2008 Beijing Olympics Tickets

Beijing Olympic Games: The 2008 Summer Olympics are officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad . The Olympic Games will be held in Beijing, the capital city of the People’s Republic of China in the year 2008. Some events ( beach volleyball, sailing, swimming’s new marathon ) will be held in Qingdao city. Hong Kong will organize the equestrian events at Hong Kong Sports Institute in Fo Tan, Sha Tin.

2008 Beijing Olympics Tickets The Beijing Olympic Games are scheduled to be staged from 8th August to 24th August in 2008 . The Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympics (BOCOG) has planned to start selling tickets for the 2008 Games in the first half of 2007 . Liu Jingmin , the executive vice president of the BOCOG announced this during an interview with a local radio program. According to tradition, 35 percent of tickets are reserved for National Olympic Committees, sponsors, international sports federations and broadcasters . The organizing committee has decided not to issue free tickets for the Games .

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympics has not yet decided the price of the tickets . BOCOG has conducted a public opinion poll for the price of the tickets of the Games. The committee has come to a decision that the price of the tickets will be finalized keeping in mind the consumption capability of the Chinese people . The tickets will be sold at cheap rate so that ordinary people can afford them. However, the price of the tickets of the opening and closing ceremonies and finals of some events will higher. In August, 2006 , the organizing committee declared that over 7 million tickets for various sports events and ceremonies will be sold to the general public. But the actual number of tickets for the Games is yet to be finalized as some stadiums are still under construction and their seating capacity is uncertain.

The BOCOG will not reveal their ticket selling scheme until early 2007 . According to Liu Jingmin , apart from the tickets reserved for the Olympic family , most of the tickets will be sold on the market. Foreign spectators in 202 countries and regions worldwide can buy the tickets via their own Olympic committees . Chinese spectators can buy their tickets through the internet and mobile phones . Ticket agents for the marketing of the 2008 Beijing Olympic tickets will be selected through legal procedures . The committee has decided to sell tickets to their contracted corporate clients in September, 2006.



By: Crag micon

About the Author:

As Beijing Olympic 2008 is approaching in August, not only the sports enthusiasts but also big and small enterprises of China are overjoyed.

Although the reasons vary, as public wants the country to win maximum gold medals, the businessmen are looking forward to attract foreign companies to get into new deals.

Domestic enterprises actively participated in Canton Fair, that took place from April 15 to 20, which is the largest import and export exhibition. Aokang Group, one of the biggest footwear manufacturers of China, had spent huge amount on the publicity during the expo, to become official supplier of leather shoes during the Olympic.

The domestic manufacturers do not want to miss even a single chance of luring the Olympic officials. As the enterprises want to associate their products with this grand event, scheduled from August 8.

Experts believe that, although many Chinese companies that are trying their luck to gain exports, they are not as big as the traditional associates like Volkswagen, Adidas .

According to the Beijing Olympic Committee, to become an official supplier, the companies will have to shell out approximately US $2.3 million.

The committee has divided sponsors in two categories, ‘Worldwide Olympic Partners’ and ‘Beijing 2008 Partners’.

As Beijing Olympic 2008 is approaching in August, not only the sports enthusiasts but also big and small enterprises of China are overjoyed.

Although the reasons vary, as public wants the country to win maximum gold medals, the businessmen are looking forward to attract foreign companies to get into new deals.

Domestic enterprises actively participated in Canton Fair, that took place from April 15 to 20, which is the largest import and export exhibition. Aokang Group, one of the biggest footwear manufacturers of China, had spent huge amount on the publicity during the expo, to become official supplier of leather shoes during the Olympic.

The domestic manufacturers do not want to miss even a single chance of luring the Olympic officials. As the enterprises want to associate their products with this grand event, scheduled from August 8.

Experts believe that, although many Chinese companies that are trying their luck to gain exports, they are not as big as the traditional associates like Volkswagen, Adidas .

According to the Beijing Olympic Committee, to become an official supplier, the companies will have to shell out approximately US $2.3 million.

