2008 Beijing Olympics

[xcakid]

bit torrent

[GeneChing]

All this late night watching is killing me. And this is our deadline crunch period.

Still haven't seen any TKD, but hoping the Lopez family will garner some attention of NBC...

Family passion has kids living Olympic dream
Wire services
Article Last Updated: 08/19/2008 01:36:07 AM PDT

BEIJING — Julio Lopez came to the U.S. from Nicaragua in 1972 with a passion for martial-arts movies and a dream to give his children opportunities he never had.

On Sunday mornings, the four Lopez kids would join dad in the family room of their Sugar Land, Texas, home to watch episodes of "Kung Fu Theater" and movies featuring martial-arts legends Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris.

A father's passion was passed on, yet Julio says even he never could have envisioned those lazy mornings would lead to all his children being in Beijing as members of the U.S. Olympic taekwondo team; Steven, Mark and Diana as gold-medal contenders and oldest son Jean as coach. It's the first time in 104 years that three siblings have competed for the U.S. at the same Games.

"I didn't have the time (for martial arts) when I was young, but my passion all the time, I keep it," said Julio, sitting with his wife, Ondina, during an interview at a Beijing nightclub. "I think I realized my dreams with them. It feels like it's happening to someone else. We pinch ourselves to see if it's true."

For Ondina, the visit to China marks the first time she's been outside the U.S. or South America.

"She said, 'If all three of you make the Olympics, then I'll go,' " said Steven, 29, who won gold medals in 2000 and 2004. "I'm not sure if in the back of her mind it was too far-fetched of an idea that she thought she wouldn't have to go, or if it was a motivational factor for us to all make it. Either way, she kept her end of the bargain."

Mark, in the 75-kilogram class, and Diana, at 57 kilograms, will be in action Thursday, while Steven competes the following day in the 84-kilogram division.

That the Lopez kids got into taekwondo at all was a bit of luck, says Jean, who won a silver medal at the 1995 world championships before turning to coaching.

Around the corner from the family home was a school that advertised karate on its sign, but taught taekwondo, a Korean form of martial arts that emphasizes powerful kicking techniques. Julio wanted Jean to join, to learn a sport he loved and never had a chance to practice. He also saw it as an opportunity to instill in his son discipline, focus and a respect for self and others.

After Jean started, the other Lopez kids followed and success came quickly. While they played other sports, the individual aspect of taekwondo appealed to the family's competitive and combative nature.

[Shaolinlueb]

how about not watching it at all? free tibet! wooooooO!!!! pwnzerz`!!Sliajljwef,snvhervlknl!!!!

[SPJ]

I was very tired from work.

I kind of sleepy.

But watched the whole thing on NBC.

I like the drum beating in the beginning. It started with showing our reverance to the heaven/nature/god.

I also like the printing blocks. I read that, they are PLA soldiers under them, they have to pee in their pants for practicing the whole thing with no pee pee breaks.


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2008 people practicing Tai Chi was

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other than these, I kind of yawning.

[SPJ]

Yes, China is garnering most of the gold medals.

but with a great price.

I am kind of against herding kids and training them. growing up with no parents and relatives.

kind of cruel, come to think of it.

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[Shaolinlueb]

the gymnastics judging is awful and the chinese are exploiting it. no way nastia lost those uneven bars.

[GeneChing]

I missed Henry's finals match. I'm going to have to search that one out on the web. I haven't seen any free style wrestling at all yet.

Chinatown gets a lift from Beijing Olympics
Meredith May, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 20, 2008

"China Moves Past the Americans with 39 Olympic Gold Medals," the headline screamed.

It was undeniable. There it was, in big, red, block characters, under the portraits of women's trampoline gold medalist Wenna He and men's table tennis champions Lin Ma, Hao Wang and Liqin Wang.

"China has been trying to (host the Olympics) for years," said Lin as she fetched another stack of newspapers from behind the counter. "This is more than great!"

By midafternoon Tuesday, the Chinese gold medal count had surged to 43 - and China was just three shy of the United States in total medals.

While the Chinese athletes are winning the competitions they have traditionally dominated - such as diving, table tennis and gymnastics - they also are pulling some shockers. China won gold in the women's rowing pair, women's freestyle 72-kilogram wrestling and men's individual sabre in fencing.

