My Olympics Prediction: Dead On for the Top 3

Several Months before the 2008 Olympics went under way, I made a rough calculation and prediction on which country will get the top spots in the recently concluded sports event. I was surprised to find out after checking the final tally in the chinaview.cn website that I made the correct predictions for the top 3! Check out the comparison below.
The image at the right is slightly biased because it came from a Chinese website of course. Nevertheless, USA should have gotten the top rank because they won the most medals total. Russia did very well as well considering they weren't too positive in performing this year. In any case, much like the 3 previous Olympics showdown in the past 12 years, it was a neck and neck battle between the American and Chinese superpowers as shown in the image above. For the 2012 Olympics, hometown advantage should put Great Britain in the top 3.

China and USA share top spot at the Olympics

China made strong headway and most definitely benefited from home court advantage in the recntly concluded 2008 Olympics. They raked in exactly 100 medals in total. While most people would predicted a strong showing for their rivals USA, China made very strong performances in their vaunted sports events. Gold medals in the sports of diving, table tennis, boxing and badminton propelled China into a top three showing this year.

The bigger surprise, though, was their strong showing as well in other sports they also participated in. Their medal haul came mostly from sports they weren't expected to perform. It was an amazing run for the top spot but the Chinese slightly shared the top country billing as their rival USA also made an awesome showing for this year's Olympics event.

Bulgarian Olympic Shooter Boneva Positive For Cocaine

Bulgarian shooter Antoaneta Boneva has tested positive for cocaine and will be disqualified from the Olympic team, said the Bulgarian Olympic Committee on Tuesday.

"Boneva was checked in May at a competition in Italy and the tests were made in the Italian doping laboratory," the committee said in a statement, "She drops out of the Olympics in Beijing."

Boneva, 22, was due to compete in the 25m rapid fire pistol competition in the Olympics in August. Source

Chinese Fencing Champion Hurting or Playing Possum?

China's saber queen Tan Xue, a gold-taking point at the Beijing Olympics, is facing a tougher period, said Wang Jian, the leader of the Chinese national women's saber team on Sunday.

"Tan Xue's arch rivals have taken her as their No. 1 target and studied her tactics and techniques a lot. It seems hat her opponents have found the way to beat her," Wang said during the 2008 FIE Women's Saber World Cup Grand Prix in Tianjin. "Furthermore, Tan is not in her best form now and has to make some changes from now on," Wang added.

As the women's saber silver medal winner at the Athens Olympic Games, Tan Xue is considered to be one of the top favorites for a gold at the Beijing Olympic Games. However, she lost to her teammate Bao Yingying 10-15 last week in the Grand Prix in Tianjin, and that was her best result of this season. However, Wang Jian expressed the hope that Tan Xue can show her best form at the Beijing Olympic Games. Source

Kobe Joins USA Olympic Basketball Team

NBA's MVP Kobe Bryant from Lakers will spearhead the 12-man USA Olympic men's basketball team announced on Monday in Chicago for the Beijing Games this August. Lebron James (Cleveland), Dwyane Wade (Miami), second time Olympians, and Olympic debutant Chris Paul (New Orleans) were also included in the squad, which the USA Olympic Committee hopes to capture the gold medal in Beijing after a bronze-medal showing in Athens four years ago.

They were joined by Carmelo Anthony (Denver), Jason Kidd (Dallas), Dwight Howard (Orlando), Michael Redd (Milwaukee), Deron Williams (Utah), Carlos Boozer (Utah), Chris Bosh (Toronto) and Tayshaun Prince (Detroit). Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski is head coach of the USA team. Serving as assistant coaches are Syracuse University coach Jim Boeheim, New York Knicks head mentor Mike D'Antoni and Portland Blazers head coach Nate McMillan.

Chinese Lawyers To Settle Disputes Between Olympic Athletes

The Chines Olympic organizing committee has assigned a group of local Beijing practicing lawyers to help settle disputes in the 2008 Olympic Games in case the need arises. The Court of Arbitration for Sports had setup a 12-member arbitration court for the Olympics. They will primarily be assigned to those participating athletes who do not have any lawyers but would need legal help.