The committee has divided sponsors in two categories, ‘Worldwide Olympic Partners’ and ‘Beijing 2008 Partners’.

for more information,please visite www.ishoesclub.com

 



By: alexda

About the Author:

The Beijing Olympics was the most-viewed event in American television history. It was also a watershed event in Chinese history.There were other significant milestones achieved during the event. It was the largest construction projects ever in China since the construction of the fabulous Great Wall of China . The Chinese Olympic Team also achieved a domination over US, with China winning 51 gold medals while the US won 36 gold medals.

It was truly a big China “coming out” party. And what a party it was! International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogue said “Thank you to the people of China. ….. these were truly exceptional games”.

Beijing Olympics was a case of triumphant strategy execution, an excellent case study of how a strategy should be executed.

All Strategy Execution Projects begin with a Big Dream

For the Chinese, the Beijing Olympics were not about making serious money.

It was about re-energizing the nation, rallying one of the oldest civilization around a cherished cause : earning international respect and admiration for China. As Chinese economy galloped at double digit growth and its cities transformed into international metropolis, China still coveted for international recognition as a Great Power. A great power capable of destroying anyone who offends the powerful Han regardless of the distance.

That dream that had gone sour when some Westerners called a proud and an ancient civilization -the sick man of Asia. Beating the west at its own game definitely has a lot of meaning for Chinese people. It was Chinese way of sweet revenge, of getting back to the west .Play western sports and beat the west fair and square.

Strategy Execution Begins with a Robust Planning Exercise done by an Empowered Steering Committee

Having studied the earlier Olympic Games, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games (BOCOG) outlined in detail the vast resources and requirements that were essential to create an infrastructure that could support such a massive sporting event. They carefully researched what worked and what did not with the Olympics, especially the Olympics at Sydney & Atlanta.

To integrate the activities of key central government ministries, the Beijing Municipal Government, and BOCOG, the Chinese government created a high-level steering committee. Creation of a steering committee is essential to successful execution of any strategy since the committee steers the project in the right direction and is empowered to make decisions. The Chinese appointed then-Executive Vice Premier Li Lanqing as the leader. The key driver of the Olympic project, Li Lanqing was empowered to take quick decisions and solicit top leadership support.

Chinese understood the need of having careful coordination among IOC,BOCOG, and Beijing city . The were lessons to be learned from poor coordination at Atlanta games, where the city was not adequately in the loop .BOCOG was staffed therefore staffed adequately with Beijing Municipal Government officials.

Buy-in of the bottom of the pyramid critical to success

Although they may give an impression of being immersed in themselves , the Chinese covet global recognition. The Olympic event stoked Chinese nationalism , and spoke to the very fabric of a proud nation. The Chinese were determined to make the Olympics a big success. Every Chinese was involved and engaged so much so that one may need to go into back of beyond to find a Chinese who did not have an awareness of or interest in the Chinese Olympics. The Olympics rings were everywhere, on the billboards in Beijing, on TV stations, even on mountain goats in the Tibet . So it was no surprise then that there were 100,000 Olympics volunteers, 400,000 city volunteers and a million social volunteers serving the Olympics and Paralympics.

Chinese have a vast human resource, and in its quest for greatness would never run short of an endless base of over a billion Chinese.

Construction of the Olympic City: Of Chinese Ingenuity, Western Design & Breathtaking Execution

To understand the whole process of how the strategy execution, we will understand two specific case-lets where the task was a gigantic one, and how it was executed to plan. We will study the making of “Bird’s Nest” and the results of a certain “Project 119″.

No stranger to grandiose and mammoth construction feats -the Great Wall, Grand Canal and Three Gorges Dam among them- China’s $42 billion Olympic building and infrastructure binge created a massive ( $3 billion) airport terminal and 19 breathtaking Olympic venues.

While a lot is made out of best practices and benchmarking, most transformation teams spend a lot of time re-inventing the wheel. This wastes a lot of time and resources. It is often cheaper to buy best practices and world-class experience. It is easier said than done. However the Chinese were objective enough to acknowledge that.

The Chinese are however good at using foreign talent. Most major projects, in the last few years, have been designed by foreigners. Chinese demand innovation. By turning to foreigners the Chinese are buying 30 to 40 years of experience they didn’t have.

