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Beijing 2008 Olympics 到北京看奧運 (Aug 2008)

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chin:
The last event for the evening was Men's Pole Vault.

Pictured here is the eventual gold medalist Australian Steve Hooker.

To be honest, at the stadium I did not think he would win eventually, because he each time he tried a new height, he would fail on the first two attempts and only succeed on the third trial. (See Official result)

After he was confirmed to win the gold medal at 5.90m, his friend or coach threw him an Australian flag, for his victory lap around the arena.

But in 5 seconds or so, he put the flag down, and announced that he would try a new height to break the Olympic record.

He did it on the third trial. Big applause for the true sportsman.

chin:
23-Aug-2008.

This was our last day in Beijing. We would be leaving tomorrow before the closing ceremony. All the flights leaving Beijing were full until the 27th.

This was the final match between Argentina and Nigeria.

Right outside the Olympic Greens, there were lots of people holding stacks of cash asking to buy our tickets. We later learned that there were over 89000 people attended the football final.

We had very good seats in the bottom section. At the back of our seat is an opening to the outside ground thus we had some breeze from time to time. (What happened to the "design for no wind"? Perhaps it was just another urban legend.)

We went to the football final with another couple who came to Beijing just to see this. They had a very troubled journey to the football final, all because of a small personal over-sight. That's a side story to be told somewhere else, and I hope my kids would learn a lesson from other people's misadventure. :-)

chin:
A causal survey could tell that Argentina was the favorited team. There were much more white & blue than green & yellow.

The blue & white cheering team in the second picture was probably organized - well equiped in uniform and sit together.

The opposite side of the stadium had another group with similar setup except the colors were green & yellow.

The security was probably the heaviest for all events we attended. Poor guys who had to sit under the hot sun for the entire time, and can only facing the audience. They seem to be well disciplined. Eye sore to some, force of stability to the other.

chin:
What kind of sports party can do without cheerleaders?!

This group came before the match.

chin:
And then the kick off for the first half.

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