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Posts Tagged ‘Olympics’
Mon, August 11, 2008 10:15 am By James Coolridge  Printer friendly version
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 BEIJING (AP) _ The entire world is focusing on Beijing for its Olympic bonanza, while US president George W. Bush is using it for an attempt to mix up politics and religion with sports. In an Olympic medley of sports and politics, Bush, on Sunday demanded more religious freedom in China, sought an end to an escalating conflict between Russia and Georgia and cheered U.S. athletes as they dribbled and swam for gold. He also had in store full praise for the Chinese leaders for their swift response to a stabbing attack that killed the father of a 2004 U.S. Olympian.
Authorities tightened already-stringent security throughout the Chinese capital, and President Hu Jintao told Bush of China’s “profound sympathy” for the victim’s family. “Your government has been very attentive, very sympathetic, and I appreciate that a lot,” Bush said.
Todd Bachman, the father of Olympic volleyball player Elisabeth “Wiz” Bachman, was assaulted to death on Saturday and his wife was gravely injured at Beijing’s 13th-century Drum Tower. The Bachmans are in-laws of a U.S. men’s volleyball coach at the games.
The assailant, who was later identified as Tang Yongming, 47, jumped from the tower to his death. The motive for the attack is still unclear and has kept the Chinese authorities amused.
The president’s meetings with Hu and other Chinese officials at the Zhongnanhai government happened in the background of deadly clashes between Russia and the former Soviet republic of Georgia. Georgia is a staunch U.S. ally that Bush wants to see join NATO. The conflict erupted Friday when Georgian troops moved to retake control of South Ossetia, a region bordering Russia that gained de facto independence in 1992. President Bush is seen much concerned that attacks were occurring in regions of Georgia far from the zone of conflict in South Ossetia.
A senior official in Washington said Russia’s use of strategic bombers and ballistic missiles against Georgia was “disproportionate to whatever threat Russia had been citing.” The administration official briefed reporters Saturday while putting forward a condition that his name not be used because of the sensitive nature of the situation.
Bush, who called himself an Olympics fan was seen on Sunday cheering at the stands of the Water Cube Olympic swimming venue as American Michael Phelps claimed the first of an expected string of gold medals by smashing his own world record in the 400-meter individual medley. He was accompanied by first lady Laura Bush, their daughter, Barbara, and former President George H.W. Bush. “God, what a thrill to cheer for you!” Bush told Phelps afterward. Phelps told reporters he looked up at Bush moments after winning, and the president nodded.
Bush was also seen later watching the U.S. men’s basketball team, with NBA stars Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, taking on China, led by center Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets. Bush’s Sunday began with a worship service at Beijing’s Kuanjie church, an officially registered Protestant congregation, where a children’s choir sang “Amazing Grace” in English and Chinese. Speaking to reporters afterward, Bush alluded to the millions of Chinese who brave harassment and arrest to worship at unregistered “house” churches.
However, Bush did not repeat earlier admonitions about China’s pre-Olympic crackdown on dissent and its strict controls on religion. The Chinese government has bristled at Bush’s prodding as unnecessary meddling in its affairs.
Tags : Olympics, US, China, Beijing, Hu Jintao., George W. Bush, Barbara Bush, Georgia, Russia, Todd Bachman
Fri, August 8, 2008 9:57 am By James Coolridge
 BEIJING (AP) _ Michael Phelps was in full form on Sunday at Beijing. He dominated his first event of the Olympics by crushing down his own world record and all hopes of his challengers with in a span of 4 minutes,3.84 seconds in the 400-meter individual medley. This was thought to be a potential stumbling block in Phelps’ quest to win eight gold medals after Ryan Lochte matched him stroke for stroke at the U.S. Olympic trials a month back.
Both went under the previous world record in the 400 IM then, with Phelps touching first in 4:05.25. Laszlo Cseh of Hungary grabbed the silver in 4:06.16, while Lochte faded to third in 4:08.09 more than 4 seconds behind.
“I’m pretty happy. That was a pretty emotional race,” was the comment by Phelps. “I knew it was going to be a tough race all the way through. Well, it was for a while.”
The top three traded the lead over the butterfly and backstroke legs. Cseh made a quick start, touching the first wall just ahead of Phelps. While Lochte claimed the lead midway through the back.
Phelps had a slight lead at the 200 mark, and it began turning into a blowout from there. “Looking and seeing all three of us together pretty much at the 200, I wasn’t really comfortable with having that close of a race,” added Phelps. “I usually have more of a gap, but it made my breaststroke a lot stronger.”
Phelps stretched his lead and powered to the wall with nearly his entire body in front of the world-record line a green marker superimposed on the video screen to show the pace of the previous mark. Phelps calls the freestyle a just downhill. Phelps touched the wall and spun around so quickly to find his time that he bumped his head on the wall.
Michael Phelps pumped both his arms in the air, and quickly spotting his mother and two sisters in the massive stands at the Water Cube. On the other side there was President Bush was waving his American flag, accompanied by the first lady, their daughter Barbara and his father, former President George H.W. Bush.