Chinese stuck to what they knew best. Throughout history, China’s leaders have drawn on the ingenuity of China’s massive population to realize some of the world’s most spectacular construction projects. China’s low wage workers gave the foreign architects the freedom to design structures that would be prohibitively expensive to build in a western city .

Foreign architects, on their part, used technology that could be handled by crews working round the clock and at a massive speed. The buildings prefabricated window were snapped together rather than cut on-site, as they would be with more highly trained workers.

This helped the foreigners to complete most Olympic venues in a remarkably short time, often within three to four years.

And what an Olympic city the Chinese created. When the westerners got down to new international airport terminal here they were astounded by the massive architectural feat that greeted them. It was not just the space or the size, not just the infrastructure or the amenities. It was walking into a different world. And the air terminal designed by Norman Foster was just the beginning . Different Olympic venues outdid each other with their scale, the power of imagination and the brilliance of execution . The egg-shaped National Theater, the bird’s nest National Stadium , the National Aquatics Center, and Rem Koolhaas’ headquarters for the CCTV television authority surpassed many other architectural feats in recent history.

The Olympic city not only created a stunning architectural marvel, it transformed Beijing. It forced Beijing to shed its old skin. Strategy well executed invariably transforms the organization and in so doing, becomes changes the very organism that gives birth to it. Also the sheer scale of transformation , enables the change agents to provide a stimulus for fast-track completion of mega infrastructure projects, often overcoming routine organizational and bureaucratic hurdles.

Project 119 : Of Soviet Systems & Processes, Superb Focus & Great Execution

Like the Construction project , the Chinese approached the task of dominating the Olympics with top-down military style disciplined execution. The Chinese outlined their objectives, planned a program, invested considerable resources , acquired state-of-the-art technology and imported world-class foreign talent.

An estimated $6 million was spent on each medal-winning sportsperson. The Chinese Olympic program successfully copied and adapted the systems and process used by the Soviets. The Chinese handpicked and trained two hundred thousand kids in state-run sports schools. It’s the same system the Soviets used to train gold medalists. The systems and processes are tested and robust.

However to give a necessary focus and an emotional appeal to the sporting program, the Chinese branded the project , Project 119 . Launched in 2001, Project 119 was named after the number of gold medals then offered in track and field, swimming and other water-based events like rowing, in which China was traditionally weak.

Unprecedented systemic discipline, high sport budgets, state-of-the-art foreign technology and proven international coaches have all been incorporated into Project 119. Thirty-eight foreign coaches were hired to help train China’s teams, often with the explicit understanding that they produce gold-winning athletes. The coaches focused on individual events in lieu of team sports because it is easier and efficient to invest in individual talent rather than build a team.

China won gold medals in 16 of 28 Olympic disciplines, up from 14 four years ago in Athens and 10 at the 2000 Sydney Games. While China targets greater glory in London 2012, Project 119 is not going to end anytime soon as nine-year-old Zhang Huiman is training for the Olympic gold, running 20 miles a day preparing for the games of 2020.

Every organization has its own culture and its own way of being. The Chinese approach to strategy execution will work well in big, top-driven and somewhat hierarchical organizations.

Some organizations tend to be chaotic , democratic and flat. The Chinese top down approach may not work very well there, but principles will remain the same. Get a big dream, create a team and a leader to drive it, communicate and create a buy-in of front-line staff and use robust systems and processes to execute. Do not be afraid of using outside help, brand your projects well, allocate good resources and keep the faith.



By: Sarvajeet Chandra

About the Author:

Perhaps no other sporting event in the world has such a rich history as the Summer Olympic Games. From its origins in ancient Greece, the games have travelled the world for centuries. And this summer, they come to another ancient land, China.

Beijing will play host to the 2008 Summer Olympics, the 29th Olympiad in modern times. This is the first time China has ever hosted the Olympics. Billions of dollars have been invested in building stunning new sports venues; including the 80,000 seat National Stadium, a wonder of architectural design and beauty.