The group of 12 Chinese lawyers, though well versed in legal procedures in general, do not have experience in Sports arbitration. They will be undergoing a month long training to be able to understand the intricacies of Sports arbitration just in time for the kick-off at the 2008 Beijing Olympic games in August.

Lone Filipino Olympic Boxing Qualifier Continues Training

Harry Tanamor, the solo Filipino boxer to fight in Beijing Olympic Games, will leave for Germany's Chemistry Cup on Wednesday as his last international meet warming up to the Olympics in August, a senior sports official said Tuesday.

Manny Lopez, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines, said the 29-year-old Olympic veteran boxer is in "great shape" after two-week intensive drill with Mexican counterparts in the national training center in northern Philippine city of Baguio. Lopez said Tanamor will move up from his light flyweight division (48 kilogram) to flyweight division in Halle, Germany for the absence of light flyweight competition during the June 18-22 meet. Bantamweight boxer Charly Suarez, Cuba-trained featherweight Orlando Tacuyan Jr., and light welterweight Genebert Basadre, together with Tanamor, will form the four-men Filipino squad in Germany.

Home to World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao, the Philippines suffered a humiliating defeat in the Beijing Olympic qualification matches. Despite sports officials' expectation of 3-4 qualifiers, only Athen Games veteran Tanamor managed to grab a slot to the Beijing Games.

Tanamor finished at the second place in the light flyweight division of 2007 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Chicago, defeated by Chinese rising star Zou Shiming.
Trained under Cuban coaches Juan Enrique Steyners Tissert and Pat Gaspi, Tanamor won a gold in last month's AIBA (International Boxing Association) President's Cup, which Zou did not attend.

Brazillian Handball Team All Set

The Brazilian national teams of men's and women's handball on Tuesday intensified their training for the 2008 Olympics. On Monday, the brackets were selected by the International Olympic Committee. The Brazilian teams are expecting a tough first round in the Beijing Games. Brazil's women will play in group B against Russia, Germany, Hungary, South Korea and Sweden.

Juan Oliveira, coach of the women's team, believes that group Ais weaker. "In theory, group A is weaker. Group B, where we are, is strong. Russia is the world ranked No. 1. Germany is currently ranked 3rd in the world. South Korea is the reigning Olympic runner-up." Oliveira will take his team to Santa Catarina to continue its preparation for the Olympics. The Brazilian men's handball team was drafted in group A for the Beijing Olympics, against Poland, France, Croatia, China and Spain.

According to the team's head coach Jordi Ribera, "it is a very difficult group. There are teams that are European powerhouses as well as world contenders." Renato Tupan, the Brazilian men's player who currently plays for the German team of Wilhelmshavener H. Verein, agrees "we are in a difficult group. I think our toughest game will be against China. However, we have to enter into every game with confidence and concentration."

Zambia Sends One To The Olympics

Zambia's top badminton player Eli Mambwe has won the right to compete at Beijing Olympics, raising the number of Zambian athletes going to China to seven, according to Times of Zambia. National Olympics Committee (NOC) secretary general Hezel Kennedy said Wednesday that Mambwe had been accepted under the newly introduced tripartite commission.

Kennedy said that Mambwe had worked so hard and deserved a place at the Olympics because he had improved greatly and would prove to be an able athlete at the games. Source

Volleyballer Franco Quits The Olympics

Brazil's best beach volleyballer of 2007, Franco, decided on Tuesday to give up his hopes of playing in the Beijing Olympics. The 41-year-old was forced to switch his partner at the last minute after an ankle injury forced Pedro Cunha out of the rest ofthe year. "The dream is over. The injury was bad for both of us. The dream of returning to the Olympics is over," said Franco.

Chinese Reveals Their Olympics Table Tennis Roster

China announced its Olympic table tennis squad in a news conference of the State General Administration of Sports here on Tuesday. "Ma Lin, Wang Hao and Wang Liqin will play for the men's team, while Guo Yue, Zhang Yining and Wang Nan will play for the women's team," Liu Fengyan, director of the National Table Tennis and Badminton Center of the State General Administration of Sports, said.

