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Quotes from Games

Author:admin  Date:2008-08-25

Editor's Note:

Shanghai Daily's Olympics reporter Ma Yue has finished her unforgetable stint in Beijing and is flying back to Shanghai today. Before she joined the swarm of travelers at Beijing International Airport today, she sent us some of the quotes that took her fancy during the 16 days. This is how the athletes saw the Games.

 

Athletics

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Behind the scenes as Liu Xiang quits competition

Author:admin  Date:2008-08-20

Liu Xiang’s withdrawal from the 110-meter hurdles due to injury left millions of his fans in tears this week, and gave thousands of journalists from all over the world a busy day.

I was covering a marathon match far from the Bird’s Nest when I heard that the 25-year-old gold medalist had pulled out of the competition. I immediately called a taxi and rushed to the stadium. On the streets of Beijing, many people stopped walking and were gathering in front of the large screens erected at public places showing the Games. Back at the Main Press Center, most journalists were out. Other journalists who weren’t inside the stadium were rushing here and there to collect information from others.

The widely watched news conference broadcast live on China’s Central Television was held at the Bird’s Nest.

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Tags: Liu Xiang Beijing Olympics

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Olympic Metro on the right track

Author:admin  Date:2008-08-15

 

A nice trip to the Olympic Green, Beijing

People resting and picnicking in the Olympic Green

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Tags: Metro weather Wangfujing

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Volunteers deserve thanks and gold medals

Author:admin  Date:2008-08-15

Reception desk at BOCOG

Volunteer Gabriel Barocio

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Tags: MainPressCenter ZhouJing Bird’sNest volunteer

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So far so good

Author:admin  Date:2008-08-11

It's been more than a week since I arrived in Beijing. Time flies and it will go on flying.

The Games have started in more places than just the various venues around town. The Media Press Center is a hive of activity now as frantic reporters and photographers are running around frequently to get their stories and photos out to an expectant public.

Food prices in the MPC have been cut at least 50 percent, which put a smile back on my face. I treated myself to sliced Peking duck wrapped in a thin flour patty yesterday. It was only 15 yuan for 3 pieces and it tasted alright.

The two TV sets in the Wenxin working space are fixed at different channels and it’s just not enough to catch all the action. Chinese athletes can be seen in so many sports that journalists are having a hard time giving them the coverage they deserve.

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Once in a lifetime

Author:admin  Date:2008-08-09

It was a sleepless night, one never to be forgotten. Night this special happen just once in a life time.

 
A whole nation's century-long dream was realized, the whole world's largest party started.
 
The opening ceremony directors, including Zhang Yimou, appeared to be peaceful during the conference held late into the midnight. They didn't say much, or perhaps they just had too much on their minds to know where to start.
 
However complicated their feelings were, they were surely relieved, as the trembling anxiety before a big show seven years in the planning would be something hard to handle.
 
Everyone will have likings and dislikings and the discussion over the ceremony may not end until the Games are over. I, however, got the message I was expecting from the opening ceremony – One World, One Dream. Although I was not lucky enough to go into the Bird's Nest, my experience watching with other journalists and volunteers allowed me to enjoy the big show in the same way as the rest of the world.
 
The whole program was beautiful, just like director Zhang's movies. I liked the "Welcome" part the most, where 2,008 performers beat the fous and sang to welcome friends from all over the world. It was a performance unique to China, the most populous nation on earth. The drum beats and flash provided the world with a spectacular highlight from the start.
 
The movable-type printing performance was impressive. Chinese people's wisdom from ancient times was illustrated in a high-tech way; the nation's cultural treasures and spirit have never disappeared but have merged into the soul of the nation and were emblazoned in glory last night.
 
And there were other surprises, including the "Footprints of History," with 29 colossal footprint fireworks, symbolizing the 29th Olympic Games, which erupted on a path leading to the stadium. History can be a heavy subject, but this time it shone as a brilliant light, as if all the Olympic ancestors were looking over and blessing Beijing. There was also the Chinese ink and wash painting, with artists dancing while drawing onto the scroll ­– the masterstroke of the whole opening ceremony.
 
The ceremony further lifted my respect towards the countries which take part in the Olympic Games. Even though they might be represented by only be a few athletes – who might never have won a medal and still might not stand a chance – isn't participating the exact spirit of the Olympics? Whatever the skin color, wherever people come from and whatever language they speak, it's a big gathering where bias or prejudice can be put aside. We are here only for the pursuit of progress and humanity. It was warm. It made me proud of China as the host of the Olympics.
 
One scene that captured my mood was after the parade, when spectators imitated performers on stage to shape a dove with their hands, a symbol of peach and harmony. The camera lens stopped in front of one out of the hundreds and thousands, who was soaked with sweat but brimming with enthusiasm. Instead of appearing clumsy, the spectator was obviously overwhelmed with joy and his delight and vigor was contagious. I was close to tears – for the beauty I saw, for the involvement I sensed. He was beautiful, because he did not give up; he was beautiful, because he was fully involved and devoted.
 
The lighting of the flame was a spectacular and moving end to the opening ceremony, which declared the start of a 16-day sports festival. I feel contented, having watched the ceremony with journalists from all over the world; with volunteers who have devoted their time and instilled their passion into the Games. I feel I am part of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Tags: ZhangYimou OpeningCeremony

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Chinese faces on foreign teams

Author:admin  Date:2008-08-07

Chinese faces can be seen everywhere on the international sports stage now.

These are the faces of former superstars for team China who have moved on to take coaching positions in other countries. These faces include Lang Ping, who coaches the women's US volleyball team, Liu Guodong of Singapore's table tennis team and Li Mao, the coach of South Korea's badminton team. Li may be remembered for his quarrel with Chinese coach Li Yongbo during the South Korean Open earlier this year.

There are also faces hidden from the spotlight as they are not top-ranked players or they are on teams not expected to be in medal contention.

However, each player has a story. I met three of them today -- two from the US table tennis team and another from the US badminton team -- in the Media Press Center.

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Tags: GaoJun EvaLee CrystalHuang US California TableTennis Badminton

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Pictures from the MPC

Author:admin  Date:2008-08-05

Olympic volunteers offer free massages to reporters in the Main Press Center (MPC) from 2pm to 4pm each day.

The working area of the MPC. Nearly 60 percent of the reporters from news agencies from around the world have arrived at the work center and soon the center will be full of reporters.

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Tags: MPC massage dinner

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