In preparation for the games, the Chinese people have become “Olympics crazed,” filled with a tremendous sense of pride in their country, which has always been considered something of a closed society by Westerners. Even those of Chinese ancestry overseas have shown their support by attending the torch relays as they pass through their home countries.

Perhaps that’s why the Chinese have selected such an appropriate theme for their first Olympics:

????? , ?????. In Chinese, this means “One World One Dream.”

For the Chinese, it’s certainly a dream come true. The new sporting facilities were built almost entirely with corporate funding. The government only paid 15% of the total cost, a remarkable feat in itself. When the Games end, the venues will be used to train China’s national teams as well as to host world-class sporting events.

Chinese hope that the Games will not only improve the reputation of their country in the arena of world opinion, but also improve living and working conditions at the same time. While China is fast becoming a world economic powerhouse, it is still has a ways to go in many respects. The Summer Olympics will certainly help move things forward in the country.

Though it lags behind Western cultures on some fronts, China is one of the leaders in using the cutting edge technologies and techniques to teach its residents how to speak Chinese. Of course, students have always been taught how to speak Chinese in schools. But the use of technology to teach Chinese allows others, particularly those in Western countries, to learn how to speak Chinese from those who are fluent in the language.

As tens of thousands of journalists, sports fans and world leaders come to Beijing this summer; there’s never been a better time for Westerners to learn to speak Chinese. Not only will it make the Games more enjoyable, but you can dazzle your friends by not only being able to read ????? ?????, but pronounce it as well.

Once thing’s for certain. The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing promise to put China in the winner’s circle as it takes the world stage in August. Only time will tell if it’s a Gold Medal performance. But you can go for the Gold yourself by learning to speak Chinese in the months leading up to the Games. A great place to start is Mando Mandarin (http://www.mandomandarin), which provides students with easy to learn lessons, taught by native speakers. You can even learn how to speak Chinese in your spare time with their innovative language system.

 



By: Kassey Wang

About the Author:

The 2008 World Olympics is just days away. The Games will take place starting August 8 up to 24, in Beijing. The Games will play host to the 28 summer sports currently on the Olympic program:

Archery

Athletics

Badminton

Baseball

Basketball

Beach Volleyball

Boxing

Canoe/Kayak Flatwater

Canoe/Kayak Slalom

Cycling BMX

Cycling Mountain Bike

Cycling Road

Cycling Track

Diving

Equestrian

Fencing

Football

Gymnastics Artistic

Gymnastics Rhythmic

Trampoline

Handball

Hockey

Judo

Modern Pentathlon

Rowing

Sailing

Shooting

Softball

Swimming

Synchronized Swimming

Table Tennis

Taekwondo

Tennis

Triathlon

Volleyball

Water Polo

Weightlifting

Wrestling

Approximately 10,500 athletes are expected to participate in the Games, with around 20,000 accredited media bringing this big event to the world.

Athletics (or track and field) is, in many ways, the embodiment of the Olympic motto, "Citius, Altius, Fortius", meaning faster, higher, stronger. Track and Field is about running faster, jumping higher and throwing further than your competitors.

There are standards that should be followed as mandated by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).  The playing field, for one should be standard. And China believes that its National Stadium has met these standards.

What are the standards anyway, let’s have a look at the IAAF requirements shall we?

Track events

(the following is lifted from http://en.beijing2008.cn/en.shtml)

The length of a standard running track shall be 400m. It shall consist of two parallel straights and two bends whose radii shall be equal. Unless it is a grass track, the inside of the track shall be bordered by a kerb of suitable material, approximately 5cm in height and minimum 5cm in width.

If a section of the kerb has to be temporarily removed for field events, its place shall be marked with a white line 5cm in width and by cones or flags, minimum height 20cm, placed on the white line so that the edge of the base of the cone or flag pole coincides with the edge of the white line closest to the track, and placed at intervals not exceeding 4m. This shall also apply to the section of the steeplechase track where athletes divert from the main track to negotiate the water jump.

For a grass track without a kerb, the inner edge shall be marked with lines 5cm in width. It shall also be flagged at intervals of 4m. Flags shall be so placed on the line as to prevent any athlete running on the line, and they shall be placed at an angle of 60° with the ground away from the track.

