Olympics FanHouse

Chinese Officials Listed Nine US Athletes As Potential Troublemakers In Beijing

Sportz Assassin — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: China, USA

USA Today is reporting that the Chinese government listed nine United States athletes and one assistant coach as potential troublemakers during the recent Beijing Olympics. Chinese officials felt this group of people posed a threat to ignite demonstrations against the country during the Games.

The names included softball players Jennie Finch and Jessica Mendoza and soccer player Abby Wambach, who broke her leg and missed the Olympic Games. It also included two Paralympians, one athlete who wasn't a member of the 2008 softball team and a top female collegiate golfer. Golf is not an Olympic sport.

"We viewed these concerns as being entirely unjustified and unwarranted," USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel said in an e-mail Wednesday. "As such, we rejected the request to address this with our athletes or transmit the letter to them. We saw absolutely no need to burden the athletes with this."

Did You See That?

The field clears a fence during the New Season Handicap Steeplechase during the at Ludlow Racecourse on September 16, 2008 in Ludlow, England.

Emanuele Canonica of Italy helps his caddie in the rescue of a pigeon from the water around the 18th green during the first round of the Portugal Masters at the Oceanico Victoria Golf Course on October 16, 2008 in Vilamoura, Portugal.

A multiexposure image showing Britain's Andy Murray returning to Croatian Marin Cilic during a last sixteen tennis match at the Madrid Masters in Madrid on October 16, 2008. Andy Murray won 7-5, 7-6.

English football fans dressed in armours and tunics play in a friendly match against Belarus fans in Minsk on October 15, 2008 before the start of the Belarus vs. England 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier of European group 6 match.

Travis Brigley (R) of Hamburg fights with Matt Keith (L) of Ingolstadt during the DEL match between Hamburg Freezers and ERC Ingolstadt at the Color Line Arena on October 14, 2008 in Hamburg, Germany.

Russian Nikolay Davydenko returns a ball to US Robby Ginepri during a second round tennis match at the Masters in Madrid on October 15, 2008.

A golf ball which has been enveloped by the tree over many years is pictured during the pro-am for the Portugal Masters at the Oceanico Victoria Golf Course on October 15, 2008 in Vilamoura, Portugal.

Andy Murray of Great Britain plays football during his training session prior to his thrid round match tomorrow at the Madrid Masters tennis tournament at the Madrid Arena on October 15, 2008 in Madrid, Spain.

Samuel Peter from Nigeria gets a punch from Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine during their WBC heavyweight boxing world championship fight in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008. Klitschko won the fight after round nine due to technical knock out.

Herbert Knosowski, AP

Japan's Kyoko Hamaguchi (lower) fights with China's Hong Yan (red) during the semi-final of the 72kg class of the Women's Wrestling World Championships in Tokyo on October 13, 2008. Hong defeated Hamaguchi and will face Bulgaria's Stanka Zlateva in the final.

Yoshikazu Tsuno, AFP/Getty Images

Here is the entire list: Softball players Finch, Mendoza, Natasha Watley, Amanda Freed, assistant softball coach Karen Johns, women's soccer player Abby Wambach, cyclist Jonathan Page, paralympic basketball player Jen Howitt, paralympic wheelchair racer Cheri Blauwet and golfer Laura Goodwin.China was concerned that any or all of those athletes would say, wear or do something that would be a form of protest against the nation. The list was given to USOC officials in July and cited these athletes since most of them participate in "Team Darfur".

There were rumblings that Team Darfur, a group of athletes who are raising awareness about Sudan's wiping out of African tribes in the Darfur region, would stage some sort of mass demonstration during the Olympics. China has been heavily criticized for supporting the Sudanese government.

Needless to say, the athletes named felt a bit honored that they were deemed such a threat.

"This may be the biggest compliment of my life," Wambach, a member of Team Darfur, said in a phone interview when informed of the list. "If they're worried about us, maybe we do have more strength as athletes and as people to speak out. This just gives me more empowerment."

"It doesn't surprise me but it makes me laugh," said Mendoza, who also is president-elect of the Women's Sports Foundation. "We're not burning our shirts and ranting and raving. We're just trying to help thousands of people from dying."

Latest Olympic Photos

BEIJING, CHINA - SEPTEMBER 17: (CHINA OUT) Fireworks explode during the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games at the National Stadium on September 17, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - SEPTEMBER 17: Chinese entertainers perform during the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games at the National Stadium on September 17, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Guang Niu/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - SEPTEMBER 17 People perform during the 2008 Paralympics Closing Ceremony at National Stadium during day eleven of the 2008 Paralympic Games on September 17, 2008 in Beijing, China. (photo by Chien-min Chung/Getty Images)

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Chinese Officials Listed Nine US Athletes As Potential Troublemakers In Beijing originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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London Mayor Boris Johnson Talks Trash to China on Olympic Ping Pong

Michael David Smith — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:53:00 EST

Filed under: China, Europe

As the Summer Olympics were passed off from 2008 host Beijing to 2012 host London, Mayor Boris Johnson gave a bizarre, rambling speech in which he said table tennis, the national sport of China, is really a British game:

"I say this respectfully to our Chinese hosts who have excelled magnificently at ping pong," Johnson began. "Ping pong was invented on the dining tables of England in the 19th Century. It was, and it was called whiff whaff."

Johnson wasn't done there.

"There you have, I think, the essential difference between us and the rest of the world," Johnson said. "Other nations such as the French looked at the dining table and saw the opportunity to have dinner. We looked at the dining table and saw the opportunity to play whiff whaff. That is why London is the sporting capital of the world. I say to the Chinese and I say to the world - ping pong is coming home."

Tough talk. But considering that the Chinese won all four table tennis gold medals as well as two silvers and two bronzes last week, while Great Britain didn't win any table tennis medals, I think the British Olympic team is going to have a tough time backing that talk up.

