The United States still holds a slight edge in the overall medal count at the 2008 Beijing Olympics but China continues to dominate in the gold medal haul, increasing their lead with each day that passes.
After Sunday’s competitions the United States had collected 65 medals while the Chinese sat just four back with 61 but more than half of those were gold medal efforts, 35, compared to the U.S.’s 19 golds.
China has been nearly unstoppable in several events with eight gold medals in weightlifting, five gold medals in diving, five in shooting, five in gymnastics, three in badminton, three in judo and individual gold medals in archery, fencing, rowing, table tennis and wrestling.
As for the Americans, eight of their 19 gold medals can be attributed to the efforts of Michael Phelps and 12 overall gold medals have come in the pool. The U.S. has also nabbed a pair of gold medals in shooting while collecting individual gold medals in gymnastics, fencing, road cycling, rowing, and tennis.
Full Article
Monday, August 18, 2008
2008 Beijing Olympics Results: United States Holds Edge in Medal Count, China Continues to Dominate Gold
Phelps Turns Legend With 8th Beijing Gold
Swimming competition at the Olympic pool in Beijing ended Sunday with the fulfillment of an improbable quest. In the very last race, Michael Phelps won his eighth gold medal of the games. He and his American medley relay teammates also broke the world record.
Phelps now has two gold medal records: more gold medals (eight) in a single Olympics than any other athlete in any sport, and more gold medals (14) in an Olympics career.
"There is no question from now on, when people think of the greatest swimmer of all time, it's only going to be Michael Phelps' name that comes to their lips," says John Naber, four-time swimming gold medalist.
The Beijing Olympics, adds Olympic historian David Wallechinsky, will be known as the "Michael Phelps Games."
"They have to be," Wallechinsky says. "He won eight gold medals. He deserves to be remembered as the hero of the Beijing Olympics."
Wallechinsky now predicts a new word in the American lexicon: Phelpsian.
"That will be when you win everything and overwhelm the position. That will be a Phelpsian achievement," he says.
The eighth Phelpsian achievement of the Michael Phelps Games came during the butterfly leg of the 400 medley relay. Phelps dove into the water with the American team in third place. He was still in third at the flip turn, but once he got those arms churning he made it a faster 100 meters than the world record time.
At the wall, Phelps had the lead and freestyler Jason Lezak then sealed the deal in the final 100 meters. The American team broke the world record by a little more than a second, giving Phelps the record gold medal haul.
"This is all a dream come true, you know, to really just imagination anything, and works towards it," Phelps said after the event. "To accomplish everything you've really ever dreamed of. It's fun."
Fun for Phelps is nine days of competition, 17 races, eight finals, seven world records, and three miles of swimming — including practice swims.
Phelps' level of achievement can't be described, says Australian distance swimmer Grant Hackett, also considered one of the world's greatest Olympians.
"It's phenomenal and I think, in my opinion, we'll never ever see it again. I just don't think that can be emulated or beaten," Hackett said.
That's what was said when American swimmer Mark Spitz won seven gold medals with seven world records in the 1972 Olympics in Munich. It took 36 years for his gold medal record to fall.
Here's one more Phelpsian measure: If the 23-year-old from Baltimore was a country, he would have tied for fifth in the medal count Sunday, with as many golds that day as Australia and Japan.
So what does Phelps plan to do now?
"What I'm looking forward to is not doing anything. Just sitting and not moving," he laughs.
There is also a million-dollar check coming. That's what sponsors promised if Phelps hit the eight-medal mark.
And Olympic champion John Naber expects ripples wide and far from Phelps' performance at the Olympic pool.
"I expect that there (are) a lot of kids around the country, if not around the world, who will next week make a pilgrimage to the local swimming pool and ask if there's a signup sheet for the swim team. Because there (are) going be a lot of people who want to be just like Michael Phelps," Naber says.
And if any of them make it to the next Olympics, they better be prepared.
Phelps will be young enough to try it all over again.
Source: npr.org
Phelps now has two gold medal records: more gold medals (eight) in a single Olympics than any other athlete in any sport, and more gold medals (14) in an Olympics career.
"There is no question from now on, when people think of the greatest swimmer of all time, it's only going to be Michael Phelps' name that comes to their lips," says John Naber, four-time swimming gold medalist.
The Beijing Olympics, adds Olympic historian David Wallechinsky, will be known as the "Michael Phelps Games."
"They have to be," Wallechinsky says. "He won eight gold medals. He deserves to be remembered as the hero of the Beijing Olympics."
Wallechinsky now predicts a new word in the American lexicon: Phelpsian.
"That will be when you win everything and overwhelm the position. That will be a Phelpsian achievement," he says.
The eighth Phelpsian achievement of the Michael Phelps Games came during the butterfly leg of the 400 medley relay. Phelps dove into the water with the American team in third place. He was still in third at the flip turn, but once he got those arms churning he made it a faster 100 meters than the world record time.
At the wall, Phelps had the lead and freestyler Jason Lezak then sealed the deal in the final 100 meters. The American team broke the world record by a little more than a second, giving Phelps the record gold medal haul.
"This is all a dream come true, you know, to really just imagination anything, and works towards it," Phelps said after the event. "To accomplish everything you've really ever dreamed of. It's fun."
Fun for Phelps is nine days of competition, 17 races, eight finals, seven world records, and three miles of swimming — including practice swims.
Phelps' level of achievement can't be described, says Australian distance swimmer Grant Hackett, also considered one of the world's greatest Olympians.
"It's phenomenal and I think, in my opinion, we'll never ever see it again. I just don't think that can be emulated or beaten," Hackett said.
That's what was said when American swimmer Mark Spitz won seven gold medals with seven world records in the 1972 Olympics in Munich. It took 36 years for his gold medal record to fall.
