Coming to the rescue of China, their image to the world and to further their education, Chinese volunteers have stepped up in record numbers to provide English translation to visitors.

Made up of more than a million people, the 2008 Beijing Olympic “City Volunteers” are made up of students and other people who speak several languages that were willing to commit 5 weeks of their time to be out and about in the city to be approached and offer guidance, advice and help to visitors to China. For two years, the Beijing Organization Olympic Committee interviewed and trained qualified volunteers. In return, volunteers received McDonalds meals and complimentary Adidas clothing. 

Found in the malls, streets, banks and stores wearing bright blue 2008 Olympic t-shirts, you can spot the City Volunteers just about everywhere. Some volunteers are stationed at one of the 550 kiosks set up around the capitol to provide directions, offer aid or other services.

Without the volunteers, the Olympic Games would not be able to offer such support. The Olympic Games Committee would not be able to hire a million professional translators to help all the visitors and everything else that is needed. They have hired professional translators for several other aspects of the games, which include:

•    Pamphlets

•    Directions

•    Signs

•    Websites

•    Newspapers

•    Schedules

•    More

When it comes to the inside of the Olympic Games, translations into several languages needs to be spot on. The Olympics are serious and that means besides needing so many volunteers willing to vocally translate for visitors, hiring thousands of professional translators is also required for in-house operations.

Thousands of people from all over the world will require assistance through translation each day for instruction, direction or information during the Olympics and China will rely on their sea of volunteers to help on the outside, while they look to their professional translation team on the inside.



By: Melissa Peterman

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Click Here to Download Ringtones from the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, is a major international multi-sport event which 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.

The program for the Beijing 2008 Games is quite similar to that of the Athens Games held in 2004. The 2008 Olympics will see the return of 28 sports, and will hold 302 events (165 men’s events, 127 women’s events, and 10 mixed events), one event more in total than in Athens. Overall 9 new events will be held, which include 2 from the new cycling discipline of BMX. Women will compete in the 3000 m steeplechase for the first time. In addition, marathon swimming events for men and women, over the distance of 10 kilometres, will be added to the swimming discipline. Team events (men and women) in table tennis will replace the doubles events. In fencing, women’s team foil and women’s team sabre will replace men’s team foil and women’s team epee.

Ringtones from the 2008 Summer Olympics currently being held in Beijing are some of the hottest ringtones in the world right now. Click on the link below and sign up to download 2008 Olympic ringtones for your phone right now!

Click Here to Download Ringtones from the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics

 



By: Daniel Sitar

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LOS ANGELES — The Beijing Olympics “were a triumph of the will for a people and a government determined to show their skill and confidence,” the Los Angeles Times said on Sunday.

“They were a triumph of the will for a people and a government determined to show their skill and confidence, as both athletes and organizers, to a world that once treated China as a weak, servile nation,” the paper noted.

“China won the most gold medals, hardly a surprise when a country of 1.3 billion people decides such a goal is important and commits enormous resources to achieving it,” the paper said. ” China also built sports venues that combined gargantuan scale and striking architecture in a way no previous Olympic host could afford.

Doping never became the issue at the games, the paper said.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge had predicted from 30 to 40 positives, based on purely mathematical projections of past results and increased numbers of tests.

But as of Sunday, with analysis reports on the final five days’ samples yet to come, there had been just six positives out of 4, 600 tests during the Games, only two involving medalists, none of them gold medalists. There were 26 doping violations in 2004, including three gold medalists.

“It is more difficult to cheat,” Rogge was quoted as saying, noting that 39 other athletes were banned from competing in Beijing after being caught by pre-Olympic testing.

The sky fell into the  ”blue” category, according to the measurements of air pollution, the paper said.

Despite turning an eerie white and then a murky haze that hung over Beijing for a week, the sky actually went blue in the middle of the first week of competition and the sun came out most every other day, the paper said.

“The Beijing Olympics wound up looking as most expected,” the paper concluded.

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By: alexda

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Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland has decided to boycott the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic games in an act of protest against Chinese actions in Tibet. This is a fact that few people through out the world are aware of and perhaps even fewer actually care about for at the end of the day neither us nor Tusk should delude ourselves in to believing that Tusk’s absence from the opening ceremony of the Olympic games is going to make any difference what so ever to anybody. Let alone to the people of Tibet in whose name Donald Tusk is supposedly doing it for. If we may be realistic the Chinese government which granted has an appalling human rights record not only with regards to Tibetans but all its citizens will not change anything simply because one person fails to turn up at a ceremony even a big one.