London Mayor Boris Johnson Talks Trash to China on Olympic Ping Pong originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Synchronized 'Homies' and Other Fun Memories From an Olympic Insomniac

Tom Herrera — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China, USA, Attractive Olympians

For most people, the dust is already settling on all the extravagant Olympic action, but this sports graveyard desk editor is still riding high from sixteen sleepless days of swimming, more swimming, and the occasional taekwondo kick to the face. You want a unique perspective on the Beijing Games? This is the place to be. Just don't expect there to be any fresh coffee.

Michael Phelps is signing an endorsement deal for IHOP somewhere in exchange for free 5,000-calorie breakfasts for life.

Usain Bolt is concocting new ways to hot dog and high-step so he'll have some records left to break in 2012.

And I'm somehow still awake watching NBC replay the closing ceremony and Turkish oil wrestling highlights (now there's the next event!)

Spending the majority of the past sixteen days engulfed in Olympic coverage wasn't always a treat, but the memories I'll take with me will last a lifetime ... or at least four more years.

The visual treasures embedded in my mind aren't what you'd expect them to be. Phelps' record-breaking eight gold medals? Definitely wasn't a cakewalk, but we saw it coming. Bolt's ridonkulous sprints to history? Dude, his last name is Bolt.

Spanish synchronized swimmers dressed in 'gangsta' outfits, on the other hand? Now there's something I'm never going to forget, or hopefully see again for the rest of my life.

So let's toss the "memorable performances" and "winners and losers" aside for now. Here are my selections for the "Sweet 16" -- the lasting images that are off the beaten path ...

China's Liu Xiang retires, entire red-wigged nation cries ... For the first time in a while, we witnessed how much one athlete can mean to an entire nation. While American media coverage was saturated with the Phelps Fest and the splice of America's Sweethearts, Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin, I found it much more fascinating to scan through the countless images of China's citizens bawling their eyes out because Xiang Liu couldn't run the men's 110-meter hurdles at the "Bird's Nest." This man represented the hope of an entire nation, but only in track and field. It's not like he was their only shot at a gold medal in Beijing (heck, they won 51 of them).

It got me thinking -- how many people in America would shed tears if Phelps pulled up lame in one of his heats, and coudn't race towards any of his eight golds? Entirely different scenarios, yes, because the US is known for dominant swimmers while Liu was China's chance to make an impact in largely unchartered territory. But I'm not sure we have one athlete that single-handedly carries the pride of our nation on his or her shoulders.

Don't ever cross a Cuban taekwondo athlete, unless you want to lose teeth ... Look, we all know taekwondo judging was on the crooked side, but that doesn't justify going brainsick and belting a judge. Cuba's Angel Matos definitely won the nomination for "Olympian Most Likely to Wind Up in a Nuthouse" when he delivered a kick reminiscent of 'Bloodsport' to the face of match referee Chakir Chelbat. Still, how many people can say they're the subject of 100 slide-by-slide YouTubes? One. That's our good friend, Jose Offerman. Oh, and Castro will defend you, for whatever that's worth.

Jamaicans know how to have a good time ... For all the terrific performances by Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelly-Ann Fraser, the sad fact is that many Americans watching at home are going to come away with one thing ... they sure know how to rub it in. Bolt was even criticized by IOC prez Jacques Rogge for reveling too early in his 100-meter finish. But what about Fraser? She seemingly paraded down the track about five times as long as it took to win her 100-meter gold, even rolling around with the flag at one point. For me, the showboating won't tarnish her performance, but I did find myself saying "all right, enough already" -- and I would have still said it even if it was an American rejoicing.

George Bush knows how to have an AWESOME time ... If there was anyone on this planet who could show the Jamaicans a thing or two about the right way to party, it's definitely G.W. If you missed his hysterical jaunt to Beijing, don't fret. You can relive the power of the Bush in this gallery here. Just beware the 'chalk' pranks and volleyball butt slaps.

Paraguay's Leryn Franco didn't win a medal, but won our hearts ... In all the 'Attractive Olympian' posts we ran in FanHouse, there's wasn't one mention of this mysterious javelin beauty -- a massive oversight, to say the least. Thanks to Fourth-Place Medal for cracking the mystery and discovering her identity. To amend for not featuring her earlier, here's a gallery to make your heart sing for Paraguay. Viva la Franco!

Paraguayan Princess

BEIJING - AUGUST 19: Leryn Franco of Paraguay competes in the Women's Javelin Qualifying Round held at the National Stadium on Day 11 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 19, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Leryn Franco

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Leryn Franco of Paraguay is pictured during the women's javelin throw qualification round at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, 2008. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Leryn Franco of Paraguay competes during the women's javelin throw qualification round at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, 2008. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

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Leryn Franco of Paraguay competes in the women's javelin throw qualifying round of the athletics competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the National Stadium August 19, 2008. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach (CHINA)

Reuters

Spain's synchronized 'homies' ... There are probably synchronized swimmers out there that think their sport is unfairly lambasted -- that they're just one long running joke started by Martin Short in a classic 'SNL' skit. But how do you expect to be respected when you get banned from wearing suits with lights on them, and then follow it up with a 'gangsta' encore. Tone down the makeup five shades, invest in a can of hair spray instead of hair gel, and most importantly, stop looking so freaky ... then maybe people will respect the skills behind the show. Then again, maybe it won't truly be 'synchronized swimming' if that happened. Kind of like Dennis Rodman without dyed hair, tattoos and piercings.

Ara Abrahamian doesn't need your stinking medal ... More judging controversy, and more hilarity ensues. Abrahamian left the podium immediately after receiving the bronze medal, then placed it down as if he was saying, "Pick this piece of crap up." Then it turns out that Abrahamian actually had a right to be angry, according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport --- his penalty wasn't assessed until after the round. One thing is for sure: they're definitely recycling that medal and giving it to the trap shooters.

