Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley

Despite all of the United States’ great success in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, there was next to nothing to cheer about its middle distance runners in the track and field competition.

America’s hopes rode squarely on the shoulders of Bernard Lagat and Ryan Hall. The Kenyan-born Lagat had become an American citizen and was a proven winner in international competition, and Hall had become our American-born hope to medal and perhaps win in the marathon. Lagat sought gold in the 1500 and 5000-meter runs.

In the end, neither of them was even close enough to think about sniffing a medal. Worse yet, all of America’s men and women competitors in the 800, 1500, 5000, 10,000, 3,000 steeplechase and the marathon could muster only 1 of 36 possible medals.

If it was not for Shalane Flanagan’s third-place finish in the 10,000, the United States would not have won a single medal in the middle distance events. Her 30:22.22 clocking was good enough for the bronze medal and an American record.

The next best American finish was Shannon Rowbury’s 7th place in the 1500 in 4:03.58. Rowbury’s 7th place was the highest finish ever by an American woman in an Olympic 1,500-meter final.

The United States did not even have any qualifiers who made it to the finals in the men’s and women’s 800 and the men’s 1500. Lagat was eliminated in the semifinal heat for the 1500. The medalists in the 1500 clocked 3:32.94, 3:33.11 and 3:34.16.

Lagat was considered among the favorites in the race, having won both the1500 and 5000 titles at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka (Japan) last year. He went 3:34.77 in the 1500 and 13:45.87 in the 5000.

In the Olympic 5000, Lagat was way out of the money, finishing 9th in 13:26.89. Apparently, competition at the World Championships in Osaka was not nearly as difficult as it was in the Olympics since Lagat won the 1500 title in 13:45.87. The medalists in the 5000 at the Olympics clocked 12:57.82, 13:02.80 and 13:06.22.

Legate is known for his finishing speed. In both the 1500 and 5000 at the U. S. Olympic trials (which he won), he was content to go with a slow pace and simply out sprint his competition in the last lap. Having seen his Olympic 5000 effort, I would put Lagat’s last 400 at 52 and change. The problem was, unlike the U. S. trials, all of his competition in the Olympics ran as fast or faster.

For all the hoopla and bragging rights at the World Championships, the World Championships are simply not as big, not as important, not as competitive and not as fast as the Olympic Games. There is a reason why the Summer Olympics are held only once every 4 years. Once it was clear that Lagat would not perform at his best, we then learned of an injured left Achilles tendon. Whatever.

Hopes were high for Ryan Hall because in April of this year he placed 5th at the Flora London Marathon in 2:06.17, breaking his own record for the fastest ever marathon run by an American-born citizen. The marathon winner at the Beijing Olympics ran 2:06.32 to set an Olympic record.

America’s best finisher in the marathon was Dathan Ritzenhein in 2:11.59. Hall was 10th in 2:12.33 and Brian Sell was 22nd in 2:16.07. Both Ritzenhein and Hall got some valuable experience in Olympic competition, but no medals.

America could not buy a medal in any of the other eventsthe men’s 10,000 and 3000 steeplechase, and the women’s 5000, 3000 steeplechase and marathon. Such is the state of middle distance running in the United States in 2007.

Our American record-holder in the mile, Alan Webb, did not even qualify for the U. S. Olympic Team in the 1500. Seems some grand training plan of Webb’s went awry. Whatever.

When the day of the Olympic Trials or Olympic finals comes, you have to compete despite your physical, mental or emotional condition. You either qualify or you do not. You either medal in the competition or you do not. The Olympic Games are not a dress rehearsal.

Is there hope for improvement in America’s middle distance runners? I’m glad you finally asked. There are currently two answers to that question. First, well, certainly, there is always hope. Second, it reminds one of a cowboy movie with a two-member posse, there is Slim and none.

Unless our middle distance runners develop some genuine desire and belief that they can actually beat foreign runners, we are always going to be over-hyped and under-performed. We will never be the lead dog in the pack, we will always be looking at someone else’s backside, and Iditarod is a long race.