 

If we go back to the year of 1980 when the Olympic Games were due to take place in Moscow, it was Jimmy Carter; then president of United States who took the monumental choice of not sending our American Olympic team to compete in the Moscow games in protest of Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. Carter’s actions naturally achieved the goal of

hurting those American athletes who had trained so hard for that moment of glory in their lives but apart from this what else did his efforts amount to? Well let us think for a minute. The Olympic Games were not shown on American television not that I myself missed them given that I spent this summer in Madrid where I witnessed how not even the UK; our closest ally in any war did not follow in our footsteps of boycotting the Moscow games in the naïve hope that it would make the Soviets withdraw their troops from Afghanistan. Naturally if even the UK would not go along with us on this one, it is needless to say that neither would some of our less American influenced allies such as France, Spain, or Italy who like the UK did not fail to make their presence felt at the Moscow games.

 

Carter’s drive to get the nations of the world to join us in our boycott obviously failed miserably as did his bid to be reelected President when in November of the same year he would go on to suffer a landslide defeat at the hands of ex-actor, Ronald Wilson Reagan. Carter however had other “brilliant ideas” on how to assist the people of Afghanistan and one of them being a grain embargo of the Soviet Union. This tactic contrary to the first one had stronger effects. One of them being hurting our farmers while not helping the people of Afghanistan in the slightest. Perhaps it was ideas like this one that earned him his Nobel Prize?

 

It is with this in mind that I ask not only Tusk but those who may be contemplating similar actions the following question. If a boycott of the Moscow games by the United States Olympic team, which is one of the biggest with perhaps the one most fans to follow it along with American networks also choosing not to broadcast the event (which meant tremendous lose of revenue to organizers of the games) failed to make the slightest difference in Moscow’s decision to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan why then would Donald Tusk’s absence from the opening ceremony even be noticed by anybody outside of Poland let alone change anything with regards to relationships between Beijing and Tibet?

 

The simple answer is it will not change anything apart from perhaps making Tusk feel better about himself for having made a gallant though futile effort at something that was doomed to failure from the get go. The Olympic games for better or worse are going to be held in China weather we like it or not; this is a fact and they will not be canceled and even if the whole Polish Olympic team along with other nations were to boycott them as was the case with the Los Angeles games of 1984 it will not alter Beijing’s attitude toward Tibet or anything else for that matter. China right now has an economy that is literally growing by leaps and bounds to the point that it has already past Italy and will soon do likewise with France if it has not done so already with regards to the size of their G.D.P. and though the Olympic Games will provide them with a boost to their economy, it will not be much in comparison to the size of what their economy presently is. With this in mind we should come to the conclusion that even if the Olympic games were not to take place in Beijing this year it would not make that much of difference to the Chinese economy let alone to their political machine.

 

I am a Republican so it would not be my tendency to agree with a Democrat but I must say that Bill Clinton was not entirely wrong when he said the way to bring about change in China is not via isolation or boycotts or embargos but dialog and negotiation. It is these two however that should never be mistaken for appeasement which clearly failed in Munich in 1938 as it did at the Yalta conference in 1945. For my part I can claim if only Clinton and other American Presidents had held this same line of thought toward Cuba as they did and still do toward China who knows what changes might have taken place there by now? As for China things are changing even with regards to politics though perhaps not as quickly as some would like them to but for sure gone are the days of the “cultural revolution” and its brutalities.

 

As for Donald Tusk; if his goal is really to assist the people of Tibet and not just make jests that are due to end in failure as did his bid to become president of Poland in 2005 then it is to him that I suggest attending the inauguration of the Olympic Games and claiming he is doing so on behalf of the people of Tibet. It would be a gesture like this that would bring more of the world’s attention to the plight of the people of Tibet then a no-show which did not work to persuade the Soviets in 1980 as it will not secede to do likewise with the Chinese in 2008.



By: Gianni Truvianni

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2 million people actually have the opportunity to explore the many things to do in Beijing during the 2008 Olympics. I say “only” because that leaves 4 billion to watch it on their televisions. However, you can still enjoy a virtual tour and get a taste of the Beijing Experience.