Meet Rohullah Nikpai, the hero of Afghanistan ... Eight medals will be worth countless endorsements for Phelps, but the Afghan taekwondo bronze winner is the proud recipient of ... get this ... a new house, a Toyota sedan, and $20,000 from the owner of the country's main cellphone network. That's what you get for being the first Afghan ever to win an Olympic medal. Let's face it... legendary US swimmer Matt Biondi could walk the streets without anyone recognizing him now. But Nikpai will be swamped with love and adulation for a single bronze. And we're here quibbling about China beating us in gold count?

Germany's Thomasz Wylenzek faints in his canoe
... and in a completely unrelated incident ...
Japan's Kobayashi Hiromi faints in the pool ... Wylenzek and his teammate Christian Gille really knew what it took to get me turned on to canoes. Fainting! In the process of winning the silver medal in the double 1,000-meter final, they crashed into a buoy and Wylenzek took a dip. He turned out to be OK, but days later, a synchronized swimmer followed suit. Hiromi hyperventilated as Japan's synchronized routine ended, and the other team members climbed out of the pool more concerned about their scores. The press officer's response? "She is a very nervous athlete," he said. "She is good. Don't worry." Thanks guy. As if the sight of the wacky routine wasn't off-putting enough.

You want human rights? How about the right to wear adult diapers while buried under boxes? ... I'm a big fan of filmmaker Zhang Yimou's work. 'House of Flying Daggers' was great stuff. Performers being forced to wear adult diapers for his crafted opening ceremony is a far cry from flying daggers. Especially when it involved nearly 900 performers under 40-pound boxes for at least six hours. But hey, the Chinese invention of movable type, that involved "suffering and sacrifice" too, right?

Something called 'Dressage' will be back, but Jennie Finch will not ... So, let me get this straight. A 'sport' that involves people wearing silly top hats and suits while training horses will stick in the Olympics. But flamethrower Jennie Finch and USA softball will never be back? I wonder how NBC did on ratings and Web site searches for dressage results compared to Finch. Let's get rid of dressage and bring back softball. At least there's no mess over judges for the women.

Chinese cheerleaders have a future in sporting events ... For the most part, there was way, way too much volleyball. Yet not enough of the cheerleaders who deserved a gold medal of their own (bringing the mighty total to 52!). The rainy final was interesting to say the least, and it wasn't because Misty-May Treanor and Kerri Walsh exchanged high fives every two seconds.

Handball is an Olympic sport? Bring it on. ... Right. So we got the endless hours of beach volleyball, swimming, and even diving from NBC's masterminds. But where was handball on prime-time display? That and BMX were two of the underrated events that deserved more coverage. They involve blood, crashes, and as the legendary 'Razor Ramon' would say, "oozing machismo" ...

Tajikistan's Dzhakhon Kurbanov bites his opponent, citizens of Kazakhstan collectively scoff at him ... I definitely think this was Mike Tyson's vicarious revenge for not getting to represent US boxing in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Maybe he coached Kurbanov on the side? The harder part of watching the bizarre infraction and subsequent disqualification was seeing them try to announce that Kazakhstan's Yerkebulan Shynaliyev won the bout.

Kim Jong Su, a sport shooter, gets booted for doping. And even horses banned too! ... We learned that the Olympics are not safe from drugs, even in the most mind-boggling scenarios. Using propanolol to pick up medals in shooting? The only thing more pathetic than that is being a team jumping horse that was suspended for a banned pain reliever. And not just any pain reliever. We're talking about Capsaicin, a derivative of chili peppers. And not just one horse -- four horses.

And that's my Sweet 16 of Beijing. I'm going to slip into a sleep coma now and dream of being struck by a javelin from Franco. Feel free to share some Olympic memories of your own with me at ThomasHerrera07 [at] aol.com.

Odd Memories From Beijing

In a shocking attack, Cuba's taekwondo athlete Angel Valodia Matos kicked match referee Chakir Chelbat in the face, resulting in a ticket out of the Games and a lifetime ban by the World Taekwondo Foundation from all future competition. Click through for more of the strange and offbeat memories from the Beijing Olympics.

Matt Dunham, AP

Synchronized swimming isn't going to be taken seriously as a sport anytime soon. The Spanish synchronized swimming team was forbidden from wearing suits with lights on them, but found another way to get flashy with 'gangsta' artwork on their new suits.

Greg Wood, AFP / Getty Images

Jamaican sprinters blazed up the track and drew some ire for their celebrations along the way. Shelly-Ann Fraser, pictured, rolled around with the flag, and Usain Bolt was criticized by IOC president Jacques Rogge for showing a lack of "respect" to other competitors.

Alexander Hassenstein, Bongarts / Getty Images

George Bush had a short stay in Beijing, but was responsible for a slew of wacky moments. From mingling with the women's beach volleyball team to getting pranked by the women's softball team, Bush was in enough snapshots to fill a 'Best Of' photo album.

Kai Pfaffenbach, Reuters

When China's Liu Xiang retired from the first round of the men's 110-meter hurdles, an entire nation's dreams were crushed, and spectators shed tears in mourning of their track and field hope.

Getty Images (2)

Is Paraguay's Leryn Franco the most attractive Olympian in the world? She didn't win a medal in Beijing, but was in the spotlight long enough for many to take notice of her stunning beauty.

Thomas Kienzle, AP

Unhappy with the judges for assessing his penalty too late, Sweden's Ara Abrahamian left the podium immediately after receiving the bronze medal he won in men's Greco-Roman wrestling and left it in the center of the mat.

Vanda Biffani, AP

Afghanistan's Rohullah Nikpai only won a bronze medal in the men's taekwondo competition, but it was enough to make him a big celebrity in his home country. His reward for being the first Afghan to win an Olympic medal? A new house, a Toyota sedan, and $20,000 from the owner of Afghanistan's main cellphone network.