By: Ed Bagley

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As the world waits in anticipation for the greatest sports spectacle on earth, here are some fun facts to wet your appetite for the upcoming 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Beijing China was awarded the Games of the XXIX Olympiad on July 13, 2001 beating out stiff competition from Toronto Canada, Paris France, Istanbul Turkey and Osaka Japan. Even though the Olympics are viewed as a sporting event, it is tinged with political overtones. It has been proposed that the awarding of the Olympic Games to Beijing was an acknowledgment by the International Olympic Committee of China’s new superpower status on the world stage. This is despite the fact there have been numerous criticisms opposing the appointment due to concerns of human rights issues, a chaotic transportation system, and a serious air pollution problem.

With the eyes of the world on Beijing, the host city has tried to answer the pollution and transportation issues with a reduction of vehicles going into the city and limiting drivers the use of their cars to alternating days. As for the human rights violations, it is hoped that with worldwide scrutiny and inviting China to host the Games, better relations and dialogue will follow.

The Beijing Olympics will officially start on August 8, 2008 at 8:08:08 pm China Standard Time. The number eight holds special significance for the Chinese as a number of good fortune. The Chinese superstitious theme is also carried in its Olympic mascots. The Beijing Olympic mascots are known collectively as the FUWA, or good luck dolls in Chinese. However, not only do the FUWA dolls serve as heralds of good wishes from China, they also each represent a color in the Olympic rings. These Olympic mascots are stylized versions of popular animals in China and have the names of Beibei, Jingjing Huanhuan, Yingying, Nini. If you take the first syllables of their names, it spells Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni, or “Welcome to Beijing” in Chinese.

Another creative marketing idea to come out of the Beijing Olympic Games is the artistic representation of its official logo. Brush calligraphy is an ancient art form for the Chinese. Using a stamp seal and writing the Jing character in stylized calligraphy, the Beijing logo is known as the “Dancing Beijing” for its appearance of grace and fluidity.

Given the controversies and the fact that China is an emerging power with a very rich culture and history, the Beijing Olympic Games will surely be an interesting event to watch!



By: Mariam Ma

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The American athlete Angelo Taylor has recently won his second gold medal in the track and field discipline known as the 400 meter hurdles despite the low probabilities he had a few months ago to be a strong contender to win the race. Taylor defeated world champion Clements by only .73 timing 47.25 while Clements arrived in second place with 47.98 and Bershawn Jackson in third place with 48.06.

For Taylor and his professional career this is an incredible triumph as he obtained his maiden gold medal during the Olympic Games in Sidney eight years ago but he was also disqualified in the 4×400 m relay category during the same event. 

The US track and field Olympic team has not quite fulfilled the expectations except for Taylor’s win. They do not seemed ready for the challenge and even Tyson *** who was one of the leading names to win the 100 meter did not manage to qualify for the final.

“It was a great run. “I feel like I’m on top of the world right now. To lead the sweep means so much…The USA hasn’t had a great showing so far so we wanted to prove something.” stated Taylor after his great performance.

Taylor also referred to the situation he faced in Sidney when his team was disqualified due to three of the runners testing positive for the use of prohibited substances to enhance the athletes’ performance. It was a very uncomfortable situation for Taylor as he was also questioned but the very fact the name of their country was polluted was what hit him most deeply. At that moment Taylor and Michael Johnson were the only ones to be completely cleared of any mistrust.

Back in 1999 was when Taylor began his running career while participating in the World Championships, he ended third in his heat at the 400 meter hurdles and won the gold medal with the 4×400 relay team.  During  the World Champion in 2001, Taylor was disqualified in the semifinals due to a flu but days later, he won the gold medal with the 4×400 relay team. During 2003 Taylor did not qualified to the World Championships but he tried to do his best in the Athens Olympics in 2004, however he only reached the semifinals.

Three years later during the 2007 World Championship Taylor won the gold medal with the 4×400 relay team and won the bronze medal in the 400 meter flat. More recently in Beijing Taylor has crowned himself as the best hurdles runner in the world due to the fact that Edwin Moses was not able to compete and measure up with Taylor’s timing.

For the United States as a country having athletes as Phelps in swimming as Taylor in the track and field category is an supreme honor. These athletes are still very young and it is likely we will continue to hear their names as they stand on the podium to receive those gold medals, most American fans hope for them to win.



By: Ally White

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Basketball at the 2008 Olympic Games will be held at Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing from August 9-24, 2008.

