Official Thread: Beijing China Olympics 2008 - News, Results, Events

[David Tan]

Post here for all things related to Olympics 2008 in Beijing China. Look forward to record breakers and a spectacular opening night.

Below is an entertaining animated trailer to wet your appetite for the Beijing Olympics 2008. It uses the Monkey God mythology and getting the characters to seemingly perform some Olympic Track and field related movements.
Monkey God Animated Beijing Olympic Trailer

Also, another trailer, One world One dream.
Which kinda look like a one world one dream under China trailer.

And the absolutely corny video trailer with Coco Lee and another guy singing.

Recently there was a few terrorist bus bombings in China. Will there be more terrorist attacks during the Olympics, considering that the whole world will be paying attention to the Beijing Olympics? But at the same time, Beijing does have a rather tight security compared to most countries.

Updated August 07 2008 - 1 day left to opening ceremony
The Olympic Torch has entered Beijing with Yao Ming carried the torch out of China's symbolic Tiananmen Gate. China has alot of friends and enemies and of course the torch relay hasn't really been smooth due to protesters that wants to 'Free Tibet'.
Olympic Torch arrives in Beijing
Less than two days to go. How will they be delivering the flame to it's final destination? Knowing China, it'll be something really spectacular.

Check out the traditional homestay experience for Beijing Olympics tourists.
Homestay in Beijing Olympics

Another video report on the terrorist attacks and a group of extremist has threatened to attack the Beijing Olympics.

Updated August 15 2008
Michael Phelps has gotten six golds and broken 6 world records in Beijing Olympics 2008. Two more to complete it. This is crazy.

[Tephus]

Three more days to go! Beijing has turned into a fortress with missiles and barricades all over the city.

[Vintage]

Looking forward to the opening ceremony. I don't think anything untoward would happen with all the security precautions. But the over-controlling government might spoil the games in terms of media coverage and security harassment. I read they have volunteers with red arm bands patrolling the streets on the look out for suspicious activity.

[David Tan]

People may have a grudge against China but they gotta respect the atheletes. Anyone messing with the Olympics is going against the world. These atheletes train hours and many up to 12 hours a day just to be there and have their moment. The kind of passion and dedication poured into it deserves your respect even if you don't like the host. It's great to see a large group of people trained and giving their best. More world records!

[FreebieSeeker]

only one day to go by the way.. well david, people turn up for political reasons.
tibet, human rights etc...

it happens always remember the world economic summit...

[SpaceBOT]

Originally Posted by FreebieSeeker

only one day to go by the way.. well david, people turn up for political reasons.
tibet, human rights etc...

it happens always remember the world economic summit...

I think the Olympics should not be used as a vehicle for politics.. It's one of the last standing institutions that unite people all over the world.

[David Tan]

Few more hours to go. The excitment will soon begin. China is under pressure from all sides, in regards to keeping the event safe, winning more medals and dealing with protests.

[FreebieSeeker]

china got 2 Gold medals so far,
1 from women weight lifting
and the other I think was a men air pistol competition...

the opening ceremony was spectacular!

[David Tan]

Currently China has:-

Gold Silver Bronze Total
China 6 3 0 9
United States 3 4 4 11
South Korea 3 2 0 5

China is in the lead when it comes to gold, but with the US dominates when it comes to swimming and track. Also with Michael Phelps winning his first gold, it is expected that he will win a few more, participating in 8 events that can win him gold medals. He got 6 gold medals out of his last olympics, and ... he's only 23 this year.

This article describes the anticipation for swimming fans out there for Michael Phelps to blow his competition out of the water.

Also, view United States 4x100 Freestye relay world record breaking photos

[Tephus]

China owned the Synchronized Diving event. They won by 20 marks!

Also, I see a lot of Speedos winning medals this year thanks to their new suit.

[SpaceBOT]

Looks like Michael Phelps is on his way to getting 8 gold medals.. he's already 2 for 2 now... best swimmer ever... breaking all world records.. he'll go down in the hall of fame one day

[David Tan]

Gold / Silver / Bronze / Total
China / 9 / 3 / 2 / 14
United States / 6 / 5 / 7 / 18
South Korea / 4 / 5 / 0 / 9

China still leads with golds in synchronized diving, weightlifting and women's judo.

