Beijing Olympics 2008

Dayron Robles of Cuba posted a time of 12.88 seconds in the Men’s 110m Hurdles at the Meeting Gaz de France Paris Saint-Denis on Friday,which is just 1/100th second slower than the world record time he posted at the IAAF Grand Prix on June 12.

This is the second time Robles has clocked below 12.90 seconds, making the Cuban the only one who has reached the mark twice.

The 21-year-old hurdler won at the Golden Gala in Rome in 13.08 seconds last Friday. The repeat victory in Paris confirms once again that he is in good shape heading into the Summer Games in Beijing.

Robles’ time in Paris matched the previous world record, which China’s Liu Xiang, Olympic champion in Athens 2004, set on July 11, 2006, in Lausanne, Switzerland. The two will meet in Beijing in August in one of the most anticipated showdowns of the Olympic Games.

from: beijing2008.cn

Croatia upset Canada in a blow-out quarterfinal clash on July 18 in the 2008 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men in Athens.

Canada ranks three places higher than 20th place Croatia. However, what was predicted to be a tight game turned out to be a slaughter that went to the underdogs.

In the first half both teams struggled in scoring but made a strong showing on defense. Croatia scored 18 points in each quarter, while Canada only trailed seven points at the end of the second.

In the second half, Croatia made it a totally different game as they found their shooting touch and suffocated their opponents’ offense at the same time. In the third quarter Canada essentially lost the game, underscoring 13-26. Although they came back with 20 points in the fourth, it was too little too late to stop the Croatians taking the game 83-62.

Marko Popovic scored 17 points for the winners but he was not the best shooter of the night. Croatian shot an astonishing 62% within the 3-point line and an excellent 39% behind the arc. They had five players with 10 more points, three of which didn’t miss a single shot.

Olu Famutimi was the best player on the Canadian team, netting 14 points. However, he shot only 25% from field, worse than the team’s miserable overall 27.11%. Canada grabbed 20 offensive rebounds, 10 more than their opponents, but they underperformed on offense, dishing out only seven assists the whole game, while Croatia doubled that.

Croatia becomes the first team to enter the semifinals, and will face Germany on Saturday.

from: beijing2008.cn

From sweatbands to secret hand signals and even peeling oranges — human rights and other activists are seeking novel ways to circumvent tight security at the Beijing Olympics and pressure China.

Faced with a barrage of campaigns on issues such as Tibet, press freedom and Darfur, China’s communist rulers are mounting a massive security clampdown ahead of next month’s Games, saying they will tolerate no dissent of any kind.

Organisers have invoked the Olympic Charter, the rulebook drawn up by the International Olympic Committee, for overseeing the Games, which forbids any form of “demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda”.

However groups are coming up with an array of ways to get around the rules in the hope of creating a moment similar to when black American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos famously raised their black glove covered fists at the 1968 Mexico Games.

Pro-Tibetan activists are urging athletes at the Olympics to make a simple T hand signal to indicate support for the Tibetan cause.

European activists are planning to wear orange as a human rights protest while other groups say they will sport wristbands or find different ways to express their political positions at the Games.

The T sign, similar to the coach’s time-out signal in a basketball game, is an easy-to-perform gesture that could become an effective symbol of protest at the Games, according to the London-based Free Tibet Campaign.

“Now all we need are some brave athletes who are willing to show they care about human rights by making the T sign in Beijing,” said Anne Holmes, acting director of the group, on the campaign’s website.

The Free Tibet Campaign launched the T for Tibet drive this week.

from: mg.co.za

Remain calm, don’t fight back and try to send a text message to the police. That’s how Chinese police have advised people to respond if captured by terrorists during next month’s Olympic Games, the official Xinhua News Agency said Friday.

The new “anti-terrorism manual” is the latest in a string of warnings issued by an increasingly jittery Chinese government in the run-up to the Aug. 8-24 Olympics. In addition to worries over foreign terrorist plots, Beijing is also concerned about political protests from domestic critics.

China says it fears an attack by Islamic insurgents in the restive western province of Xinjiang, as well as from Tibetans it says who want to split China — fears brought to the fore by violent riots that erupted in Tibet’s capital of Lhasa in March.

A vast security apparatus has been charged with guarding Beijing during the games, including thousands of soldiers, police and anti-terrorist squads. The government has also declared a “people’s war” against those who could disrupt the games, enlisting the help of neighborhood watch groups to root out threats.

Xinhua said the manual described potential terrorism threats, including explosions, shootings, hijacking and even chemical or nuclear attacks. It was not clear when the manual, written in Chinese, would be published, or how it would be distributed. China has already repeatedly said that a terrorist attack is one of the biggest worries for the games.

The manual follows a series guides China has published to tell its people how to behave during the games. A training manual for thousands of volunteers working the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics was released in May, on everything from handling visitors to sitting, standing and shaking hands. Campaigns have also been launched to get citizens to form lines in public places stop spitting and improve their driving habits.

China has already installed checkpoints on roads and subway stations around the capital, as well as areas which border Hebei province.