Matt Dunham, AP

Winning a silver medal in the canoe double 1,000-meter men's final was far from easy for Germany's Thomasz Wylenzek and his teammate Christian Gille. After crashing into a buoy, Wylenzek fainted and had to be placed in the rescue boat.

Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP

Wylenzek wasn't the only one who fainted during competition though. Japan's Kobayashi Hiromi had to be carried out of the pool after she hyperventilated during the synchronized swimming team free routine final.

Martin Bureau, AFP / Getty Images

Synchronized 'Homies' and Other Fun Memories From an Olympic Insomniac originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2008 Beijing Olympics Go Out With a Bang

Enrico Campitelli — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:34:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China

FanHouse blogger Enrico Campitelli Jr. is on the scene in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics.

After all, the Chinese did invent fireworks so you'd expect quite the pyrotechnic performance during closing ceremonies. From my vantage point about 50 yards away from the Bird's Nest, it didn't disappoint.

For those of you who've been following along with my Olympic adventures in Beijing, you may recall how the impenetrable security at the opening ceremonies thwarted any attempts I made to see some of the fireworks on 08/08/08. But after spending the past two and a half weeks in China, I learned a few key facts that helped me gain entrance to the Olympic Green for this evenings closing ceremonies. The most important of which is that I don't speak Chinese and they don't speak English so if you just act like you're supposed to be going through a certain security check point they seem cool with it.

So yes, tune in to NBC later this evening to watch the taped version of what I just saw in person. (I had to rub it in a little bit.)

My morning started by taking in my final event of my Olympic adventures in China, 7th place water polo! It was cool. The Aussies make for a fun time.

Then we decided to see if we could finagle our way on to the Olympic Green (which you need a ticket to an event actually on the Green to get into) in order to watch USA play for the gold in basketball on a big screen.

We flashed our used water polo tickets and cruised right in without a problem. We promptly ate our 437 meal of the trip at McDonald's and found the USA vs. Spain game on the big screen in front of Samsung's hospitality house.

The atmosphere was pretty fun with 90% of the crowd cheering for Spain to win yet still cheering on the U.S. when they made a sick play.

After killing a few hours after the U.S. clinched gold, we made our way towards the Bird's Nest. It was ridiculous how close you could get to the venue, literally about 30-50 feet with a view inside. We ended up sitting on a patch of beautiful grass about 50-75 yards back to get a better view of the fireworks.

We made some new Chinese friends and enjoyed an amazing spectacle of lights above two of the the most amazing venues ever built.

Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me but my iPhone took a half descent shot of my view.

I was close enough to hear Jimmy Page ripping through A Whole Lotta Love. Oh, and I saw Yao Ming. That guy is big.

Latest Olympic Pictures

BEIJING, CHINA-AUGUST 24: Chinese police watch the closing ceremony on a big scren at The Shuang Zone, sponsored by Coca Cola August 24, 2008 in Beijing. The Olympics games has ended in Beijing as London celebrates the way forward to 2012. Beijing is hoping that an Olympics fuelled sports frenzy among ordinary citizens will help fill the city's massively expanded competition venues after the Games. (Photo Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

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Fireworks explode over the National Stadium during the closing ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Beijing, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008. (AP Photo)

BEIJING - AUGUST 24: A Chinese policeman stands guard as fireworks explode over the National Stadium during the closing ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Andrew Wong/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - AUGUST 24: Chinese policemen stand guard outside the National Stadium during the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Andrew Wong/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - AUGUST 24: Fireworks go off during the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - AUGUST 24: A Guard stands watch as fireworks go off during the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - AUGUST 24: Fireworks go off during the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - AUGUST 24: Fireworks go off during the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - AUGUST 24: Fireworks go off during the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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2008 Beijing Olympics Go Out With a Bang originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At Closing Ceremony, Torch Is Passed to London and David Beckham

Michael David Smith — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 10:44:00 EST

Filed under: China, Europe

The 2008 Summer Olympics are in the books, with the closing ceremony taking place in Beijing today.

As part of the closing ceremony, Beijing passed the torch on to the 2012 Olympics host, London, which was represented by England's most famous international athlete, David Beckham.

Beckham arrived aboard a trademark London double-decker bus in front of 91,000 spectators at the Bird's Nest stadium, kicking a soccer ball off the top of the bus and toward the crowd. An eight-minute presentation told the world what to expect from the London 2012 Games.

Although Beckham said he thought Beijing did a good job as Olympics host, he added, "I'm sure we will be better than them, without a doubt."

At Closing Ceremony, Torch Is Passed to London and David Beckham originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sun, 24 Aug 2008 10:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China Finishes Olympics With 51 Gold Medals, Team USA Wins Total Medal Count With 110

Michael David Smith — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 08:37:00 EST

Filed under: China, USA

Photo: Zou Shiming of China celebrates with his gold medal after defeating Serdamba Purevdorj of Mongolia during the Men's light flyweight boxing final at the Workers' Indoor Arena.

China completed the 2008 Summer Olympics with 51 gold medals, leading the gold medal count for the first time in the nation's history. Team USA was second with 36 gold medals, the same number it won in Athens in 2004.

China won its final two gold medals today when Zou Shiming and Zhang Xiaoping became the nation's first Olympic boxing champions. France won the final gold medal of these Games when its men's handball team won the gold.

The Americans led the overall medal count with 110, making it the fourth straight Olympics that Team USA has come home with the most medals. China finished second in total medals with 100. Russia was third in both gold medals (23) and total medals (72).

China Finishes Olympics With 51 Gold Medals, Team USA Wins Total Medal Count With 110 originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sun, 24 Aug 2008 08:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China Leads Gold Medal Count 49-34, Americans Lead Total Medals 107-96

Michael David Smith — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:09:00 EST

Filed under: China, USA

Photo: Diana Taurasi bites her medal as she celebrates with teammates on the podium after the women's basketball gold medal match at the Olympic basketball arena in Beijing.