Flags approximately 25cmx20cm in size mounted on a staff of 45cm long are the most suitable for this purpose.

The measurement shall be taken 30cm outward from the kerb or, where no kerb exists, 20cm from the line marking the inside of the track.

The distance of the race shall be measured from the edge of the start line farther from the finish to the edge of the finish line nearer to the start.

In all races up to and including 400m, each athlete shall have a separate lane, with a width of 1.22m ± 0.01m marked by white lines 5cm in width. All lanes shall be the same width. The inner lane shall be measured as stated in paragraph 2 above, but the remaining lanes shall be measured 20cm from the outer edges of the lines.

Field events

HIGH JUMP

The minimum length of the runway shall be 15m except in competitions held under Rule 1(a), (b) and (c), where the minimum shall be 20m.

Where conditions permit, the minimum length should be 25m. The maximum overall inclination of the runway and take-off area shall not exceed 1:250 along any radius of the semicircular area centred midway between the uprights and having the minimum radius specified in Rule 182.3. The landing area shall be placed so the athlete’s approach is up the inclination.

The take-off area shall be level or any inclination shall be in accordance with the requirements of Rule 182.4 and the IAAF Track and Field Facilities Manual.

The landing area should measure not less than 5m long x 3m wide. It is recommended that the landing area be not smaller than 6m long x 4m wide x 0.7m high.

HORIZONTAL JUMPS

The minimum length of the runway shall be 40m, measured from the relevant take-off line to the end of the runway. It shall have a width of 1.22m ± 0.01m and shall be marked by white lines 5cm in width.

The landing area shall have a minimum width of 2.75m and a maximum width of 3m. It shall, if possible, be so placed that the middle of the runway, if extended, would coincide with the middle of the landing area.

THROWING EVENTS

The rim of the circles shall be made of band iron, steel or other suitable material, the top of which shall be flush with the ground outside. The ground may be a concrete, synthetic, asphalt, wood or any other suitable material surrounding to the circle.

The interior of the circle may be constructed of concrete, asphalt or some other firm but not slippery material. The surface of this interior shall be level and 1.4 – 2.6cm lower than the upper edge of the rim of the circle.

In the Shot Put, a portable circle meeting these specifications is permissible.

The inside diameter of the circle shall be 2.135m (±5mm) in the Shot Put and the Hammer Throw and 2.50m (±5mm) in the Discus Throw.

List of Track and Field Events

On the program of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, Beijing 2008

·    10000m Men

·    triple jump Men

·    100m Men

·    10000m Women

·    110m hurdles Men

·    100m Women

·    1500m Men

·    100m hurdles Women

·    200m Men

·    1500m Women

·    20km walk Men

·    200m Women

·    3000m steeplechase Men

·    20km race walk Women

·    400m Men

·    3000m steeplechase Women

·    400m hurdles Men

·    400m Women

·    4×100m relay Men

·    400m hurdles Women

·    4×400m relay Men

·    4×100m relay Women

·    5000m Men

·    4×400m relay Women

·    50km walk Men

·    5000m Women

·    800m Men

·    800m Women

·    decathlon Men

·    discus throw Women

·    discus throw Men

·    hammer throw Women

·    hammer throw Men

·    heptathlon Women

·    high jump Men

·    high jump Women

·    javelin throw Men

·    javelin throw Women

·    long jump Men

·    long jump Women

·    marathon Men

·    marathon Women

·    pole vault Men

·    pole vault Women

·    shot put Men

·    shot put Women

·    triple jump Women



By: Bidz Dela Cruz

About the Author:

For the last few weeks, we’ve been highlighting great Olympic souvenires where proceeds go to support the athletes of the China Olympics Team.

* More ideas about how to give away a gift, pls see my site: www.123giftfactory.com



While most of us can’t jet off to Beijing for opening ceremonies today, you can get your own Olympics souvenir with various great gifts featured with Olympic Games Colors, such as the official mascot plush toys, Olympic pins, a metal replica Olympic torch, a Athens design paperweight or stress-balls, and so on.