Reflecting China’s fears that an attack is possible, Chinese authorities will close Beijing’s airport for about five hours during the opening ceremony of the Olympics, affecting dozens of flights, local media and airlines said Friday.

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Synchronized Swimming, the event originally known as water ballet, will make its sixth appearance as a medal sport this year at the Summer Olympics.

Since making its debut as a medal sport at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, 33 medals have been awarded in synchronized swimming. Japan has the most medals with 11, but has never won gold in the sport. The United States has garnered the most gold medals with five and Russia is close behind with four.

All told, just five countries have earned medals in synchronized swimming. In addition to the nations mentioned above, France and Canada have also taken home hardware in this event.

There are two medal events within synchronized swimming, as countries compete in both team and duet segments. Both formats include a technical and free routine. Judges score routines on a 100-point scale with points being awarded for artistic impression (60-percent) and technical merit (40-percent).

Synchronized Swimming features two panels with five judges on each side, one to tally technical scores and the other to concentrate on artistic impression. Technical merit is judged based on criteria such as execution of strokes, difficulty for strokes and synchronization.

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Some of the planet’s premier runners, along with a contingent of Great Britain’s Olympic team, are set to warm up for the Beijing 2008 Games by competing first at the Aviva London Grand Prix July 25-26.
One of a series of summer competitions being staged by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the London Grand Prix will gather more than three dozen British Olympic team members at the Crystal Palace, according to the official website of UK Athletics.

Phillips Idowu, winner of the triple jump event at the 2008 British Olympic trials with a distance of 17.58 meters, will take part in the Grand Prix triple jump event.

Christine Ohuruogu, the women’s 200-meter race winner at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, will also attend as part of preparations for the upcoming Beijing Olympics. She was quoted on the official website of European Athletics as saying: “Nothing will prepare me better for Beijing than a warm-up at the Aviva London Grand Prix in front of a home crowd.”

Many international track and field stars are set to meet at the Grand Prix, just two weeks before the Olympics kick off in the Chinese capital on August 8. Among the most closely watched competitions in London will be the men’s 100- and 200-meter races. The three fastest men in the world - Asafa Powell, Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt – are all scheduled to converge on the Grand Prix.

Powell, the former 100-meter event world record holder, will compete against his strongest rival, Tyson Gay. Gay, a triple gold medalist at 2007 World Championships in Osaka, was quoted on the official website of UK Athletics as saying: “London will be very crucial for me – it is one of the biggest meets of the year right now and that is where it is going down between myself and Asafa. He has the title of being the world record holder and I have the title of being the world champion and I think that is really good for the sport.”

The world number one in men’s long-distance running, Kenenisa Bekele, will compete in the 5000-meter race in London. Bekele won the 5000-meter race at the London Grand Prix in 2005, but was defeated by Bernard Lagat in 2006 and was absent in 2007.

The first woman who vaulted over 5.00 meters, Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva, will compete in the pole vault event in London before traveling to Beijing.

An impressive performance for an around –the-world audience is set to be staged in London.

source: beijing2008.cn

The US Soccer Federation announced on July 17 the country’s 18-man squad for the Olympic men’s football tournament at Beijing 2008.

Coach Peter Nowak has chosen three over-age players, including three-time World Cup veteran Brian McBride, goalkeeper Brad Guzan and defender Michael Parkhurst.

Nowak’s team will participate in a football tournament in Hong Kong, playing Olympic warm-ups against fellow Olympic participants Ivory Coast on July 30 and Cameroon on August 2.

At Beijing 2008, the United States will face Japan, the Netherlands and Nigeria in Group B, with its first group game scheduled for August 7.

Roster:

GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (5): Patrick Ianni (Houston Dynamo), Michael Orozco (San Luis), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution), Nathan Sturgis (Real Salt Lake), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Freddy Adu (SL Benfica), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Benny Feilhaber (Derby County), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Danny Szetela (Brescia Calcio)

FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Brian McBride (out of contract), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)

RESERVES: Goalkeeper Dominic Cervi (out of contract), defender Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), midfielder Dax McCarty (FC Dallas) and forward Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake)

from: beijing2008.cn

AC Milan will allow its newly-acquired player Ronaldinho to play for Brazil at Beijing 2008.

Despite being selected as an over-age player in Brazil’s squad, Ronaldinho’s former club Barcelona did not want him to play at Beijing 2008. Ronaldinho’s transfer to AC Milan has given him a pass to Beijing.

“We respect the commitment he took before coming to Milan,” said AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani at a press conference. “If he had already been a Rossoneri he would not have gone but he will become ours during the week so we will let him go to the Olympics.”

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti thinks the Olympics will benefit the 28-year-old Ronaldinho, who has been out of form. The Italian league season starts one week after the Olympics on August 30, so Ancelotti hopes the Brazilian striker can be ready for the new season and adjust to his new club.

