| Sunday, 24 August 2008 |
| goodbye Beijing, hello London! |
Let's all say goodbye to Beijing for 16 splendid days of amazing competition!
I'm glad they managed to hold the Olympics without any major problems, and I must say they blew away all my expectations concerning how they would host the games. I was very worried that there would be blemishes here and there, but the organisation of the games just looks perfect. The venues were all amazing, in particular the Water Cube.
I have to say that that building is a work of art. It is a beautiful piece of architecture that just evokes alot of feeling and emotion in me... Something about it just spells unspeakable beauty, more so than the Bird's Nest National Stadium.
But yes, the games were very well organised and it really had a great impact on the city because Beijing looks so much greener, cleaner and friendlier a place right now. We really are seeing a side of the Chinese that we have never seen before: that of a people that's gracious, friendly and always smiling.
These games really have brought the world and China closer, and hopefully it'll usher in an era of greater co-operation and mutual understanding.
There were many moments in these games that I absolutely enjoyed.
The amazing opening ceremony that stunned the world was definitely one of them. It was well choreographed and perfectly executed and showcased that wonders that China could bring to the world.
Michael Phelps and his 8 Golds. It was just amazing, watching him win every single Gold medal and achieve history. This man is one of my greatest sporting idols and I'm so honored to have been alive to witness history being made.
The Singapore table tennis girls and their long awaited Silver medal. Thank you so much for achieving something that the nation has been waiting for a long long time.
Usain Bolt and his 3 sprinting Golds. He may be a show-off, but he deserves every right because he IS the fastest man alive.
Chris Hoy and his 3 cycling Golds. The most successful British athlete from these games. I'm very happy with the amazing performance of the British team! 19 Golds! Definitely their best performance at an Olympic games in recent times!
Yelena Isinbayeva from Russia, the Queen of the Pole Vault. I'll never forget how she made a whole stadium of spectators wait just so that she could attempt to break her world record... which she did.
Matthew Mitcham from Australia, who did an amazing last dive to snatch the last diving Gold from China and prevent the Chinese from sweeping the diving medals.
And many other moments that I just can't list out right now....
There were, of course, moments of controversy and heartache.
Liu Xiang's shocking pull out from his race broke the hearts of 1.3 billion people, and to watch this former champion do so was just... horrifying.
Cuba's Angel Valodia Matos, a former Olympic champion in Taekwondo who kicked the referee's face after being ruled to have lost the game and thus earning a life long ban from his sport, effectively putting an end to his career.
All these showcase the fact that the Olympics really does bring out the best and the worst in people. You see the heroic sides of these amazing champions, but you also witness the horrible sides of some of the fallen heroes as well.
The next few days will be particularly depressing, considering that there won't be anymore Olympics action to look forward to anymore. How unfortunate because I'll be having my one week break now before I start my Surgery posting and I would have all the time in the world to watch some Olympics action. But oh well, my EOPT (WHICH WAS A TOTAL DISASTER!) marked the end of both my Medicine posting and the Olympics, so I won't have a chance to properly enjoy the Olympics. Talk about bad timing, but that is just life.
And so, we'll see the Olympics again when it reaches London in 2012. It'll be a different feeling altogether, a totally different kind of games. Beijing had splendor and extravagance, but I think London would focus instead on celebrating youth and vitality. Both are two of my favourite cities in the world, and I'm just happy to know that both are hosts for back to back Olympics.
And so its goodbye Beijing! I enjoyed every minute of what you had to offer!
And now its hello London! See you in 2012! I can hardly wait! =)Labels: sports |
posted by voldemort33 @ 23:01  |
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