Basketball is definitely a global sport that has shown continued growth over recent years. The USA with the NBA and its college basketball system undoubtedly has the toughest competitions in the world that attracts the world’s best players. However, the USA has not always dominated the Olympics and on several occasions they have been embarrassed by some unexpected defeats to lesser known teams.

The USA always enters the Olympics as favourites but their inability to gel and play as a team has brought about some bad losses. The question will be is will they have a team of players who play like individuals or will they put aside their egos and play as a team. If they play as a team then they should win the gold medal.

In 1972 the Soviet Union beat the USA to win the gold in a controversial game. After 1988 the Olympics opened the sport up for professional players to play which saw the greatest basketball team of all time to compete in 1992. The “Dream Team” lead by Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were just unbeatable and put on a show for all the world to see. Most of the players on the other teams were star struck by playing against these legends of the game.

In 1992 Michael Jordan was the team’s second highest scorer with 14.9 points per game and he had a tournament high 37 steals. The U.S. defeated Croatia 117-85 in the final and as a result Michael Jordan earned his second Olympic gold medal.

David Stern of the NBA has stated a number of times that they wish to expand and promote the game of basketball in China. As a result they have played and will continue to play more exhibition games in China. The presence of China’s greatest player, Yao Ming in the NBA has helped to increase the popularity of basketball in China.

The following teams have already qualified for the Beijing 2008 Olympics: Angola (African Champion), Argentina (Americas runner-up), Australia (Oceania Champion), China (host), Iran (Asian Champion), Lithuania (European Bronze medallist), Russia (European Champion), Spain (World Champion) and USA (Champion of the Americas).

The remaining three positions for the Beijing Olympics will be decided in the twelve team FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men that will take place in Athens, Greece on July 14th. The tournament will involve the following teams: Cameroon and Cape Verde (Africa), Brazil and Canada (Americas), Lebanon, Puerto Rico and the Republic of Korea (Asia), Greece, Germany, Croatia, and Slovenia (Europe) and New Zealand (Oceania). The draw for this tournament will be held on July 20, 2008 in Athens.

The semi finals are scheduled to be played on August 22nd and the finals two days later on August 24th. Although the Americans often underplay the importance of the Olympic Games it is guaranteed that this time they will want to restore their global dominance in basketball by coming out and performing at their best. Anything less than a gold medal will be taken as a failure by many players and supporters in the USA.



By: David Horne

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Beijing air quality has been the focus of foreign reporters since a long time ago. Even though Chinese government has tried every means possible to make the air clearer and better, some people still don’t show any trust due to their deep prejudice about the air quality in Beijing. One athlete even declared to wear mask when coming to Beijing in order to protect his lung.

 

Beijing air been a focus and debate

 

Just before the Olympic begins, images of the Beijing skyline seemingly bathed smog and haze. The air have been a common sight on the world’s TV screens in recent days and weeks. Foreign journalists with handheld air pollution detectors have been popping up on street corners checking levels of soot and dust. Everyone seems keen to prove that the city’s air will be a decisive and debilitating factor for one of the world’s most high-profile sporting events.

 

The debate about the Beijing games deserves more fair play than it has received. Indeed, real and, one hopes, long-lasting achievements have been made by the Beijing organising committee for the Olympic games, the city as a whole, the government, and the six provinces concerned. This is all the more remarkable when set against the city’s double-digit economic growth and the fact that the games are being staged in a developing country, with all the social, economic, health, and environmental challenges this entails.

 

Other things to be considered about besides the Beijing air

 

There is lots of sports related stuff for people to care about like how the Olympic game opening ceremony is designed. We all fully aware that the Beijing Olympics pops up a lots brilliant design work that make the whole world surprise.  Fashion accessories and elements used in the Olympic design need to be studied. Decoration in the bird nest is amazing that we can bring a few elements into home decoration. The cloud torch is the best looking one to my point, as well as the Cotton Fabric with cloud on it. 

 

Beijing air quality getting better with more to be done

 

Beijing authorities have been keen to improve air quality by the Olympic year. In a bid to meet World Health Organization air pollution standards and live up to its “Green Olympics’” promises, the city implemented new vehicle emissions standards – equivalent to those applied by the European Union – on March 1, and from July, the number of cars allowed on the city’s streets will be reduced.

