Changing China
Giant on the move
Follow that, London!
Sebastian Coe says London is undaunted at having to follow Beijing when it hosts the next Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2012.
“It’s a massive responsibility,” the chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games told a news conference on the eve of the closing ceremony of the Paralympics.
“We don’t find it daunting. I can only relate it to when I was sitting in a stadium when I was still a competitor watching an outstanding performance in my own event,” added the twice Olympic champion middle distance runner.
“I didn’t feel cowed by it, I went out and wanted to emulate it or even better it… Beijing has delivered a spectacular Games and we will also deliver a spectacular Games.”
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PHOTO: Brazil’s Lucas Prado (R) celebrates with his guide after they won the men’s 100M T11 final at the Bird’s Nest, during the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, Sept 9, 2008. REUTERS/David Gray
Blade Runner eyes triple gold and a crack at London 2012
Double amputee Oscar Pistorius has put the disappointment of not qualifying for the Beijing Olympics behind him and is confident of snaring three gold medals in the athletics at the Paralympics.
He is also looking forward to an attempt to make the next Olympics in London 2012.
The 21-year-old South African, dubbed the ‘Blade Runner’ because of the prosthetic legs that enable him to sprint, won a legal battle in May for the right to participate in the Olympics, only to then fail to meet the qualifying time.
“I didn’t make the Olympics this time, I’m hoping for the future,” he told me just ahead of the Paralympics.
Click here to read the full interview.
PHOTO: Pistorius runs the men’s 400 meters at the international EAA athletics meeting in Lucerne July 16, 2008. Needing a time of 45.55 seconds to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, Pistorius, 21, failed to qualify, finishing third with a personal best time of 46.25. REUTERS/Michael Buholzer
It is indeed, a depressing matter that, after such die-hard effrts made by Pistorius,did not allow him to qualify in the Olypic 2008.An amputed person who bears such indomitable attitude and does dream to be great one in the next Olympic 2012, is indeed an encouraging example to other sports persons significantly.It can be expected firmly that, Pistorius would win atleast any medal in the forthcoming Olympic game to held in London.A man of such ‘spirit’who can dream so high,must conquer any kinds of challenges or obstructions satisfactorily.Our sincere support and best wishes will be with him always.
Olympic fever hits London
Riding a wave of sporting euphoria after its best Olympic performance in a century, Britain accepted Olympic host-nation status from China on Sunday with a huge street party in front of Buckingham Palace.
Owen Wyatt catches up with Olympic gold medallists Michael Phelps and Bradley Wiggins as London throbbed with 40,000 partygoers at a live concert to start the countdown to the London 2012 Olympics.
Britan is the next host nation to organize the Olympic 2012,is really auspicious matter to the Briton.The sports lovers from every corner of the world will remain eager as well as avid that, how the sports person of Britain will perform in Managing the numbers of medals? Also it will be asked that,whether the scoring of Britain will be significant as compared to China or not? It is although expeced that,Britain must do better as being host-nation.
Beckham hits Beijing
As if any more glitz was needed at the Beijing Olympics, David Beckham flew into China at the weekend to promote the 2012 Games in London.
The former England captain has millions of fans in China. He will appear in the Bird’s Nest at the Olympics closing ceremony tonight, kicking a ball into the crowd from a red double-decker bus to symbolise the handover to London.
After a quick change into immaculate tie-and-jacket, Beckham popped on to a hotel balcony overlooking Tiananmen Square to see the sunset and have a chat with Reuters.
As something of a showboater himself, Beckham believes Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has a right to celebrate his feats on the track despite criticism from the Olympics boss that his jubilant style shows disrespect for fellow athletes.
As a born-and-bred Londoner, Beckham is delighted the Olympics are coming home and thinks they can be even better than in China.
Is he right?
PHOTO: David Beckham plays a soccer match against West Ham United in Toronto July 24, 2008. REUTERS/Chris Young
from the article: …”As a born-and-bred Londoner, Beckham is delighted the Olympics are coming home and thinks they can be even better than in China.”
Talk is cheap.
Have the British peaked too soon?
There was a joke going around the Olympics (until yesterday evening) about how none of Britain’s gold medals had been won by people standing up. Perfect for the British, no? We do like a nice sit down and a cup of tea after all.
Christine Ohuruogu ended that odd little sequence when she followed the sailors, swimmers, cyclists and rowers on to the podium to collect her gold for the women’s 400 metres.
Britain’s tally of 16 golds is their best since 1908 and puts them third in the medals table (as you’ll see if you glance to the right) ahead of the likes of Russia, Australia and Germany.
Kate Holton takes a look here at Britain’s Olympic renaissance, following the embarrassment of winning just one gold medal in Atlanta in 1996. Money has had a lot to do with it, with so many athletes now benefiting from National Lottery funding, but it has created a potential problem heading into the 2012 London Games.
Britain’s target for their home Games was always going to be fourth place in the medals table. In the wake of Beijing, and assuming they hang on to third, that would be a real anticlimax.
Just as The Times is speaking about a funding crisis, the British will now be faced with diverting a fair chunk of the Lottery money to sports in which they have no realistic chance of a medal — simply to avoid humiliation. As hosts, Britain will be automatically entered into all team events, which means fielding teams in sports like handball, water polo and others where there is not a great tradition in the country. Thank goodness softball and baseball won’t be there.
But with any luck the Beijing gold rush — or the Great Haul of China, as the British have it — will inspire the country to exceed expectations once again in London. Obviously second place is out of the question, but holding on to third, and finishing ahead of Australia especially, should offer mighty levels of motivation.
Enjoy it while it lasts. The Aussies and Chinese will be chucking money at cycling to try and catch up in four years time.
I am certain the Brits will offer a fantastic event, the same as the Chinese have.It is sad to see even a sports article being used as a nation bashing arena. We as a global economy need to pull together, recognize the differences we all have and move forward towards ending poverty and acheiving global prosperity.