So, let’s see which gift idea in this Olympics season we favorite?

For Your Little Kids



- Beijing Olympics Mascots (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)



Even if your kids don’t know badminton from taekwondo, they can still appreciate the Olympic spirit in the form of these cuddly fuwa (that’s Chinese for “good luck dolls”). These colorful critters represent some of China’s most popular creatures. There’s BeiBei the fish, JingJing the panda, YingYing the antelope, NiNi the swallow and HuanHuan the Olympic flame. Put their names together and you get “Welcome to Beijing.” These pocket-sized collectibles are certainly a step up from mascots in the past, and are great way to educate little ones about the Olympic games and Chinese culture.

Fuwa, The Official Mascots of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carry a message of peace and friendship to children all over the world. Representing the five colors of the Olympic Rings, Fuwa express the playful qualities of children and are characteristic of four of China’s most popular animals — the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow — and the Olympic Flame.

For Your Friends



- Beijing Olympic Pins (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

Olympics Pin Trading has been around since the first modern Olympics in 1896. The first “pins” were originally cardboard discs that were designed to identify athletes by their countries, officials, and the press. Some Olympians that year started to trade their own badges with others as gestures of goodwill, and a tradition was started. To the right, you see an image of a judge’s pin from the 1900 Olympics in Paris.

In the next few decades, more official pins were created to identify different groups, from the International Olympic Committee to members of the media. The pins started to become more stylized and resemble jewelry and eventually were produced for sale to spectators as well as participants. By the time of the 1924 Summer Games in Paris, the concept of the Olympic Village began, and so participants in the Olympics started to exchange their countries’ pins in earnest.

From 1933 to 1936, more than 1 million pins were sold to the public to help underwrite the games in Germany. To the right, you see the very rare pin from the 1936 Berlin Games. In 1940, even though the Olympics were cancelled during the war, pins were still produced.

In 1968’s games in Mexico City, the pin with a clitch to fasten the pin to clothing, which has become the norm today, was introduced. Pin collecting and pin trading took off in a big way in the Lake Placid Winter Games in 1980 and the Los Angeles Summer Games in 1984. Since then, it’s become an international event in itself.

Here are some pins from this year’s Olympics in Beijing, for sale from the official shop of the US Olympic Team. These all have the official Beijing 2008 logo. Unlike with other pin shops, you can be sure these proceeds will go directly to support our athletes. Just click on any pin, and you’ll be brought to the Olympic Store to buy it.

For Your Parents, Teachers or other Eldership Persons



- Beijing Olympic Torches (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

Couldn’t get near the real Olympic torch as it made its way round the world? Still keen to hijack the sacred flame for your own political ends?

Hey presto – stage your own Olympic protest with this splendid metal replica torch – only £221.19, including a small Perspex base.

NB Heavy-handed policemen and ex-sportsman torch-bearer not included.

Or

- Beijing Olympic Paperweights and Stress-balls (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)



Paperweights and stress-balls are so Athens 2004.

The must-have desk toy of 2008 is a 1:1200 replica of Bird’s Nest in gold-painted aluminum – a steal at just £153.55.

If that’s not enough to impress the drones who work under you, splash out a little extra on a foot-long glue glass replica of the Water Cube on a classy glass and metal plinth (£298.23).

Then, when you bag an inflation-busting bonus, blow a chunk of it on a Beijing 2008-branded replica Ming vase in hand-glazed porcelain.

If you can’t manage to claim the £3,799 back against tax, you need to get yourself a new accountant.

For Your Babies



- Cute Baby Olympic One-piece and Bib for the Future Olympian (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

Is there a little 0 to 6 month old in your life who already crawls at world record pace AND who already loves to hit, dive, jump, and dribble with the best of them?

Here’s the cutest little gift from the US Olympic Shop. It’s a little one-piece and bib for an infant with the Team USA Olympic Rings and the words “FUTURE OLYMPIAN” across the front in maroon on both pieces. Both are 100% cotton, and the bib has a velcro closure.

For Your Girlfriends



- 2008 Beijing china tea set (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

I believe that girls or women are sure to be impressed by a Beijing 2008 china tea set, decorated with illustrations of unisex tumbling gymnasts and straining pole-vaulters(about US50 ).