According to a blue paper on public services and development published in January by the Social Sciences Academic Press, Beijing has enjoyed success in reducing air pollution caused by industry. But to achieve further progress, authorities must now focus on curbing air pollution generated in areas surrounding the capital, an academic has said.

What they (China) have done is extraordinary: planting millions of trees between the Gobi Desert and Beijing, removing hundreds of thousands of polluting cars, closing polluting petrol stations I think they have done a commendable job. The statistics are very clear. The pollution levels are coming down. It is not yet perfect. (But) it is safe for the athletes.”

Rogge had a word of advice on the haze that shrouded Beijing a day before the start of the Olympics, too. There is a difference between the haze enveloping the city and damaging air pollution, he said, rubbishing claims to the contrary.

What you see is the result of “humidity and heat”, he said. It does not mean it “is the same as pollution”.

After winning the right in 2001 to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, Beijing has made a lot of efforts to hold a “high-level Olympic Games with distinguishing features”.

Rogge is highly satisfied with the preparations. “We have worked very hard with BOCOG for seven years Let me say that we are extremely eager for the Games to start.”

 



By: Janey Yang

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Beijing’s tourism industry is prepared to entertain guests for the upcoming Olympic Games, said Xiong Yumei, deputy director general of the Beijing Tourism Bureau.

“Beijing’s tourism industry is ready. We will muster our utmost passion and try our best to provide quality services for friends from all over the world,” said Xiong at a press conference held at the Main Press Center on July 15.

Beijing has 5,790 accommodation venues, with 339,000 rooms and 665,000 beds. Among them, there are 816 star-rated hotels and 4,978 privately owned hotels.

Reservation rates for five-star hotels are 78.1 percent and that for five-star hotels 47.6 percent. In comparison, reservation rates for five-star and four-star hotels were 69 percent during the same period last year.

This year, Beijing has an additional 20 four-star hotels as well as eight to 10 more five-star hotels.

“We have sufficient accommodation resources,” said Xiong.

Though more than half the rooms in four-star hotels are still available, the numbers were in line with expectations, said Xiong.

“This is what we expected,” she said. “There are still quite a lot of people from other cities and provinces who have tickets but have not yet booked rooms. When August comes, the occupancy rate will be much higher than the present booking rate.”

But there have been rumors linking the Chinese government’s new visa controls to low hotel reservations. Sun Weide, a spokesman for the Beijing Olympic organizers, denied that the new visa regulations were responsible for low hotel bookings.

“The visa policy is very clear — it’s to guarantee the security of competitors over the Olympics period … We will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure a peaceful Games,” Sun said.

“We welcome foreign friends from all over the world to come to Beijing to compete in and watch the Games, and continue to take measures to provide convenience in applying for visas,” he added.

In the meantime, room rates have decreased. Room rates of four-star hotels fell 42 yuan from 2,226 yuan per night in late March to 2,185 yuan per night in late May. Room rates of three-star hotels fell 33 yuan from 1,556 yuan per night to 1,523 yuan per night over the same period.

For Olympic homestays, the Beijing Tourism Bureau has set up a floating range from $60 (400 yuan) to $80 (540 yuan) per room per night.

In anticipation of a surge of visitors, particularly overseas visitors, during the Games, Beijing has also bettered its information services.

Fifty-six information booths have been set up in key road blocks and sightseeing spots. More than 220,000 copies of Beijing maps have also been placed at the T1, T2 and T3 aviation towers of Beijing International Airport.

The Beijing Games’ multi-language hotline, 12308, will provide information to tourists in English, French, Japanese and Chinese, including a number of Chinese dialects. The tourist hotline for the city, 12301, will also answer visitors’ complaints and inquiries around the clock.

The Beijing Tourism Administration’s Web site has also been improved to provide tourist information in six languages, including French, Spanish, Japanese and Arabic.

Beijing has standardized the French and English translations of menus of Chinese dishes and distributed the translated versions to hotels, sightseeing spots and travel agencies.

Beijing is expected to play host to between 450,000 and 500,000 overseas visitors during the August Olympics.



By: jackyluo

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