With one day of competition to go in Beijing, the China will win the gold medal tally for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games. China won two gold medals on Saturday.

China has now won 49 gold medals, an insurmountable lead over second-place Team USA, with 34. China's golds have come from a diverse group of sports, with gymnastics, weightlifting, diving and shooting leading the way.

The Americans have been strong in many of their old standby sports, with swimming giving Team USA 31 medals and track and field adding 23.

China Leads Gold Medal Count 49-34, Americans Lead Total Medals 107-96 originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As the Olympic Games Near End, Athletes Are Getting Busy

JJ Cooper — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China

The life of an Olympic athlete isn't easy. You train for years to compete in an event that often lasts less than a minute. For four years you work out for hours a day to put yourself in position to do your best.

Many athletes will avoid junk food, alcohol and anything else that will stand between them and a chance at an Olympics medal. They'll go through workouts that leave them rubbery-legged and completely gassed in their quest for the gold.

And once their events are over, a whole lot of them are letting off lots of steam. They rush to McDonalds for their first taste of junk food in quite a while. They grab some booze, and as Matt Syed, a British Olympian in table tennis in 1992, explains, they look to hook up with anyone, and everyone, before leaving the Games.

Syed explains the rolling orgy that is the Olympics village in a story in the London Times. As he spells out, there's a whole lot of testosterone flowing for both the men and women competitors, and now that four years of training are finally over, a whole lot of athletes are getting laid.

I spoke to an Aussie table tennis player this week to check out the village vibe and he launched into the breathless patter common to any Olympic debutant: "It is unbelievable in there; everyone is totally crazy once they are out of their competitions. God knows what it is going to be like this weekend. It is like a world within a world." A British runner (anonymous again: athletes are not supposed to talk to journalists unaccompanied by a PR type, least of all about sex) said: "The swimmers finished earlier in the week and it was like there was an eruption."

Apparently, men who win gold are in demand, whether they've got the look of a Greek god or a geek, but Syed says it doesn't work the same way for women--a gold medalist might not get as lucky as a last-place finisher who looks like a model:

The chaps who win gold medals - even those as geeky as Michael Phelps - are the principal objects of desire for many female athletes . . . But - and this is the thing - success does not work both ways. Gold-medal winning female athletes are not looked upon by male athletes with any more desire than those who flunked out in the first round. It is sometimes even considered a defect, as if there is something downright unfeminine about all that striving, fist pumping and incontinent sweating.

You can debate the morality of all the hooking up if you want, but what the Olympic organizers have discovered is you just have to accept it. The British Olympic committee tried to ban outdoor sex after the top of the terrace of the Brits' housing in Seoul was carpeted in used condoms. It didn't work, so now they focus on just making sure that everyone has plenty of the free condoms that are handed out throughout the athlete's village.

So while you may be unhappy that there is no more swimming to watch on NBC, a lot of athletes have another reason to be bummed that the Olympics are coming to a close.

As the Olympic Games Near End, Athletes Are Getting Busy originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chinese Gymnast Yang Yun Admits She Was Underage When She Won 2000 Bronze Medal

Michael David Smith — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 07:45:00 EST

Filed under: China

China is under investigation by the International Olympic Committee for putting underage gymnasts on its gold medal-winning Olympic team in Beijing. And now we learn that China has violated the minimum age rule in the past.

Yang Yun, who won the bronze medal in the uneven bars in 2000 (on the right in the above photo), admitted during an interview aired on state broadcaster China Central Television that she was 14 during the 2000 Games, the Associated Press is reporting.

That makes her too young to compete under Olympic rules, and if the International Olympic Committee enforces its rules properly, she will be stripped of her bronze in the uneven bars, and China will be stripped of its bronze in the team competition for using an underage gymnast. Viktoria Karpenko of Ukraine finished fourth in the uneven bars and the United States finished fourth in the team competition, and those gymnasts should be awarded the bronze.

Unfortunately, the International Olympic Committee has made clear that it will look the other way no matter how often China flouts the rules. China cheated by putting the 14-year-old Yang on its Olympic team, but sometimes cheaters do win.

Chinese Gymnast Yang Yun Admits She Was Underage When She Won 2000 Bronze Medal originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sat, 23 Aug 2008 07:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Most Exciting Olympic Event to Watch in Person: Beach Volleyball

Enrico Campitelli — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:34:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China, USA

FanHouse blogger Enrico Campitelli Jr. is on the scene in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics.

Americans Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers won themselves a gold medal on Friday by beating Brazil on the hot sand in Beijing. If you ever get the chance to attend a summer Olympics event in person, beach volleyball is the way to go.

Having seen a riveting performance of rhythmic gymnastics a day earlier, the gold medal match of men's beach volleyball was absolutely the most exciting event I've attended at the 2008 Olympics thus far. Not only is there high flying spikes, slams, blocks, and digs, but there is cheesy rock and roll in between plays.

Oh, and cheerleaders in bikinis.
The U.S. duo started out slow and found themselves down a few points early in the first but battled back to win the first set after three or four set points. The drama was intense and the venue had a nice split of American and Brazilian supporters with the U.S. having a slight edge in rowdiness.

Brazil fought back to win the second set and push the chance to take home gold to a third and final set.

Phil Dalhausser came out blazing in the third and there was never really much doubt that this was the United States' day at the beach.

"Obviously, Phil wanted this medal pretty dang bad. He was just ridiculous out there," Rogers said. "When he gets on a roll, I just pull out my pompons and give a little cheer and keep smiling and clapping. That's what good blockers do: When they get on a roll, good luck to you."

"I got in a zone, I guess," Dalhausser said. "I blocked it all out. It's just one of those things where you see everything perfectly and it all seems to be in slow motion."

