Posts Tagged ‘Beijing Olympics’

The fastest man in the world who on his own set two world records at 100m and 200m and with the help of his team mates in the 4 x 100m set a third world record – so respect indeed – a truly awesome example and what struck me in the many interviews since was that he talked about this achievement was the result of hard work. It may sound obvious, its just two words – hard work – but take them on board and apply them to your chosen field of expertise and then become your own world record holder.

Well done and congratulations Usain – respect man – you ran like a leopard.

Thanks to clickJamaicadotcom and Imranpirishah for the YouTube videos – enjoy!

Our congatulations to Usain Bolt for his incredible record 200m run of 19.30 seconds, thus breaking the venerable record set by Michael Jonhson 12 years ago.

Officially he won an incredible 0.66 second lead over Crawford (or 0.52 second lead over Martina), – about four body lengths, the biggest margin in an Olympic 200.

What an apt name for this superb athlete. I wonder if his parents ever imagined, some 22 years ago, that he was going to be a Bolt in name and a ‘bolt’ of lightning?!

But otherwise this superb race seems to have been marred with wrangles. Churandy Martina of the Dutch Antilles has been stripped of his Olympic 200m silver medal after the US team’s protest that he had run out of his lane was upheld.

The move deprives the Dutch Antilles of their first ever Olympic track and field medal, and sees 2004 Olympic champion Shawn Crawford of the United States take silver behind Jamaican Usain Bolt.

The US team had initially protested the disqualification of third American runner Wallace Spearmon, who had finished in bronze-medal position behind Bolt and Martina. But they ultimately accepted the decision that Spearmon had in fact crossed lanes.

To his credit, Crawford does not seem to have been over the moon about his silver medal , which he won at the expense of his fellow runner. “It feels like a charity case,” he said.

And, since we’re still in Zimbabwe, we must congratulate the Zimbabwean Brian Dzingai for being up there with the top 9 fastest 200m runners in the world. Although he didn’t get a medal he knows he is one of the fastest men over 200m. That must be a good feeling.

This story comes from Mark S.Smith of the Associated Press for which thanks – unfortunately as President George Bush watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing he found he could not concentrate whole heartedly on the great entertainment from the ceremony – in the same block ex President Vladimir Putin had just informed him that Russian forces – tanks and aircraft – were attacking neighbouring Georgia – by 10.00 hours London time the BBC were reporting that 1,500 people had been killed already – and guess what – its all about oil again – so at least George W would understand the reasoning.

‘For one old China hand, the Beijing Olympics are a special homecoming.

Oh, and his son — the leader of the free world — thinks it’s pretty cool to be here with him.

“This has got to be a historic moment,” President Bush marveled as he opened a new U.S. Embassy in the Chinese capital with his father, former President George H.W. Bush.

The elder Bush, part of the official U.S. delegation, arrived in what was then Peking in October 1974 to open America’s first diplomatic mission since President Nixon’s surprise overture to China. Bush had been dispatched by then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who was also at Friday’s ceremony.

Bush, 84, reminisced about the bicycle-mad city he came to know well and remarked upon its dramatic transformation in the three decades since. Seeing it decked out for the Olympics, Bush declared, “There can be no question China has achieved something truly special.”

The embassy exemplifies the change. The compound is a sprawling $434 million complex with 500,000 square feet of office space.

The former president said he recently discovered his old office had been occupied by press office translators. His wife, Barbara, joked, “You mean they got someone in your office who can speak the language?” Bush says when the two took Chinese lessons together, “She simply refused to follow the sacred ‘No laughing’ rule as I spoke.”

But the former first lady wasn’t alone in the ribbing.

Her son noted China’s ancient civilization pioneered astronomy and engineering and is credited with inventing the parachute, “something for which the 41st president is very grateful.” That drew knowing laughter from family and friends. Bush’s father, a former Navy bomber pilot, has made several skydiving jumps, including one on his 80th birthday.

Bush got into a western groove in the Far East. Country-western, that is.

After dedicating the embassy, Bush rocked in his chair in time to music performed by The Gatlin Brothers. He even got a little emotional, as the musicians played a tribute to America’s influence in the world.

It was a contrast of two cultures. Also performing along with the Gatlin Brothers were young Chinese women in satin-red dresses. They swayed in synchronized moves as they pounded drums with a flourish.

The president got a taste of the Olympics the last time he was in China — three years ago — by going on a dusty, hourlong bike ride with hopefuls for China’s Olympic mountain biking team on the country’s Olympic mountain bike course.

This time in Beijing, he said, he briefly considered actually entering Olympic bike events. Bush is considered a skilled and fit rider in his sport of choice, especially for a man of his age. Still, he was joking, of course.

And in case that was in doubt, Bush’s wife, Laura, set him straight.

“They don’t give any medals for last place,” he said she reminded him.

Bush gave the U.S. Olympic team a last-minute pep talk.

