Michael Phelps begins his march towards history
Michael Phelps EASILY won the 400 meter Individual Medley to start his attempt at Olympic history. He set a world record of 4:03.84 as he won his 7th gold medal in his Olympics career. And he wasn’t even breathing hard. Nice of him to make it look so easy.
If he can win [...]
Saturday’s Coverage of the Beijing Olympics
I have obligations that prevent me from posting on Saturday, but I didn’t want to leave you hanging completely, so here’s what’s available for your viewing pleasure on Saturday.
During primetime Saturday night, you can watch men’s gymnastics qualifying rounds, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh doubtless trouncing a Latvian beach volleyball team, and gold medal rounds [...]
Ten U.S. Olympic Athletes to Watch in Beijing
All Olympic athletes are special, but we all know some are more exciting than others (who else was on the Olympic gymnastics team with Mary Lou Retton?). So, here are ten U.S. Olympic athletes that you should definitely watch.
1. Michael Phelps— Could potentially be one of the biggest stories of the China Olympics. [...]
Wii Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games
If you just can’t wait for the Beijing Olympics, and you have a Wii, I highly recommend Mario and Sonic at the Olympics. We just picked up the game today. It was a “business expense” I played for a little while, and it was quite fun. It has Aquatics, [...]
Want to root for an underdog? Try Zimbabwe.
When Kirsty Coventry brought home medals in swimming in the 2004 Summer Olympics, she became the first athlete from Zimbabwe to medal in 25 years. Kirsty will be competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, as well, and could well repeat her 2004 performance. However, no man from Zimbabwe has EVER won an Olympic [...]
U.S. Olympic Swimmer Battling Cancer
When you’re getting ready for your first Olympics, you would think that would be the most important thing going on in your life. But that’s not the case for U.S. Olympic Swimmer Eric Shanteau. A week before the Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, Eric got a call from his doctors telling him that [...]
News from around the world about Olympic athletes
On this blog, we cover a lot about American Olympics athletes, but sometimes the stories from other countries are so interesting I just have to share.
In the sad category, Cuban cyclist Pedro Pablo Perez is in a coma following a car accident on Monday. He will miss the Olympics. The Beijing Olympics would [...]
Interview With US National Springboard Diving Champion Nancilea Foster
Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing US Olympics Springboard diver Nancilea Foster.
Your bio on your website says you started diving when you were five years old. What was it that lead you to diving at such a young age?
I started in Gymnastics, and the transition to diving was a [...]
Dara Torres to skip 100 meters
Dara Torres qualified to swim in both the 50 and 100 meters competitions in Beijing. However, I guess even Dara recognizes that, at 41, she’s no spring chicken. She has opted to drop out of the 100 meters, so that she can concentrate on training for the 50. She may also be [...]
USA Swimming names Beijing Olympic Swim Team
Swimming is one of the more well-known summer Olympic sports here in the United States. It’s also one where we usually do well. Hopefully, the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing will be no exception. Yesterday, USA swimming posted the final roster of the swimmers who will be representing the United States in [...]
Olympic Trials– Do They Mean What You Think They Mean?
I don’t know about you, but I thought the Olympic Trials were the final hurdle for athletes wanting to attend the Olympics, and for some sports that may be true. But not for all of them. Take gymnastics, for example. When the gynmastics Olympic Trials were held recently, two gymnasts were chosen [...]
China officially unveils the “Watercube”
Officially known as the National Aquatics Center, the Watercube is a truly beautiful building. We posted a video about the construction of the Watercube and several other venues back in April. The completed product was revealed Monday. Below is a video about the unveiling.
Wu Peng Does Not Idolize Michael Phelps
Although Chinese swimmer Wu Peng looks up to Michael Phelps, he doesn’t consider him to be his idol. Wu Peng is one of China’s great hopes for a medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Recently, he won the 200 m butterfly at the Asian Games.
Ian Thorpe Quits Competitive Swimming
There will be no third Olympics for Ian Thorpe, as the two-time 24 year old Olympian officially announced his retirement from competitive swimming. Well, there’s always the possibility of a comeback for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, I suppose, but Thorpe says that’s unlikely, and people close to him seem to agree that a comeback [...]
Texas Swimmers anxious for Beijing Olympics
I’m from Texas, so the Winter Olympics are pretty scanty on competitors from my home state (although we do turn out some pretty decent skaters— figure and speed— from time to time), but we’re much more likely to see competitors from our home state in the summer Olympics. Notably, I read this article about [...]
Will Ian Thorpe swim in Beijing?
Ian Thorpe, “The Thorpedo”, Australia’s Olympic champion swimmer, may not compete in Beijing. He hasn’t competed internationally since the Athens Olympics two years ago. After he moved to California for a change of pace, people began to questions whether he still has the hunger to return to Olympic competition in 2008. December [...]
Open Water Distance Swimming to debut in Beijing
In two years, at the Beijing Olympics, yet another new sport will be added— open water distance swimming. That means you get into a large body of water (I’m not sure if it has to be an ocean, or if large lakes count), and you swim a LONG way. The United States is [...]