With events like rhythmic gymnastics, shooting, or even athletics, beach volleyball stands out as a well produced, exciting atmosphere where the crowd can really get loud and into the match. Having gotten the chance to watch USA basketball destroy Germany, I'd take this exciting beach volleyball gold medal match over the Redeem Team.

Olympic Moment:
After the medal ceremony, Todd Rogers jumped into the stands to find what looked to be his parents and/or grandparents. It was pretty awesome seeing the emotion beam from all of their faces.

Many Americans, like myself, can be pretty cynical when it comes to cheering on our nation, but when you find yourself watching two guys like Rogers and Dalhausser trying to bring home the gold, I bet you'd be wishing you were sporting some Team USA gear to show your support. I know I was.

The Most Exciting Olympic Event to Watch in Person: Beach Volleyball originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thanks to Censorship, Chinese Citizens Don't Know About Gymnastics Controversy

Michael David Smith — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: China

Controversy is raging in the United States over whether the gold medal-winning Chinese Olympic gymnasts were younger than the minimum age of 16 and should therefore have their medals stripped.

But in China, it's no controversy at all. Most Chinese citizens don't know anything about it because their news is censored. The Times of London reports:

News of the investigation has set the Olympics abuzz, but the reports have been hidden from ordinary Chinese. None of the major Chinese news websites has published the story and some where reports of the inquiry had appeared have been closed down.
This has not prevented some online debate - although several chatrooms where debate had been heated earlier in the day have since been shut down as site hosting companies censor what could be a sensitive topic.

If China is telling the truth about the age of its gymnasts, why does it fear discussion of the subject?

Thanks to Censorship, Chinese Citizens Don't Know About Gymnastics Controversy originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China Leads Gold Medal Count 47-31, Americans Lead in Total Medals 102-89

Michael David Smith — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:40:00 EST

Filed under: China, USA

Photo: Gold medalist Hadi Saei of Iran, silver medalist Mauro Sarmiento of Italy and joint bronze medalists Steven Lopez of the United States and Zhu Guo of China pose on the podium during the medal ceremony for the men's -80kg taekwondo.

With just two days remaining until the closing ceremony, China continues to lead in the Olympic gold medal tally, with 47 golds -- 16 more than the United States, which is in second place in the gold medal standings with 31.

The Americans lead the overall medal count, with 102 through Friday's competition. China is second with 89.

China's gold medal count is impressive, but the Chinese haven't necessarily accomplished it the way they hoped to. China launched Project 119 with the hope of winning a dozen or more gold medals in swimming, track and field and outdoor water sports, but in reality China has been almost totally shut out in those sports. Instead, China has gotten even better in sports it was already good at, especially men's gymnastics, in which China won every gold medal except one.

China Leads Gold Medal Count 47-31, Americans Lead in Total Medals 102-89 originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IOC Again Says There Is No Proof That Chinese Gymnasts Were Underage

Sportz Assassin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:09:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China

Despite asking the International Gymnastics Federation to investigate allegations that Chinese gymnasts are underage, the IOC says there in no proof that there was cheating and that the issue will be put to rest:

The IOC asked the International Gymnastics Federation to investigate "what have been a number of questions and apparent discrepancies," spokeswoman Giselle Davies said. The FIG has said repeatedly that a passport is the "accepted proof of a gymnast's eligibility," and that China's gymnasts have presented ones that show they are age eligible. The IOC also checked the girls' passports and deemed them valid before the games began.

Lu said the Chinese gave the FIG documents Thursday evening that included the current and former passport, ID card and family residence permit for double gold medalist He Kexin. Lu said the documents all say she was born in 1992, which makes her eligible to compete. Gymnasts must turn 16 at some point during the Olympic year in order to be eligible.

"We believe the matter will be put to rest and there's no question ... on the eligibility," Davies said. "The information we have received seems satisfactory in terms of the correct documentation -- including birth certificates."

The FIG is preparing their own statement.

All of this was kicked up again when a computer analyst dug up some data on the internets that said multi-gold medalist He Kexin was born in 1994 ... making her two years younger than the minimum age. This came after the AP discovered that He and teammate Yang Yilin were too young to compete (the AP even found documentation that Yang's birthdate had been changed to make her older).

China's gymnastics coach Lu Shanzhen shoots all this down with the common you can't believe everything you read on the internet defense. Lu also went on to use a South Park-esque trick ... we're sooooo small:

"If you trust every Web site but not a government ... There are so many Web sites, so much hearsay," Lu said. "These are not official. It is possible that all news on the Internet is accurate?"

China's team did look noticeably younger than the Americans, who finished with the silver medal in the team competition. The Americans, though, had two 20-year-olds on their team, and all-around gold medalist Nastia Liukin turns 19 this fall.

"At this competition, the Japanese gymnasts were just as small as the Chinese," the coach said. "Chinese competitors have for years all been small. It is not just this time. It is a question of race. European and American athletes are all powerful, very robust. But Chinese athletes cannot be like that. They are by nature that small."

Did you expect any different from an IOC who has been bowing down to China ever since they awarded the games to Beijing nearly a decade ago?

IOC Again Says There Is No Proof That Chinese Gymnasts Were Underage originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China 'Ethnic Children' During Opening Ceremonies Were Fakes, Too

Sportz Assassin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:30:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China

No, they were really there and, yes, they were really children. However, what was intended wasn't what was real.

During the opening ceremonies, there were 56 kids who carried the Chinese flag with soldiers. It was a poignant moment meant to show all 56 of China's ethnic groups working as one for the nation. The children were dressed in the costumes of these groups and was a very sweet moment of the opening ceremony.

Well, except that all of the children were part of China's ethnic majority ... the Han Chinese. The Han make up about 90% of the population and dominate the country and none of the other 55 other groups were represented by their own people:

"I assume they think the kids were very natural looking and nice," Yuan Zhifeng, deputy director of the Galaxy Children's Art Troupe said.

