Olympic champion Nastia Liukin honored with parade

Over a thousand fans lined Parker Road on Saturday morning waiting for gymnastics golden girl and hometown hero Nastia Liukin to appear.

Riding ahead of Miss Liukin was Carly Patterson, who won all-around Olympic gymnastics gold in Athens in 2004.

But it was Miss Liukin whom the girls screamed for, the boys stared at, and the parents photographed.

She's a positive role model, said Tammy Johnson of Allen. Ms. Johnson and her family moved to Texas from New Jersey so her daughter Carly, 8, could train at WOGA.

Carly had to sleep during the nighttime Olympic performances but watched the routines the day after, excited to see her hero Nastia win gold, Ms. Johnson said.

"I think it's really great that what they dream of doing is right in front of their eyes," she said.

Highlights of Beijing Olympics 2008

Almost 1,000 medals were handed out at the Beijing Olympic, but there are only a few that managed to create waves across boundries. Olympic is not only about winning the medals and bagging big endoersement contracts. It is about doing it all with a style. Beijing had its own share of magical moments. Here are a few for you. Michael Fred Phelps, swimming, USA He sets fire on water and he proved that in style at the Beijing Olympics. The living legend not only won eight gold medals in Beijing, Michael Fred Phelps of the US did it in his trademark best by bettering seven world records and one Olympics record. Of the eight, five are his individual effort. Apart from the Chinese invasion in the arena of sports, Phelps displayed what few would have dreamt of. He not only won 14 career Olympics gold medals, the most by any Olympian till date, he swam ahead of Mark Spitz who won seven gold medals in the pool at the 1972 Olympics Games. And it took 36 years and the greatness to redefine the finest muscles at work in water. Overall he won 16 Olympics medals which includes two bronze at Athens in 2004. So any doubt why he has been the World Swimmer of the Year Award in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007. And now he doesn’t need the award, rather the award needs him. With 48 career medals which comprise of 40 gold, six silver and two bronze, this Baltimore, Maryland born swimmer is just 23 year-old. A graduate from Towson High School in 2003, Phelps was diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). He started swimming at seven year-old and excelled as a swimmer, and by the age of 10 held a national record for his age group. More age group records followed, and Phelps’s rapid improvement culminated in his qualifying for the 2000 Summer Olympics at the age of 15. Throughout the 2008 Olympics, Phelps was questioned by the press if perhaps his feats were “too good to be true”, a reference to unsupported rumors that Phelps may be taking performance enhancing drugs. In response, Phelps noted that he had signed up for Project Believe, a project by the United States Anti-Doping Agency in which US Olympians can volunteer to be tested in excess of the World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines. During the Games, Phelps was tested nine times, and passed all of them. Usain Bolt, athletics, Jamaica It needed a Jamaican thunderbolt to set the Birds Nest’s tracks ablaze. Usain Bolt is the second legend of Beijing to celebrate his birthday on the podium. The 22-year-old Jamaican sprinter now is the undisputed fastest man on the earth, shattering the Olympic and world records for the 100 metros at 9.69 seconds, the 200 metros at 19.30 seconds and, along with his teammates, the 4x100 metros relay at 37.10 seconds, all set at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Post Carl Lewis magnificence in 1984 Olympics, Bolt became the first man to win all three events at a single Olympics and the first man in history to set world records in all three at a single Olympics and hence his nickname ‘Lightning Bolt’. Bolt’s record-setting sprints caused commentators not only to praise his achievements but speculate about his potential to become one of the most successful sprinters ever.

Second-seeded US pair cruises to final

Second-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers of the United States ousted surprise semifinalists, 15th-seeded Jorge Terceiro and Renato Gomes of Georgia 21-11, 21-13 in 42 minutes to advance to the final of the Olympic Men's Beach Volleyball tournament, which is scheduled to be staged on August 22 at the Chaoyang Park Beach Volleyball Ground.

They will meet Brazil's Fabio Magalhaes and Marcio Araujo, the fourth-seeded pair who edged out their compatriots Ricardo Santos and Emanuel Rego, the Athens 2004 gold medalists, 22-20, 21-18 in 53 minutes.

Funny moments in Olympics Beijing 2008

Here are some funny moments from different sports. Enjoy!

Overall Medal Standings Olympics 2008 - Day 4

Overall Medal Standings - Day 4


Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total

1 China 13 3 4 20
2 USA 7 7 8 22
3 South Korea 5 6 1 12
4 Germany 4 1 1 6
5 Italy 3 4 2 9
6 Australia 3 2 5 10
7 Japan 3 1 2 6
8 Russia 2 4 3 9
9 Great Britain 2 1 3 6
10 Czech Republic 2 0 0 2
11 Dem P Rep Korea 1 2 4 7
12 Azerbaijan 1 2 0 3
13 Netherlands 1 1 2 4
14 Slovakia 1 1 0 2
15 Finland 1 0 1 2
16 Romania 1 0 1 2
17 Spain 1 0 1 2
18 India 1 0 0 1
19 Thailand 1 0 0 1
20 France 0 7 2 9
21 Zimbabwe 0 2 0 2
22 Austria 0 1 1 2
23 Cuba 0 1 1 2
24 Kazakhstan 0 1 1 2
25 Colombia 0 1 0 1
26 Hungary 0 1 0 1
27 Norway 0 1 0 1
28 Sweden 0 1 0 1
29 Turkey 0 1 0 1
30 Vietnam 0 1 0 1
31 Brazil 0 0 3 3
32 Armenia 0 0 2 2
33 Chinese Taipei 0 0 2 2
34 Indonesia 0 0 2 2
35 Algeria 0 0 1 1
36 Argentina 0 0 1 1
37 Belarus 0 0 1 1
38 Croatia 0 0 1 1
39 Georgia 0 0 1 1
40 Kyrgyzstan 0 0 1 1
41 Mexico 0 0 1 1
42 Switzerland 0 0 1 1
43 Tajikistan 0 0 1 1
44 Togo 0 0 1 1
45 Ukraine 0 0 1 1
46 Uzbekistan 0 0 1 1

China won Team gold in Men's Gymnastics

China dominated Men's Gymnastics today, winning the Team Gold with a total of 286.125 points. Japan won the silver medal with 278.875 points and the United States won the bronze medal with 275.850 points.