“Go for it. Give it all you’ve got,” the president told the athletes, wearing blue blazers, white trousers and white caps, just before they went to march in the opening ceremonies.

The setting was the Olympic fencing venue. After a few words of encouragement, Bush spent more than an hour shaking hands and posing for pictures as each of the squads waited its turn for a chat.

Women’s volleyball players got high fives, boxers a pose with fists clenched. With the baseball team, the former baseball owner sighed and said, “Man, I love this sport.”

Bush’s father lingered at the arena’s edge doing his own glad-handing. The president’s daughter Barbara beamed when she saw the basketball team. She dashed in to get a picture with star LeBron James, his arm around her waist.

Bush plans to watch them play host China on Sunday night. “It’s gonna be great,” James told reporters.’

Here’s a YouTube video from BenefizKlickDe which shows more spectaclar scenes from the opening ceremony, but unfotunately does not show the covesation between Bush and Putin.

A rarity for us as we report on the mountain biking scene from Moscow, Russia. Sounds as though its taking off too – albeit in somewhat of a ‘cowboy’ fashion but it will interesting to see how Russia’s representative fares in Beijing. Certainly fron the sound of the last paragraph the Russian’s have plenty of practice! Thanks to Peter Slezkine of the Moscow Times.com for bringing us this article.

Moscow’s mountain biking fans will get the chance to see some of Russia’s best racers compete in the third and final stage of the Univega Country Cup at the Kant Sports Complex this Sunday.

The Univega Country Cup is a cross-country mountain bike race, where the riders are challenged by the terrain nearly as much as by each other. It is also part of the larger Russian Cup, and because of this, the race’s results have a direct impact on the national rankings, said organizer Roman Larionov.

So far, cross-country is the only form of mountain biking to have become an Olympic discipline, but, Larionov said, not all the best could go to Beijing. The Russian mountain bike team was awarded only one male spot, according to the official site of the Beijing Olympics, and so Maxim Gogolev, a six-time Russian champion, has been left at home. Instead of representing his country at the Laoshan course in China, Gogolev will be taking part in the Moscow race Sunday, along with his wife, Yelena Gogoleva, last year’s Russian champion, Larionov said.

The Univega Country Cup is not only for reigning champions and slighted Olympians. The race is open to amateurs as well. “All you need is a bike and a helmet,” Larionov said. Registration costs 100 rubles and remains open until the start of the race.

Once registration has been completed, each participant is issued a number and assigned to a group. Larionov explained that in addition to an “elite group” of about 20 professionals, there are several other categories into which riders are placed based on gender and age.

For those less inclined to test their talents against top competition, it is possible to enjoy the race from the sidelines instead of the saddle. Entry is free of charge, and spectators are allowed to roam the grounds or claim a spot anywhere along the track.

Incidentally, the Kant Sports Complex is a popular hangout for mountain bikers even on days when races are not being held. Anyone who owns a bike can ride the track for free, and those who do not have a mountain bike can rent one.

Cross-country mountain bike racing is seeing a surge in popularity among young people in Russia, Larionov said.

“Before, most professionals started out as road bikers, but now, more and more clubs begin by teaching mountain biking,” he said.

Another reason for the popularity of mountain bike racing seems to be the roads. “Our roads are terrible, so racing bikes are practically useless,” he said.

I’ve included a YouTube video from elkermo, for which thanks, which is not exactly mountain biking but certainly suggests the Russians are learning the tricks of the trade.

Cyclists heading to China in 2008 will be competing in a total of 18 events, ranging from track and road races to mountain and BMX styles to throw a bit more excitement into the mix. BMX (new this year), mountain (introduced in 1996) and track events will be contested in the Shijingshan District of Beijing, the latter heading inside to the Loashan Velodrome.

The men’s side will have four more events than the women in the track category, including Keirin, Madison, team sprint and team pursuit, while both sexes will contend in a sprint, individual pursuit, and points race. The road portion of events includes mass start event and time trial event for both men and women, with a cross country mountain bike event and an individual BMX exhibition also providing opportunity to earn a medal this summer.

With BMX being a relatively new discipline to international competition, the field will be limited to a total of 48 athletes (32 men and 16 women), with countries having a maximum of three men and two women on their squads. When it comes to the more traditional styles of racing, each National Olympic Committee may bring as many as 28 competitors, 19 in the men’s divisions and nine women making up the balance.

With so many roster spots up for grabs, the United States will not have a final list of cyclists until the first week of July, yet there are already several qualified stars who have earned the right to represent the red, white and blue this summer.

Although he first began riding as training for downhill ski racing in 1987, 34-year old Levi Leipheimer has now made road cycling his top endeavor. Leipheimer placed third overall in the 2007 Tour de France and followed up a pair of top-10 finishes in the annual event in 2002 and 2004 with his Olympic debut in Athens when Lance Armstong opted not to compete.