So kick back and let’s explore the attractions near some of the Olympic venues.

It’s not often an entire city gets a facelift. But hosting the Olympic Games is a task of epic proportions so Beijing devoted 7 years and $43 billion in changing the face of Beijing! And not just with immense Olympic structures like the “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium but with everything that branched off from them. From immense structures like a new airport and subway lines extended to include 85 more miles to color accents like trees and flowers lining the streets…to the tune of 22 million trees and 40 million flower pots!

GETTING AROUND

So, how does one get around a city of 15 million people? Beijing wanted to ensure that visitors could find their way to the Olympic venues so getting around now will be much easier than it was before. Still, we recommend you start your vacation by booking an airport-to-hotel shuttle. That way, you can relax and enjoy your first introduction to Beijing and leave the driving in the capable hands of someone who knows the city well.

If you’re planning to hit some of the rural areas outside of Beijing as one of the things to do, you’ll probably want to rent a car but count on traffic delays. If you’re a first time visitor, you might fare better using the subway system because all the signs are written in both English and Chinese. A good planning strategy is to take one subway line each day of your visit and make stops along the way.

STARTERS

After you’ve settled into your hotel & adjusted to the time difference, it’s time for discovery. You’ll want to hit the most famous attractions first:

Six miles from the Beijing Olympic Green Hockey Stadium, sits the Forbidden City. For almost five centuries, it served as the home of the Emperor and his household, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government. The complex has 70 structures and more than 9000 rooms with a royal garden behind the palace.

The Forbidden City sits on the north side of Tiananmen Square, the largest public square on Earth, covering more than 100 acres. It’s the founding site of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949 and is considered the most iconic location in China.

MUSEUMS

Check out the route of the Olympic Subway Line and make stops along the way. Not only will you discover museums near the National Indoor Stadium, like the China National Film Museum, but also shops and restaurants within walking distance. The museum is an extensive 63-acre museum devoted to film. It houses an IMAX theater and numerous exhibition halls, with 20 hosting permanent collections. Detailing the work of 450 filmmakers, 1500 films, and 4300 stills, it actually offers more things to do than can be covered in one day.

PARKS AND GARDENS

Near the National Stadium, sits Bei Hai Park: Originally built in the days of Kublai Khan, this park was used for recreation by the emperors of post-Kublai Khan dynasties. Famous features include the Nine-Dragon Screen, the Five-Dragon Pavilion and the White Dagoba, a memorial to a visit by the Dalai Lama in 1651.

Another noteworthy park is Eight Sites Park, with the chance to see eight temples and pagodas along the path to the top of the hill.

For those interested in China’s history, check out Stone Scripture Hill in the Shi Jing District. A total of more than 1000 volumes of Buddhist scriptures were carved and housed in the nine caves here in an attempt to preserve Buddhism when it was abolished the second time.

For months we’ve heard about Beijing, little tidbits to whet your appetite. Now it’s burst upon the scene with pomp & circumstance, starting with the Opening Ceremony Extravaganza on 8-08-08. I have my feet planted firmly on California soil but will thoroughly enjoy visiting Beijing virtually. And come the day when I visit Beijing in person, I’ll already have a good idea of all the things to do there.



By: David Reichman

About the Author:

The Games of the XXIX Olympiad is almost upon us. For the casual observer, this is otherwise known as the Summer Olympics to be held in Beijing, China. The opening ceremonies will begin on August 8, 2008, at 8 minutes past 8 PM, local China time. The number 8 signifies good luck in a culture steep in tradition. And with the world watching, the country will welcome some good fortune as it hosts the biggest sporting show on earth.

Over the years, we have all seen the progression and popularity of the Olympics from one four-year cycle to the next. The Olympic Games are getting bigger, more commercial and more extravagant. There are logistical questions regarding transporation, hotel accomodations and security involved. To get a better understanding of the issues a host country faces in these modern times, here is a look at the numbers.

Some 205 nations will be participating in the Beijing games, with approximately 10,500 athletes competing in 302 events within 28 sports. 37 sporting venues were built to accommodate the Beijing Olympics Games. While most of the events will be held in Beijing, football, equestrian and sailing will be held in other Chinese cities such as Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, Tianjin, Hong Kong and Qingdao.