Here's one more Phelpsian measure: If the 23-year-old from Baltimore was a country, he would have tied for fifth in the medal count Sunday, with as many golds that day as Australia and Japan.
So what does Phelps plan to do now?
"What I'm looking forward to is not doing anything. Just sitting and not moving," he laughs.
There is also a million-dollar check coming. That's what sponsors promised if Phelps hit the eight-medal mark.
And Olympic champion John Naber expects ripples wide and far from Phelps' performance at the Olympic pool.
"I expect that there (are) a lot of kids around the country, if not around the world, who will next week make a pilgrimage to the local swimming pool and ask if there's a signup sheet for the swim team. Because there (are) going be a lot of people who want to be just like Michael Phelps," Naber says.
And if any of them make it to the next Olympics, they better be prepared.
Phelps will be young enough to try it all over again.
Source: npr.org
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Some Videos from the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
Part 13
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
Part 13
2008 Beijing Olympics Results: Medal Count Favors United States, China Holds Edge in Gold
The 2008 Beijing Olympics has completed its first week of competition and the United States has grabbed the overall lead in the Olympic medal count, holding a 54-47 lead over China.
While China trails by seven medals they hold a 27-16 advantage over the U.S. in the gold medal count.
Australia, France, Russia and South Korea are all separated by just five medals.
China has grabbed gold in men’s and women’s team gymnastics, shooting, judo, archery, diving, badminton, fencing and weightlifting.
Michael Phelps has led the gold charge for the U.S., accounting for 7 of the 16 gold medals won. Outside the pool the U.S. has collected gold in the women’s individual all-around gymnastics, fencing, road cycling and shooting.
source: transworldnews.com
While China trails by seven medals they hold a 27-16 advantage over the U.S. in the gold medal count.
Australia, France, Russia and South Korea are all separated by just five medals.
China has grabbed gold in men’s and women’s team gymnastics, shooting, judo, archery, diving, badminton, fencing and weightlifting.
Michael Phelps has led the gold charge for the U.S., accounting for 7 of the 16 gold medals won. Outside the pool the U.S. has collected gold in the women’s individual all-around gymnastics, fencing, road cycling and shooting.
source: transworldnews.com
Beijing’s economy: Going for gold
YABAO ROAD in Beijing’s embassy district is normally bustling. Russian traders scour its wholesale shops for furs and boots. Hawkers throng the pavements. The street is jammed with taxis and pedicabs. But the Olympic games have begun. Yabao Road is now strangely quiet.
Only a few months ago many shopkeepers, restaurants and hotels were expecting these to be boom times as big-spending foreigners flocked in for the games. Today many businessmen in and around the capital are disgruntled. So too are other citizens who find that even some outdoor food markets have been closed as part of an Olympic spruce-up…
Full Article
Only a few months ago many shopkeepers, restaurants and hotels were expecting these to be boom times as big-spending foreigners flocked in for the games. Today many businessmen in and around the capital are disgruntled. So too are other citizens who find that even some outdoor food markets have been closed as part of an Olympic spruce-up…
Full Article
Olympics 2008: After Akhil, it's Jitender
YESTERDAY, THE nation was proud of Akhil Kumar’s feat after he ousted the 2007 world champion, Sergey Vodopyanov of Russia and entered the quarter final. Today, (August 16), an extra feather was added to India’s cap by another pugilist, Jitender Kumar, who overthrew his Uzbek counterpart, Tulashboy Doniyorov, and secured his place for the quarter-final round in the Beijing Olympics 2008. Now, Jitender will face three-time European champion, Georgy Balakshin of Russia in the competition’s 51kg category at the quarter final stage of the Beijing Olympics - 2008.
Jitender, the 21-year-old Haryana lad, who earlier had never won any medal in the Olympics, would certainly hope for a medal in this Beijing Olympics. Today, Jitender was in his full cry from the very onset and grabbed 4-1 victory at the opening round. His pugnacious attacks till the end of the second round kept him at a position of 5-1. Finally his incessant venomous punches against his Uzbek opponent resulted in an ill-tempered bout of 13-6 victory and helped him to reach the final eight.
Full Article
Jitender, the 21-year-old Haryana lad, who earlier had never won any medal in the Olympics, would certainly hope for a medal in this Beijing Olympics. Today, Jitender was in his full cry from the very onset and grabbed 4-1 victory at the opening round. His pugnacious attacks till the end of the second round kept him at a position of 5-1. Finally his incessant venomous punches against his Uzbek opponent resulted in an ill-tempered bout of 13-6 victory and helped him to reach the final eight.
Full Article
All-Russian women's tennis final at 2008 Beijing Olympics
MOSCOW, August 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Dinara Safina and Yelena Dementyeva will meet on August 17 in the final of women's tennis event of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
Both Russians enjoyed straight sets victories in the semifinals as Dementyeva defeated her compatriot Vera Zvonaryova 6-3, 7-6 and Safina overcame China's Li Na 7-6, 7-5.
Russia's Zvonaryova and China's Na will also compete for the bronze on August 17.
Russia is currently ranked 9th in the overall medal standings with 4 gold, 8 silver and 8 bronze medals, while China tops the standings boasting 27 gold, 12 silver and 6 bronze medals.
Source: en.rian.ru
Both Russians enjoyed straight sets victories in the semifinals as Dementyeva defeated her compatriot Vera Zvonaryova 6-3, 7-6 and Safina overcame China's Li Na 7-6, 7-5.
Russia's Zvonaryova and China's Na will also compete for the bronze on August 17.
Russia is currently ranked 9th in the overall medal standings with 4 gold, 8 silver and 8 bronze medals, while China tops the standings boasting 27 gold, 12 silver and 6 bronze medals.
Source: en.rian.ru
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