Then, for those big nights out the Cambridge Arts Theatre, what about a necklace of fake pearls with a Beijing 2008-logo clasp (about US30)?

The must-have look autumn/winter 2008? A poly-cotton lime-green tie with a discreet in-laid pattern of the Olympic rings. .

Considering of money saving, accessories it with a set of tinny Beijing-branded cufflinks in dull metallic grey – US$8 the pair.

For Your Boyfriend who like Football



 

- Want to also have an Olympic athletes T-shirt? (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

If you look at pictures of the Brazil or Argentina athletes in the Olympic Village, you’ll see them wearing these very stylish polo shirts, T-shirts …from Nike, of all companies.

The shirt has the official Olympics logo on the right chest, the Nike swoosh on the left, and the words ‘Beijing” on the left sleeve to commemorate the 2008 Games. It’s an extremely comfortable and light shirt, made of 65% cotton and 35% polyester (also known as NikeFIT DRY for its comfort and its ability to let your skin breathe).

At a reasonable price of $44.99, it’s certainly more affordable than the polo shirts with the horses. And of course, a portion of your proceeds goes to help the great USA Athletes who have been doing our country proud throughout these last 12 days.

For Yourself



- Have an Olympic Ball from China (2008 Summer Olympics Gifts)

These are three souvenir balls from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, specifically a souvenir basketball, souvenir soccer ball, and a souvenir volleyball.

They’re all regulation-sized, so you can use them for playing these three sports. But they also make great souvenirs from the Games, as they also come with the official 2008 Summer Olympics logo, the words “Beijing 2008?, and the Olympic Rings on them, as well as the official mascots BeiBei, JingJing, HuanHuan, YingYing, and NiNi. You can read all about the meaning of the logo and the story behind the mascots here.



By: Krista QQ(www.123giftfactory.com)

About the Author:

Note to Self : Learning from the 2008 Beijing Olympics on Achieving Goals

The 2008 Olympics in Beijing has come to a close. We will once again be at a loss for something to watch on TV or discuss around the water cooler at work. The 2008 Olympics stood out among those that came before it for a number of reasons that captivated audiences around the globe. Though the games started out with controversy over the host city, I believe the games will be remembered most for the positive achievements of the athletes. Athletes at the 2008 Olympic games broke more Olympic and World Records than any games before it.

A few of the most remarkable achievements of the 2008 Games :



Michael Phelps of the U.S.A. won eight gold medals

Rohullah Nikpai won Afghanistan’s first ever Olympic medal

Natalie du Toit of South Africa became the first Amputee swimmer to compete in the Olympic Games instead of the Para-Olympic Games.

After promising his wife on her deathbed that he would become a German Citizen and win Gold for Germany, Matthias Steiner succeeded by winning gold in weightlifting, surpassing the favored competitors and finding unbelievable strength when he needed it.



I will remember the Beijing Olympics as being one of the most exciting and inspirational Olympics I have had the privilege of watching.

We, as e-marketers and e-business owners, can learn much from the amazing athletes who competed there. I want to talk candidly to you about Goal Setting and why so many of us seem to fall short or loose site of the goals we make.

The difference between those that stood out at the 2008 Olympics and those that went home overshadowed and disappointed had much to do with Mind Set. The best case in point is Michael Phelps. He set for himself a Goal of getting an unprecedented eight gold medals in swimming. Many, including the previous record holder with seven gold medals in one Olympic Games, said that Michale could not do it. With all of the negative thoughts and the media poised and waiting for his failure, Michael achieved his goal.

How?

Michael set the goal for himself and never once said “I don’t think I can”, “maybe I can” , “it would be great if…” or “it would be ok if I didn’t make it”. Michael, in all of the interviews, had a positive Mind Set and smiled as he said “I will do it”. And he did.

Goal Setting is not about writing them down, although that can help to visualize them. Goal Setting is really about creating a positive Mind Set and a positive self dialogue about the things you want to achieve. We all talk to ourselves all the time. Most of us do this internally in our heads, though some of us do this out loud in the bathroom when we think no one is listening. If the dialogue we have with ourselves is positive or negative will have a big impact on our daily lives and on achieving the goals we have set for ourselves.