The anticipated attendance for the Beijing Games is more than half a million. This does not include the 70,000 volunteers, 4000 staff, 18,000 journalists and the 10,500 athletes themselves.

When the Summer Games were awarded to Beijing, one of the concerns was the poor air quality of the city. Moreover, to house so many new visitors, transportation was an issue in an already chaotic traffic system. To combat this problem, local vehicles will only be allowed on the road on alternate days during the Olympic Games. Vehicles from outside Beijing will also be prohibited from entering the city unless they meet air quality standards.

Another issue that Chinese officials had to address was the dangerous time we live in. The Olympics has grown to become the premiere sporting event in the world with a global audience. Unfortunately, this spotlight also attracts political and religious zealots. To keep the Games safe, China has created an anti-terror squad of 100,000 men strong.

It seems as though China is addressing anticipated issues well and will strive for the best Olympic Games ever for its coming out party. Now that the logistics are over, let’s get the show on the road and let the XXIX Olympiad begin!



By: Mariam Ma

About the Author:

arvin_gumato@yahoo.com

LONDON REPORTER, CHRIS CHASE  MORTIFIED CHINA AND THE 2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS  

Earlier this week; Mr. Chris Chase, a  London based reporter who traveled the distant far to reach China in order to witness the 2008 Beijing Olympics  did present his observations.

Finding the notes of Chris Chase on the web maybe annoying to many; not only for  the over 3 billion readers in China; but the whole world who  were stunned what have China done for the Olympics – that is considered by the world as extremely incomparable, beyond  norms, beyond compare, more than a magic, so beautiful. And yes, not even Britain and any nation of the world can handle to match the same – when Chris Chase inked in his article @ Yahoo Sports  that the presentation of China is FAKE.

Reading the article Chris presented to the public causes sour reactions.

In order to help everyone; all of us to properly respond; to properly present a reaction, an article maybe; the following parameters is helpful.

 How to Criticize Effectively

1. Identify the behavior that you want to criticize. Direct your criticism at the action, not the person. The less personal you make your comments, the less likely the person will become defensive and uncooperative.

2. Make criticism specific. Not: “You always miss game reports.” But: “You missed the March 15 game report.” Rash generalizations are counterproductive and tough to prove. The more specific the criticism, the easier it is to justify the criticism.

3. Be sure the behavior you’re criticizing can be changed. Foreign accents, baldness and other similar things cannot always be changed. Pick out specifics the workers can work on and see improvement.

.4. Use “I” and “we” to stress that you want to work out the problem together, rather than making threats. Officiating can be a lonely business. By using “we,” the readers will hopefully feel he/she is not alone in the idea.

5. Make sure the particulars you criticize understand the reason for your criticism is to improve their game style and their ways. Put a positive spin on your comments; they are meant to improve things.

6. Don’t belabor the point. Short and sweet, no lectures. No one likes to be talked down to.

7. Offer incentives for changed of style and systems, therefore producing a better presentations. Offer to help identifying the root to correct the problem. Improved systems can lead to improved opportunities.

8. Don’t set a tone of anger or sarcasm. Both are counterproductive. The more sarcasm used, anger is often true from the readers.

9. Show the public readers that you understand the probable reactions: Assure the readers that things can be changed.

10. If you’re putting your criticism in hard writing, cool off before writing the critical letter or memo. If you write your report shortly after the feeling of denial that you maybe fall from the group of second rated and or of less powerful creation, emotions tend to appear. Take good notes at the situation, then review them before writing a comment and or an article.

11. Start off by saying something good. Assure the readers that what China has and what they have made is one great thing; never in this earth one did have presentations of the same.

12. At the end, reaffirm your support.  Reassure the public that you are there to help China improve should it need be.

 And for the people of China, congratulations; and the world who are into the blaze of the Olympic 2008 Trends; let us all learn the manners of criticizing.

 

 

 



By: Arvin Gumato Pareja

About the Author:

Steroid use rumors and steroid bans are nothing new when it comes to the Olympics and it looks like the Beijing 2008 Olympics will be no different than the past Olympic games. Olympic history is peppered with steroid abuse stories including the very famous stories on Ben Johnson in the 1988 Olympics and more recently Marion Jones.

This years Beijing Olympic games has seen dozens of athletes from around the world being banned for steroid use and doping. The U.S. swimming team has had several of it’s members investigated. Greek track and weighlifting athletes have been under the microscope since the spring with several being banned from the 2008 Olympics. Both the Romanian and Russian track teams have seen members banned from this years Olympic games.