Such performances have Chinatown puffing with pride, from shopkeepers to bar patrons to older men who gather for card games in Portsmouth Square. Not only has China put on one of the most breathtaking opening ceremonies of any Olympiad, it has organized the event with immaculate efficiency and proved its athletic prowess.

San Francisco, which has 744,041 residents, has a large Chinese and Chinese American population - 152,042 total, according to 2006 U.S. census data.

At Li Po ****tails on Grant Avenue, crowds have formed after work each day since the games began, customers lining up several rows deep to cheer the Americans and the Chinese on the big screen, said the bartender, who declined to give her name.

"You'd be surprised how many tourists come in here and still think Chinese wear long dresses and pull their cows down the sides of the road," she said. "This is giving China a chance to show everybody how advanced it is."

Lane Louie, who moved to San Francisco 40 years ago from Guangzhou, said he roots for both countries. His customers at Louie Brothers Book Store on Washington Street linger a little longer than usual to talk about the Olympics, he said.

"People are chuckling at the medal count, that although the Chinese have the most gold medals of any country, NBC always puts the Americans on top because they add the total medals," he said.

With 1.3 billion people, China should be able to train and groom the best athletes just based on pure numbers, he said.

But Louie isn't sure China will be able to stay on the gold pedestal much longer as the games go into their final four days.

"Maybe when track and field is over, the Americans will edge back on top," he said.

If Daniel Lo, who sells purses and candy behind the counter at Sweet Mart across the street from Portsmouth Square, seems a little sleepier than usual, it's because he is.

Every night, he tunes to the Olympics and can't leave the couch until 2 or 3 a.m.

He was elated when his favorite athlete, synchronized diving competitor Jingjing Guo, defended her gold title. And he was crushed when China's only track superstar, Liu Xiang, limped out of the 110-meter dash.

And like just about everyone, he adored swimming phenom Michael Phelps of the United States.

"Everyone is learning a little more about China by watching these games," said Lo, who played volleyball and ran the 400-meter relay as a college student in Hong Kong.

Maybe the Chinese are learning a bit about themselves, too, he said.

"They are experiencing clean air," he said, referring to the Chinese government's efforts to clean Beijing's notoriously dirty air before the Olympics by shutting down nearby factories and ordering half the cars off the road.

"Maybe that's helping them win. Hopefully they will have more respect for the environment when this is all over," he said.

The Beijing Olympics: Are They A Trap?

Special Olympics Update - Controversies

[Shaolinlueb]

at the special olympics the first 14 rows are handicap parking

[1bad65]

the gymnastics judging is awful and the chinese are exploiting it. no way nastia lost those uneven bars.

And most of the female Chinese gymnasts are underage anyway. The judged events in these Olympics are a disgrace. They could have just saved everyone time and money and just gave the Chinese 90% of those Gold Medals and not even bothered holding the events.

[SPJ]

Yes.

Liukin is the best with Shawn closely behind.

medals or no medals.

favorism from judges or not.

everybody knows that it is the time for their glories.

[SPJ]

I also like the printing blocks. I read that, they are PLA soldiers under them, they have to pee in their pants for practicing the whole thing with no pee pee breaks.


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2008 people practicing Tai Chi was

2200 students from wushu school,

they lived in army barracks for 3 months. 16 hours DAILY PRACTICE. 2 meals a day, with little sleep and break, to perform tai chi and wushu kicks and leg sweeps etc.

the people under the letter blocks, they have to wear adult diapers. wiith 40 # block on top, practice for 6 hours straight.

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[GeneChing]

08-21-2008 (5 days)
Wushu Tournament Beijing
To be held at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium.
For more information, contact: International Wushu Federation
Phone: 86 10 64912153
Event Address: No.3 Anding Road, Chaoyang District
Beijing, --, 100101 China
Online: iwuf@iwuf.org - www.iwuf.org

I hear that it's not well attended, but that's to be expected. If I was there, I'd be trying to see the official Olympic events.

I'm eager to hear any news of this in the media. If anyone finds anything or sees any coverage, please post it here.

[Shaolinlueb]

jiayo i think has coverage of it.

[GeneChing]

There were some videos posted there, but they've already been removed.

I missed the TKD entirely..

[1bad65]

I missed the TKD entirely..

Is the TKD scored similar to boxing? As in the push button scoring for a point and 3 of the 5 judges must push it within 1 second for it to count system.