It does not matter if the goal is small, huge, or even outrageous. How we choose to approach the goals we set will in the end determine their success or failure. That’s right, Mind Set is a choice. No matter the adversity you may face while on the path to your goal, you can choose to keep positive and focused.

Here are some simple ways to get your Goal Setting in the right Mind Set



Give yourself small, achievable Daily Goals and say something positive to yourself when you reach them.

If you give yourself a negative criticism, change it into a positive critique. For example, instead of saying “I completely failed” when a sales prospect falls through, say “That is ok, I will learn from this and be successful next time. My goal is still achievable”.

Don’t let others drag you down. Brush off critique that is harsh and not helpful to building success. You, and only you, are in control of achieving your goals.

Learn to accept Constructive Criticism, especially from yourself.

Remember that everyone has to start somewhere, no one is perfect, if someone had figured it all out we would all be out of business, and the only thing stopping you from being effective and successful is You.



RESOURCE

Corinne Elletson

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By: Corinne Elletson

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The full range of female athletes on the 2008 Olympic teams makes it clear that age and family responsibilities are not the barriers to participation in the Games they used to be. Stories from Beijing highlight the courage and resolve of the mothers of the world – as they demonstrate their athletic prowess and win gold or silver medals.

Significant are the 20 mothers on the USA Olympic team, including past medalists – swimmer Dara Torres, basketball player Lisa Leslie, and softball player, Jennie Finch. Dara Torres stands out as a role model for any mother wondering if it is too late to begin again. Now age 41, she began participating in the Olympics twenty-four years ago, swimming in the 1984, 1988, 1992 and 2000 Games. Retiring, getting married and wanting to start a family, she skipped the 2004 Games and had a child two years ago. Swimming for fitness after the birth of her daughter, Tessa, she thought she was done with competitive swimming. But she found that her times were better than ever.

Eight long years after her last Olympics, Dara marched in the Beijing opening ceremonies with 9 medals to her credit, the most of any USA athlete in these Games. Swimming in individual and relay team competition, she won 3 silver medals, losing gold in the freestyle individual event by only one one-hundredth of a second. She now can now be proud of a record 12 Olympic medals in her career – so far! Asked “what will you tell your daughter about your record at this Olympics,” Dara said, “You don’t have to put an age limit on your dreams.”

Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania, a 38-year-old mother of a 13-year old son, was the triumphant gold medal winner of the women’s marathon in Beijing. Four years ago in Athens she had to relinquish her dreams of an Olympic medal at mile 20 due to heat exhaustion. But even then she did not completely quit. She walked for a mile – then started running again, coming in 20th in the 2004 competition. This time she was determined to win the race. She practiced and practiced in hot weather, firmly focused on avoiding another injury. Learning from her past failure, Constantina refused to give up on her dreams and worked hard to achieve her goal of Olympic gold.

Another mother, 33-year-old Oksana Chusovitina, took the silver medal for Germany in individual women’s vault. Older than most of the other gymnasts by ten years, Oksana had participated in four previous Olympics, representing the former Soviet Union and winning a team gold. What brought her to Germany at this stage of her career? For the past 6 years her 9-year-old son, Alisher, has been treated there for leukemia. When he was first diagnosed, Oksana could not get help for him in her native Uzbekistan. Not one to be stopped by the challenges she faced, she and her husband moved to Germany to train while Alisher was in treatment. Oksana demonstrates her commitment to family by competing for Germany in Beijing.

If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re too old to reach your goals, you can learn a lesson from these athletes and mothers. It’s never too late to challenge yourself. With maturity, drive and focus, you can achieve your dreams. As Dara Torres said, “To me, if it helps anyone else out there who is in their middle-aged years, putting off something they couldn’t do because they thought they were too old or maybe because they had a child, they thought they couldn’t balance things as a parent – if it shows anyone you can do it, I’m absolutely thrilled.”

(c) 2008, Her Mentor Center



By: Rosemary Lichtman

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