Searches in Google for anything related to steroids and the Beijing 2008 Olympics and you’ll get back tens of thousands of results. Steroid issues are alive and well when it comes to Olympic athletes even though the Olympic committee has vowed to eliminate them from the Games. When it comes to steroids the Olympic games are no different than any other sport or league. Athletes will do whatever they feel is necessary to win, it’s simply a condition of the competitive spirit.

It’s obvious in this day and age that when thousands of world class athletes are brought together that steroids will be in the limelight. Everyone loves to point out those athletes they feel are ‘cheating’ by using steroids, but is it really cheating if everyone is doing it. Athletes are competitive by nature and willing to do anything to win so why would you expect them to forego steroid usage if it will improve their performance.

I imagine that steroid controversies will continue for the duration of the Beijing Olympics. It would be no surprise to see athletes have medals revoked after winning at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. What do you think? Should steroids be allowed at world level competitions? Is it necessary for athletes to use performance enhancing drugs to put in the best possible performance or is it better to have natural athletes showing what the human body can do on its own?

There’s no doubt that unless we come up with some way to discover all performance enhancing substances that steroid abuse will continue. And you can also bet that new ways to increase and enhance performance will be discovered and used by athletes in the future.



By: Steven Walters

About the Author:

Beijing, Qingdao and Hong kong will be the three cities for the 2008 Olympics. The most Olympic events will be held in Beijing, the sailing Competition will be held in Qingdao and the Equestrian Competition will be in Hong kong. When you come to Olympic Games and visit these cities, you can find so many interesting things beside Olympics.

Beijing is a city of amazing contrasts – an ancient capital with some incredible historical sites, and a bustling modern metropolis getting ready to host the 2008 Olympics. In Beijing, those places you should not miss:

The Tiananmen Square- is the largest public square in the world.

Forbidden City-is the largest and the best preserved Imperial Palace in the world.

Temple of Heaven-was built specifically for worship of heaven and prayers for good harvests during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Badaling Great Wall-is China most spectacular sight extending more than 3,700 miles across China and most often visited for China tour. It is one of the best preserved sections and the highest point of the Great Wall;

Summer Palace-is the most splendid imperial garden in China built in 1750.

Hutong Trishaw Tour-you can take the rickshaw to drive through the old walking alleys to see the old living residence. You can also visit the local family to talk with them. This is a very good opportunity for you to have a real understanding of the local people life.

In Beijing, clusters of neighboring “Siheyuan”(Quadrangles), low and gray, make into many small alleys, most of which orderly laid out like a chessboard, running either from south to north or east to west. This sort of alleys is called “Hutong” in Peking dialect. All these alleys are the same. When you are in it, you will find and experience that every alley has something special to talk about, as it is full of life and stories.

While in Hong kong, you can relax and enjoy the peaceful environment of the spectacular islands and country parks. Walking the street here, you may know more about the culture of east and west combined. That is the reason why Hong kong is a city with nickname of Gourmets’ Paradise, City with a Passion, the City that Never Sleeps and Land of Limitless delights.

In Hong kong, these places you should not missed:

Victoria Peak- It is one of Hong Kong leading tour destinations, which has breathtaking views of city famous skyline, Victoria Harbour and as well as the romantic South China Sea.

Aberdeen- A harbor area crowded with junks and sampans, where 6,000 people live and work on junks. To get a close-up look at the Aberdeen way of life, you can take a sampan ride.

Repulse Bay- It is the most famous beach of having the highest representative characteristics in Hong Kong by its long and wide beach, clean water, calm tide and gentle wave.

 

When the lights go down, you head for Lan Kwai Fong, you will get a taste of Hong Kong unique nightlife.

Lan Kwai Fong is an L-shaped, cobble-stoned lane with numerous bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants. Visiting on a Friday or Saturday night, you may be overwhelmed by the enormous crowds that fill the streets, with all bars having only standing room. Most language you can hear here is English rather than Cantonese speaking.

