BEIJING: International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge said yesterday that he believed the Beijing Olympics, which get under way on Friday, would prove to be a milestone in China’s transformation.
The Belgian, who, along with the IOC has come under fire from human rights groups ever since electing Beijing as hosts in 2001, said that it was already evident that changes had occurred for the better for China.
“I am equally confident that the Games will leave a great legacy for China,” said Rogge, who was elected at the same IOC meeting in 2001 to succeed Juan Antonio Samaranch. “China is a nation in transition, with a great future, tremendous potential and some challenges. I believe history will view the 2008 Olympics as a significant milestone in China’s remarkable transformation.
“Some of the changes are easy to see. The Bird’s Nest (the main stadium) and the Water Cube (the swimming complex) are already architectural landmarks.
“Long after the Games end, these and other Olympic venues will encourage the youth of China to participate in sport. Spectators will be inspired to become athletes, and athletes will be inspired to achieve their best in world-class venues.” Rogge added that there were other benefits from the Games.
“The venues are just a small part of the construction legacy that will benefit China after the Games,” he said.
“New airport terminals, new roads and highways, new parks, and a host of other projects that were initiated or accelerated because of the Games will improve the quality of life and contribute to China’s economic development over the long term.
“Many of the infrastructure investments and other steps taken as a result of the Olympics will help China deal with environmental challenges.” Rogge, who will step down next year at the IOC session in Copenhagen, said he also hoped that the Games would help the Chinese come to terms with the devastating earthquake earlier this year which left close to 90,000 people dead.
“China’s role as our Olympic host has opened a window to the world’s most populous nation,” said Rogge. “We have already seen the courage and determination of the Chinese people in another context.
“The world mourned the staggering loss of life from the earthquake in Sichuan province and marveled at the courageous response by the Chinese people.
“Starting this weekend and over the next 16 days, the world will have another reason to come together to share common emotions. “All of us in the Olympic Family hope that the Beijing Games will help the healing process in China and deepen the world’s knowledge of this remarkable country.” Rogge, who last year won a personal crusade for the creation of a Youth Games which will be hosted by Singapore, said that these Games would be a landmark in many respects.
“I said at the outset that I believe these Games will be historic. “They are already a landmark event for the Olympic Movement.
“The mere fact that the Olympic Games are coming to China — home to nearly 20 percent of the world’s population — is significant. “A billion television viewers are expected to watch live coverage of the opening ceremony on Friday. “The Beijing Games will significantly advance our goals of universality and fair play in several ways. “We will see a record number of participating national teams — 205 and a record number of women athletes — about 45 percent of all the competitors.
Phelps gets into Beijing almost unnoticed
Michael Phelps sneaked into Beijing almost unnoticed. He’s unlikely to go out that way.
The probable star of the Beijing Olympics avoided hundreds of fans, photographers and reporters yesterday by taking a side door out to a waiting bus while his teammates pushed luggage trolleys calmly through the arrival gate at Beijing’s new Terminal 3, a sprawling addition to the city’s airport.
Phelps, who’s grown a mustache while training in Singapore, was eventually spotted by dozens of reporters and photographers, sitting by a window on the team bus. He ignored most of the cameras, glancing in their direction a few times as he adjusted the fit of his baseball cap.
One young Chinese girl said she had waited five hours hoping to get an autograph. She also carried an envelope in her hand which was addressed in imperfect English: “To Michael Phelps you have to look at.” Asked why she wanted to see Phelps, a friend standing nearby answered for her.
“Because she thinks he’s handsome.”
Phelps won six gold medals four years ago in Athens, and is aiming to surpass both that mark and the seven-gold effort of Mark Spitz at the 1972 Munich Games. He will compete in eight events in Beijing, three of which are relays.
At last year’s World Championships in Australia, Phelps won seven and was denied the chance to go for an eighth victory when a teammate was disqualified from the preliminaries of a relay the Americans were heavily favored to win.
“I’m looking to do something different that the sport has never seen,” Phelps said a few days ago in Singapore.
“I’ve had some of the best training I’ve done,” Phelps said. “I’ve been swimming well. I’ve been feeling good in the water.” Katie Hoff, who regards Phelps as an older brother, was one of the first American swimmers through the arrival gate. She’s from the same North Baltimore club that produced Phelps, and she’ll be nearly as busy as Phelps, swimming in five individual races and at least one relay.
Dara Torres, the self-described “old lady” of the US team, was one of the few swimmers to speak in the rush to board the bus. The 41-year-old Torres will be competing in her record fifth Olympics.
“It’s finally sunk in,” Torres said. “I am very excited to be here. I just want to get to the pool and start swimming a little bit.”