"The substitutes will be Chen Qi for the men's team, and Li Xiaoxia for the women's team," added the director. According to Liu, the Chinese table tennis men's team will go to Xiamen for a one-month training from June 21, while at the same time the women's team will take the practise run in Zhengding. Source

Mark Todd Soon To Become 6-time Olympian

Two-times equestrian gold medalist Mark Todd on Tuesday was selected in the New Zealand Olympic team for a record sixth time. The New Zealand Olympic Committee said on Tuesday that Todd and fellow rider Andrew Nicholson will set a new New Zealand record when they compete at the Beijing Olympics.

Previously both men shared the record of competing at five Olympics with canoeist Ian Fergusson. Todd was a gold medalist in Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul in 1988. They will be joined by Joe Meyer, Caroline Powell and Heelan Tompkins in Hong Kong where the Olympic equestrian events will be held.

After eight years in retirement, Todd has completed a successful return to the elite level with inclusion this year and in Beijing he will join Nicholson as New Zealand's most capped Olympian. The pair will be attending their sixth Olympic Games, surpassing canoeist Ian Ferguson's attendance at five Games.

New Zealand Olympic Committee Secretary General and selector, Barry Maister, said on Tuesday that the eventing announcement was particularly special. "Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson are among our finest Olympians and to have athletes attending their sixth Games is testament to the depth of talent we have in New Zealand sport," he said, hours after the eventing team was leaked.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest riders of all time, Todd, a gold medalist at Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul 1988, was delighted to get the seal of approval after a late bid for inclusion.

Record Olympian Gets His 5th Olympic Stint

In an act of honoring an athletes contribution, the Brazilian table tennis organization has allowed Olympic veteran Hugo Hoyama to participate in the coming 2008 Beijing Olympics as part of the Brazilian table tennis team.

Hoyama, a perennial athlete at several different major and international table tennis events has been one of the most enduring athletes in Brazil. he is well-recognized. This trip to Beijing China will be his fifth so far. Without making any research, I should say that is admirable and should be some form of record for Brazil, if not for most countries.

Hoyama, according to the Brazilian table tennis team body will only be limited to playing at the team events and not in the individuals. He almost wasn't able to make this 5th trip because he missed the qualifiers last year due to an ankle injury.

Italy catches the last tickets for Volleyball in Olympics 2008

Italy notched up a narrow victory Sunday in the final qualifying round for the Olympics men's volleyball, securing a berth in the Beijing Olympics. Italy edged out Argentina by 25-19, 25-19, 22-25, 21-25, 15-5, taking the first place in the eight-team round with seven wins and no defeats. It is the ninth time in a row that Italy has won the ticket for the Olympics since 1976.

Kenya's athletes to undergo dope tests at trials

Kenya's athletics officials said all runners will undergo dope testing at the national Olympic trials early next month. Athletics Kenya Secretary General David Okeyo told journalists late Tuesday that dope testing is very crucial and aimed at ensuring those who have qualified for the Beijing Games.

"We know some people will approach you with an aim of giving you performance enhancers. If anyone does that, kindly inform us to take appropriate action," Okeyo said. The AK secretary-general warned athletes against use of drugs to enhance performance.

Vietnamese wins Olympic weightlifting berth

Vietnamese weightlifter Hoang Anh Tuan, who claimed the title in the men's 56 kg division at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in April, has secured a berth at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The International Weightlifting Federation said Tuan has officially gained the berth after performing well at recent major international weightlifting tournaments, according to local newspaper New Hanoi on Tuesday. To date, nine Vietnamese athletes have won berths at the global sports event slated for August in China's Beijing capital. Besides, eight Vietnamese athletes will conduct wushu performance at the event.

Vietnam bagged home the first-ever Olympic medal with woman athlete Tran Hieu Ngan taking a taekwondo silver medal at Sydney Olympic Games 2000.

Visiting Foreigners' Guide To 2008 Beijing Olympics

China on Monday released a legal guide for foreigners about a wide range of issues such as their entry, exit, tourism and accommodation in the country.

