The 2008 Summer Olympics : Beijing, China

[papa_levante]

Too bad the US women didn't beat the Netherlands on water polo. But oh well... it looks like a dangerous sport anyway! I was afraid someone would get socked.

 

[eternitygoddess]

When he fell on the landing of his second vault attempt, three-time world champion Marian Dragulescu of Romania did not only lose a medal; his hopes faded for his sick daughter.
Dragulescu said before leaving for Beijing that he was determined to win gold for his three-years-old daughter, Beatrice, who could not hear or speak.
He badly needed the bonus promised by Romanian authorities to gold medalists; he had to pay for his daughter's surgery in Austria.
Dragulescu had gold in sight, with a first vault attempt that gave him the highest score of all finalists. But it was the fall on the floor on his second attempt that erased his chance to a medal. He finished fourth.
Dragulescu confessed to daily "Evenimentul Zilei" that his "soul broke" when he landed.
ndtv

o m g. that's horrible horrible pressure to be under.

What happened to the U.S. track and field teams? They've been performing so poorly. There's no way we're going to catch up to China's gold now.

 

[Moofins]

Oh, lonn3k3 that is so sad. So, so sad. I had no idea that had happened, my heart goes out to him.

The US Track and Field is fairing well; perhaps not like we were when we were juicing, but now that we have a cleaner image and it appears as if our athletes are being healthier...I can deal with less golds. I think health is more important, call me old fashioned.

 

[ingetjuh18]

Whoehoe netherlands won the gold today with waterpolo!
and and and yesterday a dutch guy who battled leukemia won the 10k swim.

so gooood.

Tomorrow the dutch hockey team(girls)!! hope they win, so we have another gold.

 

[kezme44]

What happened to the U.S. track and field teams?

anyone seen the relays this morning?? how difficult is it to pass the baton to your team mate? it's the olympics, you'd think they would be more careful and at least put some effort into doing it right, but no. under pressure from powerhouses such as belgium, poland and belarus in the FIRST round both men and women drop it

 

[kissablekae]

so sad

When he fell on the landing of his second vault attempt, three-time world champion Marian Dragulescu of Romania did not only lose a medal; his hopes faded for his sick daughter.
Dragulescu said before leaving for Beijing that he was determined to win gold for his three-years-old daughter, Beatrice, who could not hear or speak.
He badly needed the bonus promised by Romanian authorities to gold medalists; he had to pay for his daughter's surgery in Austria.
Dragulescu had gold in sight, with a first vault attempt that gave him the highest score of all finalists. But it was the fall on the floor on his second attempt that erased his chance to a medal. He finished fourth.
Dragulescu confessed to daily "Evenimentul Zilei" that his "soul broke" when he landed.
ndtv

oh no. and i so wanted him to get the gold. i swear he has been derserving of it for so long but its always that damn second vault!

 

[Ronchamp]

and and and yesterday a dutch guy who battled leukemia won the 10k swim.

and on the women's side, Saouth Africa's Natalie du Toit finished 16th overall! She's the first amputee ever to qualify for the Olympics!

 

[kezme44]

the ioc is starting an investigation into the age of one of the chinese girl gymnasts

 

[lozz]

Gosh..



Now Stephanie Rice linked to Michael Phelps

FORGET gold medals and drug busts, the hottest guessing game in Beijing is over American superfish Michael Phelps' love interest in our own Stephanie Rice.

Rumours abound that Phelps has been partying with a beauty since his record-breaking gold medal feats. US swimmer Amanda Beard, English model Lily Donaldson and now Rice are the names that keep cropping up.

Sexy Beard strongly denied reports that she is the one, saying he's not her type. "I've never even kissed him," said Beard, who has posed for Playboy and done a nude poster for PETA.

British beauty Donaldson also quashed rumours it's her and Phelps has denied both liaisons. Now it's Rice's turn.

When a shirtless Phelps got friendly with Rice at a promotion on Tuesday, it set tongues wagging.

Phelps' comment was: "I've had a lot of water, now it's just time to relax a bit."

Aussie swimming insiders said the pair were very close at a party organised by Ian Thorpe on Monday night.

And blogging sites are carrying pictures of Phelps cosying up to a dark-haired woman with comments hinting it is Rice.

The insiders also said the relationship between Rice and Eamon Sullivan was definitely over with the Aussie swimmer planning to go backpacking on his return from Beijing.