The official guide to the opening ceremony said that the children did not just represent but "came from" China's ethnic groups. "Fifty-six children from 56 Chinese ethnic groups cluster around the Chinese national flag, representing the 56 ethnic groups," it said.

This point was put to Wang Wei, executive vice-president of the Beijing organising committee at a press conference today. "I think you are being very meticulous," he said. He said it was "traditional" to use dancers from other ethnic groups in this way. "I would argue it is normal for dancers, performers, to be dressed in other races' clothes," he said. "I don't know exactly where these performers are from."

C'mon, Wang! If you are going to have a moment where you show your solidarity as a people by telling people you have a child from each of your 56 ethnic groups carrying the flag ... then you can't just dress up other kids and say that they represent those people. I mean, will the 2012 games have a few kids from London dressed up like they are Scottish, Irish or Welsh?

China 'Ethnic Children' During Opening Ceremonies Were Fakes, Too originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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International Olympic Committee Promises to Investigate Chinese Gymnast's Age

Michael David Smith — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:59:00 EST

Filed under: China, USA

The Chinese gymnast He Kexin, who won the gold medal in the uneven bars and won another gold for China in the team competition, has long been the subject of scrutiny surrounding her age.

Chinese Womens Gymnastics Team

Chinese gymnast He Kexin wears her gold medal for the uneven bars during the first Doha Gymnastics World Cup at the Aspire Academy in the Qatari capital of Doha on March 5, 2008. AFP PHOTO/KARIM JAAFAR (Photo credit should read KARIM JAAFAR/AFP/Getty Images)

Karim Jaafar, AFP / Getty Images

(L-R) Silver medallist Nastia Liukin of the U.S., gold medallist Shawn Johnson of the U.S. and bronze medallist Cheng Fei of China pose during the medal presentation ceremony for the gymnastics women's beam final at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 19, 2008. REUTERS/Reinhard Krause (CHINA)

Reuters

China's Li Shanshan falls as she competes in the women's balance beam final of the artistic gymnastics event of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing on August 19, 2008. United States' Shawn Johnson won the gold, United States' Nastia Liukin the silver and China's Fei Cheng the bronze. AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

China's Li Shanshan competes in the women's balance beam final of the artistic gymnastics event of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing on August 19, 2008. United States' Shawn Johnson won the gold, United States' Nastia Liukin the silver and China's Fei Cheng the bronze. AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

BEIJING - AUGUST 19: Cheng Fei of China competes during the Women's Beam Final at the National Indoor Stadium on Day 11 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 19, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Getty Images

News organizations have reported that she's 14 -- which would make her two years too young to compete under Olympic rules -- and the eyeball test tells us that she doesn't look 16, which is how old the Chinese government claims she is.

Now the International Olympic Committee says it's going to investigate. The Times of London reports:

The investigation was triggered as a US computer expert claimed today to have uncovered Chinese government documents that he says prove she is only 14 - making her ineligible to compete in the Olympics - rather than 16, as officials in Beijing insist is her age.

Mike Walker, a computer security expert, told The Times how he tracked down two documents that he says had been removed from a Chinese government website. The documents, he said, stated that He's birth date was January 1 1994 - making her 14 - and not January 1 1992, which is printed in her passport.

The International Olympic Committee has taken a "see no evil, hear no evil" approach to China during the Games, but it's long past time for this investigation to commence. The evidence appears strong that He is too young to compete. That means she should be disqualified, and the silver medalists (the Americans in the team competition and Nastia Liukin in the uneven bars) deserve the gold.

International Olympic Committee Promises to Investigate Chinese Gymnast's Age originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China Jails Elderly Women for Asking to Protest at Olympics

Michael David Smith — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:02:00 EST

Filed under: China

Two elderly women have been given what is described as a sentence of one year of "re-education through labor" after they applied for permits to stage protests at the Olympic Games. The New York Times reports:

Wu Dianyuan, 79, and Wang Xiuying, 77, had made five visits to the police this month in an effort to get permission to protest what they contended was inadequate compensation for the demolition of their homes in Beijing.
During their final visit on Monday, public security officials informed them that they had been given administrative sentences for "disturbing the public order," according to Li Xuehui, Ms. Wu's son.
Mr. Li said his mother and Ms. Wang, who used to be neighbors before their homes were demolished to make way for a redevelopment project, were allowed to return home but were told they could be sent to a detention center at any moment. "Can you imagine two old ladies in their 70s being re-educated through labor?" he asked.

I can't imagine it. The International Olympic Committee promised that the Games would be part of China's reformation. Instead, the Games have led China to tear down people's homes, and to jail those people when they complain about it. What a disgrace.

China Jails Elderly Women for Asking to Protest at Olympics originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China Leads USA in Gold Medals, 45-26; Americans Lead Total Medals 81-79

Michael David Smith — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: China, USA

Photo: China's Wu Jingyu celebrates her victory over Thailand's Buttree Puedpong during their women's taekwondo gold medal match on August 20 in Beijing.

China continues to blow away the rest of the world in the gold medal standings at the Summer Olympics, with 45 gold medals through the conclusion of Day 12. Team USA is second with 26 golds.

The Americans maintain a narrow lead in the overall medal standings, with 81 medals in all. China has 79 medals.

China added two more golds today, with Wu Jingyu winning in the women's 49-kilogram and under taekwondo competition, and Yin Jian winning in women's sailing. China also picked up a bronze today when Wenxiu Zhang finished third in the women's hammer throw.

The Americans added medals today in the men's 200 meters (Shawn Crawford, bronze) and women's 400-meter hurdles (Sheena Tosta, silver).