The third city to talk about is Qingdao. As a sailing Olympic city, Qingdao is a beautiful seaside city in the southeast of Shandong Province. When you are here, never miss to go those places:

Mt. Laoshan- is different from many famous mountains in China. Lao Mountain rises from the sea level, and has a coast line of 87 kilometers, structuring a wonder on the sea. Take a walk around, with the sea on one side, and lofty stones and precipitous peaks on the other side, both majestic and elegant, you will enjoy those views without feeling to leave.

Taiqing Palace – As the birth place of Laozi, it has more than 140 rooms including Three Gods’ Hall, Three Purities’ Hall and Three Emperors’ Hall. There are five Taiji Palaces as the main buildings, a stone pillar with three cypresses around and many well preserved ancient articles.

The No. 1 Bathing Beach- is located at the Huiquan Beach, it is once the largest bathing beach in Asia. The surrounding mountains and green trees, modern building subtly combined traditional villas form a wonderful scene. The clear water and soft sands contribute to the superior natural conditions of the beach.

What’s more, every summer Qingdao hosts the Beer Festival. If you have an opportunity to attend it, you’ll see the best of Chinese beer drinking culture at the event. The many performances are sometimes hilarious, such as the beer drinking competition. Who is the fastest one to chug a bottle of Qingdao beer? You will be surprised that it’s the ladies who excel at this admirable skill at often times. There are large variety of beer to sample, from all over Asia and Europe, as well as our well known North American brands.



By: huiya

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The Olympics are in Beijing in 2008, how are the teams chosen for the fencing competition?

The mandated levels of athlete participation has led to changes in the selection process for the Games. Each nation is no longer guaranteed an athlete in each sport – now nations and athletes have to compete against not only their countrymen, but against others in their region or continent for an Olympic slot.

In the 2004 Olympic Games all of the men’s events (epee, foil, and saber) were included, but two of the three women’s events did not hold the team competition.

The international fencing federation (FIE) rotates the events which will sit out the team portion of the Olympics, and for the 2008 Olympic Fencing competition, Men’s Foil and Women’s Epee will only hold an individual tournament.

Who gets to go?

Athletes are competing for slots based on their nation’s standing in the world (for team events) and based on individual world rankings (for the individual events.) Here’s a breakdown of what it will take for an aspiring swordsman (or swordswoman) to get a ticket to Beijing:

Weapons with Team Events (Men’s Epee, Men’s Sabre, Women’s Foil, Women’s Sabre):

Team Events are comprised of teams of 3 fencers with 1 alternate. A total of 8 teams can compete in each team event (9 if China fails to qualify a team directly).

The top 4 teams in the world standings will qualify directly to the Olympics. The remaining 4 teams are chosen based on regional qualification. The top team from each region (Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa) that is not already qualified will earn a regional berth.

The individual event is a tournament with a field of 39 fencers. For the individual competition, the 24 fencers that competed in the team event qualify. After the first 24 fencers are chosen, the top 3 in the World standings qualify, with only one fencer from any one country. The next 7 are pulled from the Olympic zones as the top 2 from Europe, 2 from Asia, 2 from the Americas, and 1 from Africa, again with only 1 fencer from a country. The remaining 5 slots are determined by a continental qualifying competition with 2 from Europe and 1 from each of the remaining regions.

What about Men’s Foil and Women’s Epee?

A different set of criteria is used to pick the 24 fencers who will compete in the Men’s Foil and Women’s Epee events. Because there is no team event, each individual will have to qualify on their own merit and not on the ranking of their national team. The following formula is used to pick the 24 individual entries:

The top 8 in the World rankings get their tickets punched (but only 2 can go from the same country from this set.) After the first 8 are chosen, the next 8 in are picked by region based on adjusted world rankings. (There are 3 slots for Europe, 2 for Asia, 2 for the Americas, and 1 for Africa.) The last 8 qualify based on continental competitions where countries that haven’t qualified any fencers on the first 2 rounds. In the last round, the allocation of slots remains at 3 Europe, 2 Asia and Americas, and 1 for Africa.

Outlook for the United States

Will the US earn a medal in 2008?

The United States earned Bronze and Gold medals in Women’s sabre in 2004. Sada Jacobson and Mariel Zagunis are still at the top of the world rankings and are joined by young fencing phenom Becca Ward, who last year won the individual world championship title at the Cadet, Junior, and Senior levels of competition. The US is favored to medal in Women’s Sabre.

In the other weapons, the best hopes are with Men’s Sabre as the individual team members are posting good results for the season.



By: Craig Harkins

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