A look at AsianWeek’s most memorable moments of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
1. Chinese Gymnasts – Age in Question
Perhaps one of the most controversial moments in Olympic Gymnastics history. The legitimacy of the gold medals won by China’s women’s gymnastics team was in question based on their age. This prompted the IOC to begin an investigation on the Chinese Gymnasts beginning with He Kexin, along with a global discussion regarding China’s ethical practices in world competition.
2. Spanish Olympians -Racist Photos
Photos of Spanish Olympians in various sports (men and women’s basketball, tennis) making “slant-eye” gestures outraged many Asians/Asian Americans all over the world. More photos are being uncovered from other countries like Argentina (pictured, women’s soccer team).
3. Lin Miao-ke Lip Syncs for Singer Yang Peiyi at the Opening Ceremony
Lin Miao-ke was lip-syncing to the sound of Yang Peiyi, a 7-year-old singer, who did not appear on stage because she was deemed not cute enough. “The reason was for the national interest,” said Chen Qigang, musical director of the Olympic ceremonies. “The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feeling and expression. … Lin Miaoke is excellent in those aspects.” The decision was made at the highest levels, Chen said. “We had to do it,” he said.
4. Opening Ceremonies 08/08/08 8:08pm – One of the Greatest in Olympic History
The 2008 Olympic Ceremony held at the Beijing National Stadium (also known as the Bird’s Nest) held at 08/08/08 at 8:08pm CST was labeled by many media as one of the greatest Olympic opening ceremonies. It was filled with music, dancing, a great display of fireworks, and speeches from the President of the PRC and Olympic committee executives.
5. Bryan Clay – The World’s Greatest Unknown Athlete
The decathlon is considered the toughest sports in the Olympics. Winners, gold medalists, and fellow competitors in Track and Field have been historically glorified on Wheaties boxes and in the media (Dan O’Brien, Micheal Johnson, Carl Lewis, and Jackie Joyner Kersee to name a few ). But, for some reason, it all stopped with Bryan Clay. After winning the gold medal in the event for the US, the Asian American hasn’t been given enough credit or spotlight when it is certainly due.
6. Kevin Tan – US Gold Slips Away
One of the biggest disappointments for the US men’s gymnastics team was Kevin Tan‘s performance on the pommel horse. Tan had perhaps the worst performances of his career. Team USA was in second place going into the final round, when Tan blanked on the horse. Instead of continuing to move to hide the error, Tan completely stopped. The judges gave him a final score of 12.775 and the US Olympic commentators didn’t hide their emotions. Many believe this resulted in the US not winning the gold.
What are your most memorable moments of the 2008 Beijing Olympics? Share them and we’ll put them up!
*****Keeping up with Olympics:*****
2008 Beijing Olympics Meet Your Asian American Olympians!
2008 Beijing Olympics – The Day After Verdict
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Celebration of Olympics Bronzes
What happened?
How can we lose gold count to China, a third world country?
Let’s have a national holiday of mourning. No one objects I bet!
Let’s have a national contest of the best excuses of winning so less gold medals.
It has to be the BEST, so it could worth a gold in this category.
What to do?
Borrow more money from China to buy foreign coaches…
No Speedo to Australia and China.
My secret weapon is to import 8 Jamaican runners. Money talks!
Bribe the judges (a little harder as everyone hates us but money talks again).
Change all the rules to our favor: 5 medals for basketball, 1 for table tennis, 0 for diving…
All tiebreakers must go our way as our sponsors own the Olympics.
We will amplify their “shortcomings”:
copying our advance lip sing technique, working too hard, starting before you can walk…
The Chinese must have put slippery jell on our batons and/or the gym apparatus.
Develop a dope that can take out all dope traces from our body.
“One country, all medals” is our new Olympics slogan.
The more wishfully we think, the closer we succeed.
How to heal now, really?
Write to Dear Abby for starter.
Bronze is the same as gold if not better.
If you do not believe me, ask any blind person here.
It is harder to get a bronze as we have to LET two others to win.
We’ll train our athletes for the bronze from now on.
NBC should interview bronze winners only as they are the real winners.
Actually we’ll be happier to be #3 and build a better relationship with other nations.
Stop laughing. It is a fact!!!
Phelps, we love you more with 8 bronze medals – it is no easy job to let 2 and ONLY 2 pass you 8 times.
If everything does not work, turn ugly.
Ask McDonald’s and KFC to give away their “food” (better than opium) to China FREE, so their next generation will be so fat that they cannot walk to the subway station.
Send soldiers to grab the medals, esp. gold. Hey, we have the best offense.
Will the world be better if we only fought for gold medals only (bronze medals in our case)?
What an Olympic spirit to celebrate the winning of the bronze!
— The author is Tony Pow. 8/22/08. Created for fun. No politics. No dumb nationalism. No ego. 90% false, 10% true. 100% fun. Hope no offense to you. Please feel free to distribute/change… —
USA Men’s Gymnastics Team never had a shot at gold – the Chinese team simply had a magical combination of talent this year and blew the competition away. Kevin Tan’s shaky pommel horse routine did cost us the silver, though.
Tony Pow’s stuff is great….love you man. I think the whole Olympics events ought to be re-evaluate…like 55% of the events AREN’T SPORTS!!! There are so many there’s not enough room to list here. Beside, why discuss something not sports on a sports blog.
Let’s be fair though. The US of A needs more diverse representation of its people at the O. Let’s introduce the Drive-By event – to encourage inner city kids to something for their country. The Wii Event – to encourage more fat white kids off their asses and out of the living room and do something for their country. The IT Event – get those India and Asian-Americans to contribute more for our nation (oh wait, they will be playing for their native countries, crap USA – delete this event, doesn’t help us).
Other O events:
-Whiny – who can whines the logetst (USA)
-Work-a-long – who can work the logest w/ little rest (China & USA, wait migrant workers will compete for their old countries – gold to Mexico)
-Rodeo – USA gold
-Fly Fishing – white American men takes the gold
-Let’s just add the Special O to the main O – so everyone wins!!!!
Peace Out
People from the Asian/ African-American need to be the first to support and spread the news of Brian Clay. Individuals such as Clay and T. Woods are examples to the sports community for Asian and African.
Everyone needs the boost at home to go further. Big corporations out there….Brian Clay!!!
Peace Out