The guide, posted on the Beijing Olympic organizing committee's official website www.beijing2008.cn, includes 57 question-and-answer items for foreign athletes, officials, reporters and tourists. The guide says those who are believed to be likely to carry out terrorist, violent or subversive activities are not allowed to enter China.

Click here to view the arrival and departure guidelines.

Notice on the procedures for setting up Beijing Olympic 'One-Stop' services.

The Amazing Water Cube

The National Aquatic Center, known as the Water Cube, is one of the most dramatic and exciting venues to feature sport events for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Resembling a gigantic blue box of bubble-wrap, the Water Cube looks iridescent, elegant and magic. Located in the Beijing Olympic Green, it covers an area of nearly 80,000 square meters and stands alongside the National Stadium, nicknamed the Bird's Nest, the two iconic structures for the Beijing Olympics. But compared to the elliptic steel-framed stadium, the rectangular Water Cube appears more light and tender, and presents a beautifully sharp visual contrast.

Designed by a joint Chinese-Australian consortium, it is inspired by the natural formation of soap bubbles to give a random, organic appearance. In July 2003, the consortium of Arup, architecture firm PTW, the CSCEC (China State Construction and Engineering Corporation) and the CSCEC Shenzhen Design Institute won the international design competition for the National Aquatics Center for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Work on the Water Cube began at the end of 2003 and four years later, a wonder was finally created and made its debut in January 2008 in the spotlight of the whole world. With a seating capacity of 17,000, the center will host the swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo events during the 2008 Olympics.

After the Aug. 8-24 Games, the Water Cube will be refurbished into a multi-functional recreation center, providing various aquatic facilities for both citizens and athletes. In daylight, the Water Cube shines as a blue translucent spectacle; while at night, it offers spectators a glowing crystal palace with LED-lit bubbles.

"This is an excellent and wonderful facility...and the best aquatic venue by far," said Richard Kevan Gosper, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Press Commission chairperson. It looks blue, but it's green. As big, eye-catching Olympics architecture goes, nothing may beas sustainable as the Water Cube. Adopting an ETFE pneumatic die cushion structure, the Water Cube is the world's largest membrane structure building.

The 100,000 square meters of the Teflon-like translucent plastic ETFE that make up the building's bubble cladding allow in more solar heat than glass, making it easier to heat the building, which cuts energy costs by up to 30 percent. That's especially important for a swimming pool, which requires an enormous amount of heating.

Besides the solar energy, all backwash water of the center is filtered and returned to the swimming pools. With art and excelling design, concise and pure appearance, as well as eco-friendly technology, the Water Cube is definitely a classic of architecture in the Olympic history.

France & Austria Officially Support The Olympics

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who on an official visit to Austria, said Friday boycotting the Beijing Olympic 2008 was not the right way. At a press conference held here, Sarkozy said the forthcoming Beijing Olympic Games is a "very serious" theme and people should promote an international dialogue with the political leadership in Beijing instead of easily boycotting this big international sport event.

Austrian Federal Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer said "I basically do not think it is a good idea to boycott Olympics." During Sarkozy's visit, he discussed with Austrian leaders the problem of European integration, the use and exploitation of nuclear energy as well as some other internal and international affairs.

Filipino Sculptor Wins Beijing Olympics Sculpting Contest

A Filipino artist has won the grand prize for the sculpture category of the Olympic Sports and Art Contest of the International Olympic Committee and his works will be on display at the Olympic Expo in Beijing, reported local TV network GMA News on Wednesday.

Joe Datuin, who is from Dagupan, Pangasinan in northern Philippines, bested other artists from 36 countries and regions for his masterpiece entitled "Dancing Rings", said the report. Inspired by the 2008 Olympics emblem "Dancing Beijing," Datutin's "Dancing Emblem" which looks like a man (in white) dancing and surrounded by the color red would be rewarded 30,000 U.S. dollars and a diploma, according to the report.

This is not the first award from the Olympics of the Filipino artist. In 1980, Datuin's poster outshined 6,000 participants from other countries in the Moscow Olympic Poster Design.

A graduate of the prestigious Fine Arts student in the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, he had already exhibited his artworks of environmental abstract masterpieces at the Philippine Center in New York City in 2005.