuan after the Olympic flame lighting ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Games at the site of ancient Olympia in Greece, March 24, 2008. [Agencies]

from: chinadaily.com.cn

Kenya’s Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai has been selected to participate in the Olympic torch relay in Tanzania next month.
Maathai was selected along with former multiple Olympic gold medallist Kipchoge Keino and will be among 80 people who will carry the torch in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on April 13 which is the only African city that will host the Olympic flame.
The two were unveiled to participate in the torch relay which will be held in Dar es Salaam Tanzania next month. The two will be among six other African torch bearers who will participate in the Olympic torch relay on April 13 in Dar es Salaam.
The Nobel laureate who will be carrying the flame for the second time after last year’s Winter Olympics in Italy, expressed happiness that the theme for this year’s Olympics will have an environmental theme “Green Olympics”.
Prof. Maathai urged Kenyans to uphold peace and work together to lift the nation to greater glory.
“I am very excited about the fact that theme is going to be a green Olympics. An Olympic that will focus on the environment and a clean environment at that,” said Maathai.
Other torch bearers selected by sponsors Coca Cola include United Nations Under Secretary Anna Tibaijuka, Uganda’s Dorcas Inzikuru, Pierre Kakure and Coca Cola’s President of East African region Newton Kalubu.
Keino who is also the chairman of National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) said that the torch relay plays a significant role in the world.
“The main goal of the Olympic torch is to unite youths around the world. Win or lose we shake hands and maintain peace and friendship. The games in Beijing will be important for Kenya in promoting peace in the country and we should ensure we are ready,” said Keino.
It will be Keino’s seventh time to carry the torch having performed similar duties in 1974, 1976, 1984, 1996, 2000 and 2004.
A former Olympiad, Keino burst into world fame when he defied doctor’s instructions at the 1968 games going on to win the 1,500 meters gold in Mexico City.
Inzikuru won Uganda’s first ever gold medal at any global athletics event when she won the 3, 000 meters world title in Helsinki in 2005 while Kakure has been involved in wildlife protection especially of baboons in DR Congo.
Coca Cola are the oldest sponsors of the Olympic Games having started their partnership in 1928 and East Africa Corporate Relations manager Nelson Githinji said the giant soft drinks company was delighted to be part of the showpiece.
“We do believe that the Olympic torch relay does provide an opportunity for people to come together and inspires even more people along the route to take positive action that can make a difference in their community,” said Githinji.
Former world marathon record holder Paul Tergat who is also an Olympics ambassador pledged his support for the national team which he said has the potential to perform better at the Beijing Olympics than in the past.

from: torchrelay.beijing2008.cn 

The chief designer for the “Bird’s Nest” will be running with the Olympic torch in hand before the sacred flame arrives in Beijing.
On March 24, when the Olympic torch was lit for the first time in Ancient Olympia, Li Xinggang was at the National Stadium, fighting urges to leave the site to watch the Torch Lighting Ceremony on TV. Although he didn’t catch the proceedings live, he ran to check up on the torch’s progress on the internet as soon as he arrived home.
Li’s enthusiasm was visibly evident as he told reporters about the excitement he feels about being present as the Olympic Torch is handed over to Beijing representatives in Greece.
In 2003, Li took on the post of chief designer of the National Stadium. Because of his ingenuity in creating the immense “Bird’s Nest,” he was chosen by Lenovo to be a torchbearer for the 2008 Torch Relay.
Li is a well-respected engineer. During his career thus far, he has been recognized by over 20 domestic and international construction organizations.
According to reports, BOCOG has invited ten people to attend the torch handover ceremony in Greece. Li will arrive in Athens on March 29 to observe the day’s relay and handover ceremony, after which he will return to Beijing to take part in the capital’s welcoming celebrations for the torch’s arrival in China.

from: torchrelay.beijing2008.cn 

A Russian sports official said on Monday that it will be a “great honor” as the Olympic flame travels to Russia’s St. Petersburg on April 5.
The Olympic torch relay will go through the five continents, including five cities of the European continent.
“St. Petersburg will be one of these cities. This is a great honor,” Interfax news agency quoted Russian Olympic Committee spokesman Gennady Shvets as saying.
All the Olympic champions who reside in St. Petersburg, other renowned athletes of the city, and some Olympic champions from other Russian cities will take part in the four-hour torch relay.
“The torch will pass through many famous cultural and historical relics as well as beautiful views… to showcase the unique features of St. Petersburg to the world,” Vyacheslav Chazov, president of the committee of physical culture and sport in St. Petersburg said last week.
The Beijing Olympic flame was ignited in a traditional sun-ray ceremony at 11:45 local time (0945 GMT) on Monday in front of the Hera Temple of ancient Olympia, Greece.
The torch will be relayed in Greece for six days and then taken to Beijing in a five-month world tour.