Stephanie Rice of Australia also went on rampage to hold on at the end to win the women’s 400 IM in 4:29.45 nearly 2 seconds faster than the world record of 4:31.12 set by Katie Hoff at the U.S. Olympic trials.
The Down Under team didn’t fare as well in the men’s 400 freestyle. Park Tae-hwan of South Korea owned the gold medal, snapping the dominance of Australia of the event at the Olympics. Park, the current world champion, touched in 3:41.86. Zhang Lin of China succeeded in earning his country’s first swimming medal of the games, claiming silver in 3:42.78.
American Larsen Jensen took the bronze in 3:42.78. Australia team captain Grant Hackett, who was in the lead off the blocks, struggled home in sixth.
He was second four years ago to countryman Ian Thorpe, who won the second of two straight golds in the event. Hackett will get a chance to make up for it in his best event, the 1,500 free.
On the medal stand, Phelps’ eyes watered as the U.S. flag was raised to the rafters. The only glitch came during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which cut off a few seconds before the end. That was a great way to start off the meet for USA.”.
Tags : Olympics, US, China, swimming, Bijing, George Bush, Micheal Phelps, Ryan Lochte, gold medal
Thu, July 10, 2008 11:29 am By James Coolridge
 SKELLEFTEA, Sweden: With the goal by Carli Lloyd in the 39th minute, the United Sates owned a win over Sweden in the women’s Olympic tune up on Saturday. The golden goal by Lloyd helped the United States in folding up the Swedish side by 1-0 giving an edge in the series.
Lloyd by dribbling past three defenders inside the box succeeded in firing a low left-footed shot which glanced off Sara Thunebro’s and past goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl.
With this win, the United States celebrated their 20th straight this year. It also includes one on penalty kicks over Canada in the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying final. Thanks this time to the good fortune of Carli Lloyd.
“Yeah, it was a deflection, but it’s always exciting to score a goal,” was the early comment by Lloyd, who had earlier taken the American side to a 4-0 victory over Norway three days back. With this first match America have managed to make their 16th win in 25 matches against Sweden. Sweden has grabbed five wins with four draws.
Sweden, ranked third by FIFA is a favourite among Olympic favourites. The two scoring chances late in the first half and another early in the second were thwarted by goalkeeper Hope Solo. This was the first match of Pia Sundhage as coach of the United States against her native country. She has booted for Sweden in two World Cups and one Olympics. She feels the victory against Sweden will pump energy and confidence to her side. “We will be working on some tactical stuff,” she said. “At halftime, it was nice to hear the players say they need to challenge themselves …” says Pia Sundhage.
The United States will enter the fields next time against Brazil on July 13 near Denver, and July 16 at San Diego before marching to China.
Tags : Soccer, Olympics, US, China, goal, FIFA, Sweden, women soccer, Carli Lloyd, Pia Sundhage
Tue, June 17, 2008 11:11 am By James Coolridge
 Marion Jones was stripped her Olympic gold medals which she won in 2000 for lying about steroid use. Now, her US relay team-mates have also lost their medals.
The sprint relay team included Jearl-Miles Clark, Monique Hennagan, LaTasha Colander-Richardson and Andrea Anderson. The 400-relay squad comprised Jones, Chryste Gaines, Torri Edwards, Nanceen Perry and Passion Richardson.
International Olympic Committee legal adviser Francois Carrard says the US Olympic Committee has been ordered to return the medals of the team- mates, even though they are innocent of doping at the 2000 games.
Jones became the first woman to claim five medals in an Olympics when she won three golds and two bronzes in Sydney. However, she lost those medals after admitting using performance enhancing drugs between September 2000 and July 2001.
Jones is now serving a six-month jail sentence. She has retired from the sport.
Tags : Olympics, Athletics, Marian Jones, doping
Sun, May 11, 2008 8:58 am By Gabriel Moen
 The Olympic torch has arrived at Ho Chi Minh City airport under tight security. The torch goes on a parade across Saigon, Vietnam’s largest city.
The special chartered plane touched down the airport at 23:05 local time (1505 GMT) from Pyongyang, capital of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, after six hours’ flight.
Hoang Vinh Giang, vice chairman and general secretary of the Vietnam Olympic Committee and Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Hu Qianwen walked up the plane to welcome the Flame.
Vietnam government has promised a peaceful relay of Olympic torch in their country. The flame was previously relayed amidst tight security in North Korea’s capital Pyongyang, where thousands of people honored the flame by waving and cheering along the 20-kilometer route carried by 80 athletes.
Meanwhile during Sunday’s relay in South Korea, protests were carried out by the human rights groups protesting China’s deportation of North Korean refugees who are now facing harsh punishment for fleeing the North. Over thousands of Chinese students threw stones, bottles and other objects at the protestors. According to the media reports, more than 10,000 Chinese took to the streets during the relay, many of whom flew from China specifically to counter anti-Beijing rallies.
South Korea’s Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Yong-joon has sent a message to Chinese Ambassador Ning Fukui, expressing his government’s “strong regret” about the acts of some of the Chinese students.
Tags : Olympics, torch flame, Chinese students, Vietnam, South Korea, North Korea
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