China Leads USA in Gold Medals, 45-26; Americans Lead Total Medals 81-79 originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watching Team USA Win by 49 Points Is Fun but Also Kind of Boring

Enrico Campitelli — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:51:00 EST

Filed under: Americas, China, Europe, USA

FanHouse blogger Enrico Campitelli Jr. is on the scene in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics.

Before coming to Beijing for the games, all of the buzz in my group of travelers was about trying to score the hot events. Right near the top of the list was a ticket to see Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and the rest of the 2008 USA basketball team play. The opponent didn't really matter.

I was lucky enough to score a seat in the second row of the upper bowl of Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium to watch as Team USA made Dirk Niwitzki and the German team look like a third world country. The US squad won by forty-nine.

Sure the high flying dunks and attempted alley-oops off the backboard were entertaining but after the US had a twenty-five plus point lead things got a bit boring. Should a fan in attendance simply marvel at the display or hope for a more competitive game? I say both.

The second game of the double header was Argentina vs. Russia which proved to be a much more hard fought game that went down to the final minutes, something hard to find in Olympic Basketball.

Argentina's Andres Nocioni led the way and helped them put away the Russians who put up a tough fight to the end.

The biggest commotion of the two game set was clearly when the crowd realized there was a soccer legend in the arena. Argentina's great Diego Maradona was there to cheer on his boys against the Russians. Once the Chinese realized who he was, or simply that he was someone famous, they mobbed his section in an attempt to take photos of the once great soccer star. Security was forced to move Diego to the media section for some peace.

The crowd for the USA vs. Germany game was silent. By my estimates, 75-80% of the crowd was Chinese and they didn't seem too interested in cheering for either team. The loudest cheers I heard were when walking out of the venue, the entire crowd started doing the one "Jai-Yo!" cheer led by a volunteer with a megaphone. I thought I was leaving a Phish concert or something in Camden.

Watching Team USA Win by 49 Points Is Fun but Also Kind of Boring originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Havertown, Pennsylvania Produces Winners (And Me!)

Enrico Campitelli — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:05:00 EST

Filed under: Beijing, China, USA

FanHouse blogger Enrico Campitelli Jr. is on the scene in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics.

I'm in Beijing, China. Not sure exactly how far it is from Havertown, Pennsylvania -- the town I grew up in -- but it's safe to say it's a few thousand miles away from the comfort of a WaWa Shortie Italian. Knowing that fact, I wonder what the chances were that I'd run into not one, but two people from Havertown while in Beijing on the same night.

And both of them just happened to be sporting Olympic Medals they won earlier that day.
I was invited to be a guest at Anheuser Busch's Club Bud in Beijing on Sunday night to enjoy a night of icey American Lager's (free! and delicious!) and gold medal gawking.

The first notable to strut down the red carpet was Carl Lewis who I once stood behind in a security line in Paris' Charles De Gaulle Airport. Random.

After Lewis, the random athletes from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S. started to arrive with their hardware hanging from their necks. There was nothing particularly interesting about any of these athletes besides the fact that they're the best in the world at their sporting discipline of choice.

Then Havertown's own Brendan Hansen strutted in with fellow U.S. swimmer Cullen Jones. Before coming to the games I knew of Hansen, a Haverford High School product, and had hoped to bump into him while in Beijing. Brendan was part of the relay team that helped Micheal Phelps win his eighth gold medal in Beijing. After introducing myself and telling him of my Havertownian roots, we chatted briefly, but I let him enjoy his celebration.

It's not until I used the bathroom that things got funny.

Random Dude peeing next to me to short, tiny white dude sporting U.S.A. gear: "So what sport do you play."

Short White Dude: "Rowing."

Me, while peeing, thinking I'm funny: "You must be a coxswain."

Short White Dude: "How do you even know what a coxswain is?" (Little known fact about me: I was a rower for one year in high school. It sucked.)

Me: "So where are you from"

Him: "Philadelphia."

Me: "No way, me too. Where'd you go to high school?"

Him: "Bonner."

Me: "No way. So do you know Eggy, Tugger, Spross, Brady, etc?"

Him: "Are you [expletive] with me?"

Then he whips out a medal from underneath his Team U.S.A. Polo shirt and says something to the effect of "Dude, I'm from Havertown and I've won a medal at the Olympics in Beijing!" Pretty awesome.

As it turns out, his name is Marcus McElhenney (pictured above) and he was the coxswain on the boat that won bronze on Sunday. He is also friends with tons of kids I know from growing up.

You can take the boy out of Delco but you can never take the Delco out of the boy. Even in China.

I was once again hanging out with the Washington Post's Dan Steinberg, who was actually working, and he's got some video of the amazing belt Cullen Jones was sporting last night.

Havertown, Pennsylvania Produces Winners (And Me!) originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China's Gold Medal Lead Grows, U.S. Continues to Lead Total Medal Count

Michael David Smith — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:17:00 EST

Filed under: China, USA

Photo: Gold medalist Stephanie Brown Trafton of the United States, silver medalist Yarelys Barrios of Cuba and bronze medalist Olena Antonova of Ukraine stand on the podium during the medal ceremony for the women's discus at the National Stadium on Day 10 of the 2008 Olympic Games.

With the 10th day of the Summer Olympics in the books, China's lead in the gold medal standings has grown, with 39 golds for the host nation compared to 22 for the United States. The U.S. still leads the overall medal standings, with 24 silvers and 26 bronzes for a total of 72, five more than the Chinese, who have 14 silvers and 14 bronzes.

Although it was hardly even noticed in the United States, the biggest story in the host country today was that China defeated Germany in the men's table tennis team competition. Table tennis is China's national sport, and if the Chinese finish the Games with anything other than four table tennis golds, they'll come away disappointed. So far they've won the men's and women's team titles, with women's singles starting today and men's singles starting tomorrow.

China's Gold Medal Lead Grows, U.S. Continues to Lead Total Medal Count originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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