from: xinhuanet.com

Beijing will not experience economic recession after the Olympic Games, a senior municipal government official said on the sidelines of the ongoing 11th National People’s Congress.
“The economy in Beijing will not fall into recession after the Games, though this did happen in previous Olympic host cities,” said Zhang Gong, director of the municipal development and reform commission.
“After doing research and analysis of the previous six host cities, we conclude that Beijing will experience no post-Games recession.”
As a developing city, Beijing still has great potential and needs more investment, he said. “In some developed cities, over-investment before the Olympic Games led to a sudden fall after the Games, but Beijing is still developing,” Zhang said.
“And in Beijing, which has a population of over 16.3 million, the large amount of consumption will also help to maintain economic stability.”
A booming national economy is also a major supporting factor, he added.
Zhang said the municipal government would continue its investment projects after the Games, such as the construction of subways, and would discuss the possibility of a second airport for the city.
Investment in the Beijing Games won’t affect the overall economy of the capital city, an official from the organizing committee explained.
“There are two parts to investment in the Olympic Games, operational costs, which come from all the sponsors, and the costs for the construction of the infrastructure, including those venues,” said Wang Wei, executive vice-president of the committee. “Investment in infrastructure construction came from the government, but only covers a little part of the total income. So, it won’t affect the overall economic structure of the city.”

from: chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-03/17/content_6540820.htm 

The Olympic torch will ride on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway in June, moving from Tibet Autonomous Region to Qinghai Province.
The train will “pick up” the torch on June 21 from Lhasa. According to Xinhua, the torch will then arrive in Golmud on the 22nd and move around Qinghai Province until June 24. Train conductors and other personnel are excited that the torch will be literally, going with them to work.
The first stop for the torch in Qinghai is Golmud, the first station in the province on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. On the next day, the torch heads to the “most beautiful lake in China,” Qinghai Hu, where 10 equestrians, 20 bicycle riders, and 134 other torchbearers will carry the torch on horse, bike, or by foot. Next and last stop is Xining, where the famous Tibetan Kumbum Monastery will host a torch transfer ceremony.
Staff members of the Olympic organizing committee told reporters that the selection process for the Qinghai leg began on June 25, 2007 and ended on January 31, 2008.
While in Qinghai, the torch will follow a relay route that aims to reflect the province’s history, culture, natural landscape, ethnic customs, and social achievements, all while fully integrating the spirit of the Olympic Games.
As one of the concepts of this year’s Games is “green,” the torch traveling through such a ecologically sound province hopes to bring more attention to and spread more awareness of protecting the environment.
One of the most noteworthy torch bearers in Qinghai is 39 year old Ah Fu. This rural worker suffered from polio at the age of six, which left him in a wheelchair. Nonetheless, in 2001, Ah Fu traveled 28 days by himself to the capital of the country in order to celebrate Beijing’s successful bid for the Olympics.
Although Ah Fu will not head to Beijing to personally witness the Olympics, he is proud to be a part of the torch relay. Residents from Ah Fu’s village say that, if given the opportunity, they will go to the scene of the torch relay so that they may present blessings for the Olympic Games in person.

from: http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/en/news/headlines/n214269170.shtml

The Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) confirmed here on Thursday that the Olympic Flame for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games will be lit in Ancient Olympia at 12 o’clock at noon on March 24 and will be handed over to the Beijing Organizing Committee at 3 p.m. on March 30 at the Panathenian Stadium in Athens.
The Torch Relay for the Beijing Olympic Games will last seven days on Greek territory after the Lighting of the Flame in Ancient Olympia on March 24.
The Olympic Flame will cover in Greece 1,528 kilometers by the hands of 605 bearers and 14 vehicles will follow them.
The Torch Relay will pass through 16 Prefectures, 43 Municipalities, 12 Municipal Districts, 4 Communities and there will be organized 29 ceremonies in specific cities along the route of the Torch Relay and in 5 archaeological sites.

from: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/13/content_7785042.htm 

The highest-ranked American tennis player is skipping the Beijing Olympics, choosing instead to focus on preparing for the U.S. Open by playing at the hard-court Legg Mason Tennis Classic.
“My goal every summer is to win the U.S. Open,” Roddick said in a statement released by Legg Mason organizers. “I have won the Legg Mason Tennis Classic three times and feel defending my title in Washington best prepares me for another Grand Slam title.”
The Washington tournament runs August 11-17, the same dates as the Olympic tennis event. The U.S. Open begins August 25.
Roddick, ranked No. 6 by the ATP tour, won his lone major championship at the 2003 U.S. Open. He won Legg Mason titles in 2001, 2005 and 2007.
Roddick has been a regular on the U.S. Davis Cup team, which won the championship last year.
He lost in the third round at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and said at the time: “Some guys really don’t care that much. I cared a lot. It’s not the biggest thing in our sport, but it’s the biggest thing in sports.”

from: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-03/13/content_6534215.htm