Despite his youth, 18-year old Taylor Phinney brings very strong bloodlines to his track racing. In October of last year Taylor, then 17 years of age, entered his first ever track cycling event and brought home the trophy from the U.S. National Championships to share with his father Davis (an Olympic bronze medalist) and mother Connie (the gold medalist in the first-ever women’s Olympic road race nearly a quarter century ago in Los Angeles.

Coming out of retirement at the ripe old age of 24 to compete in her first Olympic games in track cycling on the women’s side is Sarah Hammer who, before leaving the sport four years ago, was a two-time world champion in the 3000 meter and a seven-time world cup gold medalist. Hammer is considered by most as the top performer in the velodrome for the United States this summer.

A native of Idaho who competed at the 2004 Olympics, Kristin Armstrong has given up on the idea of being a triathlete and focusing her efforts on road cycling. On her way to the last games in Greece, Armstrong won the National Road Race Championships, eventually finishing as the top U.S. female (8th) in the road race.

In 1996 Susan DeMattei took home the bronze in the mountain biking department for the US, but she’s the only one from the states to have placed in the top three in the discipline since it was added to the games. This time around the nation is putting its faith in Mary McConneloug, even though she was just three years into her new career when she dropped in on Athens four years ago, marking her third trip to the Olympics. McConneloug came in ninth in Greece but is only now being recognized as one of the top performers in her category.

The more wild side of cycling falls to the BMX racers who might be seen as a bit more reckless and adventurous at times. Leading the charge for the United States will be Mike Day and Donny Robinson, a couple of California kids who can crank it up with the best of them. Day, who has a style of handlebar named after him due to his unusual height for the sport, nearly ran the table on a BMX track that is a replica of the one being used in Beijing. Day took the first of the five heats and came in second in the fourth event, making him the title holder even before the final round took place.

Robinson, who stands nearly a full foot shorter than Day, has been competing in the sport since the age of six and was named the Overall UCI BMX Supercross Series champion in 2006. Robinson also took home top honors at the USA Cycling BMX National Championship in both 2006 and 2007.

The USA currently stands fourth in all-time medals in cycling with a total of 45, a little more than half that of the French (81 medals, 38 gold).

Speaking of the French, Julien Absalon is considered the best in the world in the mountain biking division. Absalon took home the gold in the 2004 games and is the four-time defending world champion in cross-country mountain biking. As far as hitting the hills is concerned, the men’s division seemingly begins and ends with Absalon. On the women’s side of mountain biking, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesja was the gold-medal winner in Athens four years ago, but illness had her sidelined for much of 2007, which means she’ll have to work her way back into the spotlight, despite this being her third time to the Olympic games. Born in California, the one in Italy that is, Paolo Bettini is the reigning title holder in the road race both from the 2004 Olympics and the most recent world championships. Few can challenge his recent dominance in the category and the Cricket, as he is known because of his ability to leap in front of opponents, is certainly one to watch yet again this time around.

Hoping to put a second-place showing in the sprint event in Athens behind him this time around, Theo Bos puts the Netherlands on the map when it comes to track racing. Bos also claimed the silver medal in the kilometer race four years ago, making him the first Dutch rider to earn in medal in either event in almost 70 years.

Pulling double duty for the women is Shanaze Reade of Great Britain who has mastered both BMX and track cycling. Still shy of her 20th birthday, Reade has the stamina and drive to take on any comers in either discipline, as shown by her win in the women’s final at the BMX World Championships in Canada in 2007 and her equally impressive showing with teammate Victoria Pendelton at the inaugural 500-meter team sprint world title event in March as the pairing took first place.

I guess the temperature for the Olympics is rising all the time – with less than three weeks to the opening ceremony all eyes are turning to the east – I just hope those eyes will not be filled with tears from all the pollution. This factor as we have been reporting recently is a major concern.

I have included a YouTube video by fxxxxa of the Laoshan velodrome, recently built in Beijing for the Olympics and my thanks to www.sportsnetwork.com who have contributed to this article.

A BBC investigation has found that there are serious question marks over a key drug test just two weeks before the start of the Beijing Olympics.

The BBC has seen indications that labs are classing positive tests for the blood-boosting drug EPO as negatives.

Some samples have been described as suspicious – giving rise to fears that no action will be taken against cheats.

One sport drug expert told the BBC that many of the finalists in Olympic endurance events would be using EPO.

“Copycat” versions of the drug are available on the internet for as little as $50 – and according to experts are often undetectable.

Although a test was introduced to detect recombinant EPO (erythropoietin) at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, a growing number of athletes were soon challenging the results in the courts.

Several, like US sprinter Marion Jones, had their first sample test positive but were cleared on the second or B test.

…

So what has happened to the moral side of the Olympics? Is this sad state of affairs a result of the Olympics having changed from amateur to professional status? Can it be as simple as that?

Can one truly feel that one has legitamately won a race when one has knowingly and wittingly imbibed a performance enhancing drug?