Japan's attempt to win the gold medal failed, as they performed very poorly at Vault – it was the lowest ranking team on the apparatus with only 46.750 points.

The United States looked as though it was going to challenge Japan for the silver medal, but its performance in the last two rotations was poor.

The gold medal is a glorious success for China, who failed to win a medal in the Men's Team event at Athens 2004 after winning the gold medal at Sydney 2000. Three members of today's team, Yang, Li and Huang were all part of the gold-medal-winning team in Sydney.

China is currently leading the Overall Medal Standings, with 13 gold medals, 3 silver and 4 bronze.

New World & Olympic Records today

Here are the new World & Olympic Records for today. I see that Michael Phelps did a great job today, 12th august, byu beating not one, but 4 Olympic records!

Aug 12 2008	Final Olympic Record	Shooting	190	ELLER Walton	United States
Aug 12 2008	Olympic Record	Swimming	00:02:08.680	GYURTA Daniel	Hungary
Aug 12 2008	Olympic Record	Swimming	00:00:52.540	PEIRSOL Aaron	United States
Aug 12 2008	Equal Olympic Record	Swimming	00:01:53.700	PHELPS Michael	United States
Aug 12 2008	Olympic Record	Swimming	00:01:53.700	PHELPS Michael	United States
Aug 12 2008	Olympic Record	Swimming	00:02:09.530	COVENTRY Kirsty	Zimbabwe
Aug 12 2008	World Record	Swimming	00:00:52.540	PEIRSOL Aaron	United States
Aug 12 2008	Olympic Record	Swimming	00:01:05.170	JONES Leisel	Australia
Aug 12 2008	Olympic Record	Shooting	145	ELLER Walton	United States
Aug 12 2008	World Record	Swimming	00:01:42.960	PHELPS Michael	United States
Aug 12 2008	Olympic Record	Swimming	00:01:42.960	PHELPS Michael	United States
Aug 12 2008	Olympic Record	Swimming	00:07:04.660	VENDT Erik WALTERS David KELLER Klete BERENS Ricky	United States

Overall Medal Standings Olympics 2008 - Day 2

Overall Medal Standings - Day 2

Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total

1 China 4 1 0 5
2 United States 2 2 4 8
3 Korea 2 2 0 4
4 Czech Republic 2 0 0 2
5 Australia 1 0 1 2
5 Netherlands 1 0 1 2
7 SpainESP - Spain 1 0 0 1
7 Great Britain 1 0 0 1
7 Romania 1 0 0 1
7 Thailand 1 0 0 1
11 Russian Fed. 0 3 1 4
12 Italy 0 2 1 3
13 Austria 0 1 0 1
13 Cuba 0 1 0 1
13 Hungary 0 1 0 1
13 Sweden 0 1 0 1
13 Turkey 0 1 0 1
13 Zimbabwe 0 1 0 1
19 Argentina 0 0 1 1
19 Belarus 0 0 1 1
19 Croatia 0 0 1 1
19 Georgia 0 0 1 1
19 Germany 0 0 1 1
19 Japan 0 0 1 1
19 DPR Korea 0 0 1 1
19 Switzerland 0 0 1 1
19 Chinese Taipei 0 0 1 1
19 Uzbekistan 0 0 1 1

Total: 16 16 18 50

How did the Chinese people prepare for the Olympics

Chinese people did their best to prepare for the Olympics. They even translated all Chinese signs in English. Most of the translations are ok but some translations are funny. Here's a few very funny mistakes. The one with "dying here is strictly prohibited" made my day :))

Romania's Alina Dumitru has won the gold medal in JUDO

Women's -48kg

Alina Alexandra Dumitru, from Romania, ranked No.1 in the world, defeated Yanet Bermoy of Cuba with an ippon in the gold medal contest in JUDO. She defeated in the semifinal Athens Olympic champion Tani Ryoko of Japan . Alina Dumitru clearly dominated the extra-lightweight category in Europe , having five consecutive European Championships between 2004 and 2008. She also won bronze medals at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships.

The first gold medallist of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Katerina Emmons is the first gold medallist of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

She is the winner of the Women's 10 meter Air Rifle; you should also know that she's the daughter of two-time world champion Petr Kurka, who doubles as her coach and her husband is Athens shooting gold medallist, Matt Emmons.

In fact, the 24-year-old Czech Republic sharp-shooter met her husband at Athens 4 years ago, when, competing under the name Katerina Kurkova, she won a bronze medal and Matt, representing USA, took the Men's 50m Rifle Prone gold (a title he will defend in Beijing on August 15). Nice couple, huh?

Pictures from Beijing 2008 Olympics Opening Ceremony

The Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics has begun! The ceremony, held in the National Stadium known as the Bird's Nest, was attended by thousands, and watched by millions more on television. Below are some pictures and some videos of the nearly 4-hour performance.