Michael Phelps has now 3 for 3 golds. 5 more to go.
- Men's 400m Individual Medley - New World Record 4:03.84
- Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay - New world Record 3:08.24
- Men's 200m Freestyle - New world Record 1:42.96
Also, he's already broken the world record for Men's 200m Butterfly in Heat 6, before the final. So it is expected that he also bags that gold as well.

How many world records will he break?

[SpaceBOT]

Michael Phelps have like about 50% of all the gold medals from from the USA right now.

Go figure..

Americans are lucky to have him! He's the Greatest American Hero!

[SpaceBOT]

China's singing genius was lip-synching!



Left: Girl performing on the song in the opening ceremony
Right: Providing the actual voice.

BEIJING — A 7-year-old Chinese girl was not good-looking enough for the Olympics opening ceremony, so another little girl with a pixie smile lip-synched "Ode to the Motherland," a ceremony official said _ the latest example of the lengths Beijing took for a perfect start to the Summer Games.

A member of China's Politburo asked for the last-minute change to match one girl's face with another's voice, the ceremony's chief music director, Chen Qigang, said in an interview with Beijing Radio.

[David Tan]

And also, some of the fireworks display that was broadcasted live was pre-recorded and fireworks depicting footprints moving from central Beijing's Tiananmen Square all the way to the Olympic Stadium, was too good to be true. It was partially computer-generated for TV. Special Effects. Ofcourse China wanted everything to be flawless, but it just made a mockery of the Olympics and made it look like a sham. Although when it comes to entertainment, it's not uncommon to jazz things up abit... even if it's fake.

[David Tan]

And also, Michael Phelps 4 for 4 gold, 4 for 4 world records broken with gold in the Men's 200m Butterfly event. America is closing in on the gold tally.

Country / Gold / Silver / Bronze / Total
China / 13 / 3 / 5 / 21
United States / 8 / 7 / 9 / 24
South Korea / 5 / 6 / 1 / 12

Video Interview of Phelp's family for the Beijing 2008 Olympics

And... watch the video cam of the full tv broadcast of the Men's 200m Butterfly event.

Just in - 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay team of Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Ricky Berens and Peter Vanderkaay has won gold and broken the record. So that's 5 for 5 gold and world record for Phelps.

[Tephus]

Youtube has a special Beijing channel. Did Google make this or did China pay them a sum?

[FreebieSeeker]

David i don't know why those "jerks" do that! They are completely an idiots!!

once I was proud that my own country hold the first ever Olympics not the news told those stupid idiots used fake to generate a so call a "nicer" image of an Olympics opening ceremony! Are they completely out of their mind (I mean some responsible parties in the government) ... I really couldn't believe it when I heard that!

[SpaceBOT]

Originally Posted by Tephus

Youtube has a special Beijing channel. Did Google make this or did China pay them a sum?

No lah.. YouTube wants people to post videos. Big producers promote their programs there. Google share ad revenues with the producers.

Anyways...

Michael Phelps is a SUPER ATHELETE!

I wanna be like Michael Phelps! I always regret being lazy and never trained... I could have been an olympian... sux....

Anyways, PHELPS NEWS!

He's done it again..

He's not got 5 GOLDs and broke 5 WORLD RECORDS to do it.

That means, he still has 50% of the GOLDS of the United States which has a total of 10 golds so far.

Imagine, If Michael Phelps is a country, Phelp Nation would be the 3rd ranking country now.

[David Tan]

Fake fireworks and lip sync peformance. The issue is not so much of whether China is giving their best but that, many people around the world will have FALSE memories of the Olympics. What people saw in the stadium is also going to be different from what other's see in the telly. Talk about disunity, and manhandled into a nation's directive.

Anyway, not forgetting an equally popular event in the Olympics, the women gymnastics. These women sacrificed much, including their youth, and for many even their bodies in hoping to achieve a gold or a medal. Combining strength with grace, force with feminity, form with muscles, check out the video for women's artistic gymnastics.

Also, watch out for the badminton sport. Fast and furious sportsplay, that requires agility, intuition and the ability to predict where the shuttle will land in a split second. Women's world champions doubles were defeated by Japan's duo but bowed out at the semifinals.