Monday, August 25, 2008

Memorable Olympics Sports Extravaganza concludes

29th Olympics Games had commenced sixteen days ago with a spectacular opening ceremony. Today, they were concluded with equally grand closing ceremony. China, the hosts clearly dominated the games winning whopping 51 gold medals, easily beating USA in the race for top spot.
Many pundits had predicted that China would use the 'home advantage' to topple USA. But the margin of its dominance is astounding. China retained its supremacy in Diving, Gymnastics, Table Tennis, Badminton, Weightlifting, and shooting. It also showed its prowess in some of non-traditional sports such as Rowing, Fencing, Trampoline caneoing and kyaking etc. Chinese women won silver in hockey, Bronze in Tennis. Apart from Athletics, china dominated in most of the disciplines. China's emergence as the top sporting superpower is certainly the most important highlight of this edition of Olympics.
USA team officials would be disappointed despite winning 110 medals. They missed out on some sure gold medals. Jamaica robbed them of at least five gold medals in athletics. The most shocking was 'Baton dropping' by men and women in 100 meter relay. Loss of Brayan brothers in Tennis doubles, failure of Felix Alison in women sprints were disappointing. Basketball teams (Men and women) did redeem themselves. But for Michel Phelps, USA performance would have been even poorer.
Michel Phelps and Ussain Bolt were undoubtedly the Superheroes of this Olympics. Both have achieved stupendous feats. While Phelps obtained eight swimmimg gold medals, most by any sportsperson in single Olympics, Bolt achieved a Golden Double in sprints with world Record timimgs in addition to leading Jamaican relay team to Gold medal. The images of calm and confident Phelps, and exuberent and flamboyant Bolt will continue to linger in the memories for a long time.
One of the major upsets in this Olympics was Federer's loss in Mens' Tennis although he won the doubles Gold. Rafael Nadal's fantastic run of form got him the gold medal. Brazil's defeat in Football was also a blow to aspirations of Ronaldhino. This Olympics also saw end of a glorious era for Haile Gebrselassie, the great long distance runner from Ethiopia.
It was a historic Olympics for India. First ever individual gold medal, followed by two more bronze medals, the most won by Indian contingent in a single Olympics event. The achievemtns of Bindra, Sushilkumar and Vijender have received wide coverage in the media. It has also aroused great interest about Olympics sports. One only hopes that the authorities will capitalise on this new found interest and go about in a more organised manner for preparations of 2012 London Games. Unless there is a radical change towards Sports as treated by government and society, Indian public will have to be content with individual brilliance of a few athletes who have excelled this time.

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