Twenty-six days -- that's all the remaining time we have in order to prepare for the 2008 Olympics. As the Opening Ceremony of the Games of the 29th Olympiad keeps getting closer and closer, here's what's going on around the world and in China.
ATHLETICS: Dwain Chambers of Great Britain (above, center) ended up winning the 100 meter event at his nation's Olympic Trials, but he'll need court intervention to attend next month's Games -- he's been banned for life by the British Olympic Association because of a prior, expired drug offense. Some feel strongly that he should run. The real problem, however, lies in the fact that there were four digits in his time (10.00) during a racing age that deals in high nines. Great Britain really hasn't been able to keep its men's sprinting tradition intact this century. The Union Jack has been held high by a stunning line of legends: Linford Christie, Darren Campbell, Allan Wells, and onward into the past.
The champion of the first Olympic marathon, Spiridon Louis of Greece, won an antique vase for his efforts. The victor in the 2008 edition, in addition to a gold medal, will receive an olive branch wreath from a 2,500-year-old tree in Crete.
BASKETBALL: The FIBA men's qualification tournament -- 12 enter, only three leave with Olympic tickets -- begins tomorrow in Athens with four preliminary games, the most intriguing of which pits Croatia against Cameroon. Carlos Arroyo, the captain of fellow Group D member Puerto Rico, doesn't know either of those two teams, but hopefully the coaches have done their scouting.
On the women's side, the final tune-up for Beijing will take place just days before the Games in China. The Diamond Ball tournament has become a pre-Olympic tradition in international basketball, and the 2008 women's event will showcase Australia, China, Mali, Russia and the United States. Yesterday, it was announced that Latvia will replace Japan in the tournament. The three-time defending Olympic champion Americans are hoping to use the event for training purposes, as they haven't played together very much as of yet.
EQUESTRIAN: Think 41-year-old U.S. sprint swimmer Dana Torres is impressive? She's still two decades behind Canadian show jumper Ian Millar. The 61-year-old will participate in his ninth Olympics.
FOOTBALL: Ronaldinho really wants to go to the Olympics and represent Brazil. So much so that he's reportedly threatened to break his contract with Barcelona FC, the club that won't release him, to get there. Brazilian newspaper O Globo says, "The first demonstration of his determination will take place on Monday when he will not report to (Barcelona coach) Josep Guardiola for training." Complicating matters for the star footballer is a report that AC Milan is "on the brink" of acquiring him. Would the Italian club mind if he went to Beijing?
TRIATHLON: Yesterday, Lenka Zemanova of the Czech Republic won the Triathlon European Cup for women in Ireland. Emma Davis, who will be Ireland's lone entry on the women's side, finished second. The women's triathlon has only been competed twice at the Olympics (in 2000 and 2004), and only one person has finished in the top eight in both. That woman, Australian 2004 silver medalist Loretta Harrop, won't be on the 2008 team, despite a strong comeback attempt after taking a year off to give birth. She retired last year.
WEIGHTLIFTING: This sport is full of superheroes, so it's only fitting that weightlifters get the best superhero nicknames. Pocket Hercules! The Himaran Lion! Little Dynamo! And next month, the "Iranian Hercules" will be there! Despite being out of competition since 2006, Hossein Rezazadeh, the first from his country to win two gold medals, will once again defend his title in the over-231 lbs. class.
Josefa Vueti of Fiji, who does not have a nickname, earned a spot in the Olympics yesterday. He'll be one of at least 14 lifters from Pacific islands to compete in Beijing.
In this blog's ongoing series of events for Americans to attend if they can't get to (or into) China next month: the "Chicken Show" in Wayne, Nebraska is celebrating the Games.
This year's theme is "Let the Clucking Games Begin," a tribute to the 2008 Summer Olympics. Veteran festival goers say they love to dress up in honor of the popular poultry.
And in China...
Nicolai Ouroussof of the New York Times examines the new architecture in China.
The Olympic Stadium and the National Aquatics Center lie 10 miles north of the city center along its ancient ceremonial axis, putting them on par with the Forbidden City and Mao's mausoleum in national importance. Of the two, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron's stadium is the more photographed and familiar symbol of the Games. Its huge elliptical form is enveloped in a dense latticework of steel columns.
Due to the Chinese government's sensitivity to protest, televised Olympic events will feature a decency filter.
Chinese authorities have ordered a 10-second delay for Games broadcasts to avoid "undesirable" incidents — such as protests or anti-Chinese slogans — being viewed by the domestic masses, according to Hong Kong's Ming Pao daily newspaper.
Someday, somebody will produce the authoritative history on Olympic victory ceremonies. The latest chapter in that saga began yesterday, when BOCOG revealed the look that the medal-bearing hostesses will be sporting. This may be the first time in Olympic history that an five-rings hairstyle is used.
(Photo © Andrew Boyers/Icon SMI)
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