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Olympics round-up: The best gold, silver and bronze moments17 days, 958 medals, 43 world records, hundreds of thousands of fireworks and countless tears. Never has a sporting event held the world at rapt attention like the games of the 29th Olympiad.
Oh, there were controversies to be sure: Fake fireworks, lip-synching children, age fabrication and the ever-present issue of Chinese censorship were all murmured about with varying degrees of intensity. For the most part, however, Beijing did nothing but charm us over the last two weeks — placing itself as the backdrop to a breathtaking stage of athletics.
Beijing gave us stories of gold: Lisa Leslie took home her fourth consecutive gold medal with the U.S. women’s basketball team in what will be her last Olympics; Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor added volleyball gold to the medals they won in 2004 before they both leave the sport to have children; and U.S. women’s soccer coach Pia Sundhage’s team won the first gold medal victory she’s had as an international head coach. "When I was six years old, I thought I was the only girl in the whole world who played soccer. I wasn't allowed to play because I was a girl," Sundhage said. "Back then, I could never imagine to be a professional player or a professional coach. Now I'm sitting with a great player, Christie Rampone, and looking at her gold medal. I am so proud."
Beijing gave us stories of silver: The U.S. softball team lost their first game since 2000, falling to Japan in the gold medal match up, and the U.S. women's volleyball team came in second behind Brazil in their final game. "I look at the medal around my neck and it's such an accomplishment for this team and the USA and these girls," said wing-spiker Logan Tom. "It just brought tears to my eyes, and I'm more than thrilled." Perhaps the best story to come out of Beijing, however, is a story of bronze. On the eve of the Olympic opening ceremony, there was a conflict between Russia and Georgia. A few days later, Nino Salukvadze and Natalia Paderina — of Russia and Georgia, respectively — faced off in the women's 10 meter air pistol event. Paderina just edged out Salukvadze, and on the medal stand, with silver and bronze medals in hand, while their countries’ armies set a path toward destruction, the two women turned and embraced each other.
"If the world were to draw any lessons from what I did," Salukvadze told reporters after the medal ceremony, "there would never be any wars." The hope of the Olympics is that it will transcend politics, that athletes will rise above nationality, ethnicity, gender and even sexuality, to point us in a direction where we can all embrace one another. So count the games of the 29th Olympiad a dazzling success. Well done, world. We’ll see you in London. Submitted by on August 26, 2008 - 11:00am. |
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Another great story...
Great stories! Especially the one about the shooting event; I hadn't actually heard about it.
Could I also bring some attention to another story? Maarten van der Weijden won a gold medal in the 10k open-water swimming event, after he was diagnosed with leukemia in 2001. You can read about him here: http://www.nbcolympics.com/swimming/news/newsid=241658.html#van+weijden+wins+swimming+race+close+finish
His story is amazing and what made it even better, was that the commentary on Dutch TV was done by Pieter van den Hoogenband (who has won the 100m swimming in Sydney and Athens), who went totally crazy at the end of the race. He seemed more happy when his teammate won than when he himself won back then. I also loved how humble Van der Weijden seemed after race, because he said he didn't defeat cancer, but rather he was very lucky and he thanked the people who had given money for research and his doctors for his survival. So anyway, an amazing story and I thought I should share it with you.
Good wrap-up
volleyball
confusion
I think the correction concerned the fact that the men's volleyball team won the gold medal (instead of "coming in second behind Brazil" as the text says; it was the women who lost to Brazil in the final, the men won their final against Brazil).
I'm looking forward to London 2012, too. That's a feeling I always get at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. But for three years in between, I forget about it and then months before, I get all excited again. That's when I start to suspend my disbelief and try and embrace all the pathos, aesthetics and so-called Olympic spirit instead of thinking too much about the cheating and politics. Anyway, I think the Games in London will be charming judging by their little handing-over show part.
London shouldnt host
"On the eve of the Olympic
"On the eve of the Olympic opening ceremony, Russia invaded Georgia."
it is hurt to read this. if someone try to write about policy - please make some research. even Youtube can give you enough information: who start, who is agressive, who killed more then 2000 civilians in South Ossetia during two days and destroied towns... i can kepp telling more.
you are offended when cnn telling about portia and ellen writting "married" in inverted commas.
i am offended by "Russia invaded Georgia"
p.s some days ago there were no NATO navy ships in Black sea. now there are 9 . why ?
This post is seriously
This post is seriously missing some USWNT action.
May/Walsh
Let's clarify here. They want to take a break to start a family. They are not leaving the sport for good! I think Kerri is more adamant in that statement than Misty who was more wait and see, but these days she sounds like she's coming back too.
I hadn't heard about the Georgian and Russian pistolists(?). Very nice.
YES
russia invaded georgia
US Men Won the Volleyball Gold
A correction for the article. The US men won the gold in volleyball, beating Brazil 3 sets to 1. The US women won the silver. The men's team was the one with the coach whose father-in-law was murdered in Beijing. The coach's wife was an Olympian in 2004 in volleyball. It was her father who was murdered. Her mother survived the attack.
Apologies
I realize now that my word choice was very poor here. I understand that the conflict runs much deeper than the attention I gave it; I was in no way trying to assign blame. I apologize that it sounded that way. I hope you guys will forgive me. I will pick my words much more carefully in the future.
Gold
disagree with the gold medal i think it shoul be yelena
Sailing-Norway & Croatia
Disappointed this hasn't been corrected
A nice wrap-up overall, but this is still wrong even though multiple people have pointed it out in the messages:
"the U.S. men's indoor volleyball team started the games with the stabbing death of a former player’s father-in-law, but persevered to come in second behind Brazil in the final game. "
The U.S. beat Brazil in the finals 3-1 and won gold, but this article says the U.S. came in second behind Brazil. Also, the person stabbed to death was the the father-in-law of team coach Hugh McCutcheon, but it says "former player's father-in-law." The "former player" was the murder victim's daughter who played for the U.S. women's volleyball team in the 2004 Olympics, obviously not a former player for the men's team. She is the wife of this year's men's coach, who began the Olympics with his father-in-law getting murdered and ended the Olympics watching his team win gold. Talk about bittersweet.
The coach and the team deserve to have this corrected.
From Tragedy to Triumph: US wins first gold medal in 20 years ~
http://www.nbcolympics.com/volleyball/news/newsid=253178.html#from+tragedy+triumph+u+s+wins+gold
Volleyball position Correction.
Quote: Nino Salukvadze and
Quote: Nino Salukvadze and Natalia Paderina — of Russia and Georgia, respectively
The other way around. Nino is Georgian, Natalia is Russian. Natalia is on the left, Nino is on the right in that picture.
Oh, and Russia really didn't invade Georgia. Georgia invaded South Ossetia. And then all hell broke loose.
well i enjoyed this post
y'all all have corrections and thats cool but you know... I still love this post, cause the olypics were so awesome. i loved every sport, including badmitton =]]
poor US softball. it was shocking but thats what the olympics are for!