Beard, 26, denied that she was dating Phelps, 23, saying, "Eww, that's nasty. I have never, ever hooked up with Michael Phelps," Beard told a radio station in Phoenix yesterday.

"Come on, I have really good taste," she said. "He's really not my type." Asked how the rumors have spread, Beard said she had no clue. "We don't even talk to each other," she said.

Phelps was equally emphatic in his denial. "I'm not dating Amanda Beard," he told a TV show. "I think she has a boyfriend."

Asked if he's dating anyone, Phelps said, "Part of my life is kept to myself. I'm able to relax and be with my friends. Those pretty much are the only people who really know the answer to that."

Herald Sun.

 

[Jacque Marcel]

Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 4:42 pm EDT

IOC orders investigation into He Kexin's age
By Chris Chase

The International Olympic Committee has ordered an investigation into the age of Chinese gymnast He Kexin, The Times of London reports. Faced with almost insurmountable evidence which suggests that He is two years younger than the birth date listed on her Chinese passport, the IOC has launched an inquiry that could result in the stripping of He's gold medals.
This news comes on the heels of another Times report that details the findings of a New York computer security expert who found official Chinese documents that list He's age as 14 years and 220 days. Mike Walker used a Chinese search engine's cache feature to find He's actual date of birth on spreadsheets from a Chinese government website. The spreadsheets were taken down off the site recently and He's name had been removed.
Assuming the IOC is committed to a real investigation and not some dog and pony show, the revelation that the Chinese government covered up the ages of gymnasts could end up being the defining moment of these Games for the host country. Officials wanted the Olympics to be a coming out party for a new China. But while the Games have been a huge success, there is a legitimate possibility that China's legacy from Beijing '08 will be that of a massive government cover-up, not the magical Opening Ceremony or the transformation of Beijing or anything else positive.
All the good work China did to put on these Olympics could be forgotten because of an unnecessary, arrogant move by the government. Why risk everything to put a 14-year old in the competition when they could have replaced her with an of-age 16-year old gymnast? Sure, He is a better gymnast than the Chinese gymnasts who were eligible to compete, but with the judges they had at the Olympics, would it really have mattered?
Photo via Getty Images
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oh China...lets see what happens

yahoo

 

[Ziegfeld Girl]

I don't want He kexin's medal taken away from her. I also don't like the insinuations the writer has made that the judges were favouring the Chinese gymnasts. The Chinese gymnasts won all their gold medals because they performed the best on the day!

That story about Marian Dragulescu is so sad. I wanted him to come away with a gold medal because I think he is a great gymnast but knowing the circumstances surrounding his desire to win gold makes his loss all the more heartbreaking.

 

[ms-nietzsche]

Didn't Rice just break up with Eamon Sullivan? Eamon is cuter

 

[smartarse]

anyone seen the relays this morning?? how difficult is it to pass the baton to your team mate? it's the olympics, you'd think they would be more careful and at least put some effort into doing it right, but no. under pressure from powerhouses such as belgium, poland and belarus in the FIRST round both men and women drop it

i just saw it...

all i gotta say is, "OMG! i'll just throw my baton down and call it a day!"
no US men AND women qualified for the [relay] finals! WTF.WTF.WTF.
this is the first! F!

 

[smartarse]

Oooo!!
i didn't know Latvia has strong talents in BMX racing


i'm impressed!

 

[kezme44]

^ well yes, there are still not too many cars around there
dalhausser/rogers take the first set from fabio and co

 

[kezme44]

dalhausser/rogers take gold!! amazing match!

 

[papa_levante]

Oh damn. I didn't get to finish the mens volleyball match.

Shame on me to check the thread.

Well, for one thing, it is SO RUDE for the Brazilian fans to boo the Americans as they serve. Bad sportsmanship.

 

[smartarse]

UPDATE: Gymnasts underage investigations

UPDATE:
3 female chinese gymnasts are being investigated for being underage. IF they are found to be of underage, Team USA will be elevated to a Gold and Nastia will get her 2nd Gold Medal.

another controversy Chinese put upon themselves...

ETA:
source Peter Costas

 

[*Kristina*]

It's a shame all of this investigation is going on, it just ruins the spirit of the Olympics.

 

[kezme44]

then don't ruin the spirit of the olympics by lying about the age of athletes