Brazil’s first Olympic game is scheduled against Belgium on August 7.

source: beijing2008.cn

More than 10,000 athletes from over 200 countries will be competing in the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing which is scheduled to begin in August 2008. As the sole official vehicle partner of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Volkswagen Group is supplying the Organisation Committee with a fleet of 5,000 vehicles to transport athletes, officials and VIPs during the Olympic Games.
To support a fleet of this magnitude, Volkswagen will provide a dedicated team of more than 140 technical specialists for daily vehicle checks and professional maintenance. In addition, Volkswagen will appoint more than 40 dealers in Beijing among the Audi, FAW-Volkswagen, Shanghai Volkswagen and Skoda dealers to provide 24/7 maintenance for the official Olympic cars.

Volkswagen Group Olympic Showcasing
In addition to the official Olympic fleet vehicles, Volkswagen will also have a large exhibition area set up in the Beijing Green Common Domain to present the ‘Volkswagen Group Olympic Showcasing’ which will carry the theme of the “Past, Present and Future”. This will feature the hundred year history of the automotive industry, the establishment and development of China’s motoring industry and China’s thirty years of reform. The seven Olympic torches from previous Olympics Games will also be featured to remind visitors of the history of the Olympic Games.
The utilisation of modern and water elements in the design of the Volkswagen Group Olympic Showcasing coincides with that of the “Bird’s Nest” and the “Water Cube” stadiums. The “outdoor” design brings visitors closer to the environment and enables them to experience the harmony between humankind and Mother Nature. The three sites synchronise with each other to form a unity. In the exhibition area, Volkswagen will also set up a 78-metre long screen wall with 9 movable display panels to showcase the competition of the Olympic Games at that particular time.
Among those expected to partake in the experience and delight that comes with the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games are distinguished guests and customers of Volkswagen, business partners as well as rewarded outstanding employees from Volkswagen.

Green Olympics
One of the most prominent features of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is its long standing pledge to stage a “Green Olympics”. To endorse this concept Volkswagen will illustrate their achievements in research and development including the evolution of new energy-conserving and environmentally friendly fuels, such as the Sun Fuel technology and other green energy resources.

The Olympic spirit of “faster, higher and stronger” is a long-term pursuit of Volkswagen; in retrospect, the “Green Olympics, High-Tech Olympics and People’s Olympics” concept of the 2008 Olympic Games is closely aligned with the long-term quest and practice of Volkswagen in such fields as environmental protection, sci-tech advancement and social responsibilities.

Volkswagen will endeavor to support the Organisation Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing (BOCOG) in its efforts to be an outstanding host during the Olympic Games and spread the Olympic Spirit in China.

source: albawaba.com

Reigning Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin was noticeably absent when the USA’s track and field team for Beijing was officially named on Monday.

Gatlin, who is serving a four-year ban for using steroids, tried unsuccessfully last month to get the US courts to permit him to compete in the US Olympic trials.
Gatlin won’t be going to the Beijing Olympics but several US athletes who have failed doping tests and served suspensions did make the team, including triple jumper Kenta Bell.

Bell was slapped with a three-month ban last year by the US Anti-Doping Agency after testing positive for methylpredinisolone at the 2007 US Track and Field Championships.

Joining Bell on the US team is female hurdler Damu Cherry, who placed second in the 100m hurdles at the Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon.

Cherry served a two-year suspension beginning in 2003 after testing positive for a nandrolone metabolite. Cherry claimed the positive result was caused by taking a vitamin.

Former 100m world champion Torri Edwards will run in the 100 and 4×100m in Beijing. Edwards missed the 2004 Summer Games while serving a two-year doping suspension.

The 126-member USA team includes Cherry, Edwards, Bell and reigning Olympic champions Jeremy Wariner (400m) and Shawn Crawford (200m).

Also on the team are Tyson Gay, Bernard Lagat and Allyson Felix.

Javelin thrower Breaux Greer is the latest addition to the US team.

The bronze medalist at the 2007 Worlds, Greer finished 17th in the javelin at the trials and failed to reach the final due to a nagging shoulder injury.

Because of the shoulder problem, USA Track and Field named Greer to the team on Monday, citing a rule that an injured athlete can be selected to the Olympics.

“While it would take an incredible performance to match our medal counts of recent championships, we certainly feel that this team has what it takes to again top the medal tables,” said USATF acting chief executive Bill Roe.

A gold medalist in both the 100 and 200 at the 2007 Worlds, Gay will be competing in just the 100 in Beijing due to a leg injury suffered at the trials.

A native of Kenya, Lagat will be representing the US for the first time since becoming a citizen.

Lagat caused a stir when it was revealed he became a US citizen in 2004, just prior to the Athens Olympics, but kept it a secret so he could run for his native Kenya.

He won the silver in the 1,500m in Athens and will compete in two events after winning both the 1,500m and 5,000m at the trials.

Felix, winner in the 200m in the past two World, aims for Beijing gold in the women’s sprint after having to settle for the silver in Athens.

The United States won 25 athletics medals at the 2004 Athens Games, eight of them gold. It had a championships-high 26 medals at the 2007 Worlds, including 14 gold.

from: chinadaily.com.cn