The Olympics are about people, athletes and the sports fans who pay to see them.
Most of the attention naturally focuses on the Olympians as they tussle for honors in the sports arena. But there are many more fans and their stories can be just as compelling.
They can be one of the “Olympic madmen” who have added so much rustic color to the event, a German family on holiday or a team of madcap semi-professional cheerleaders from Thailand.
PHOTO: JOHN HANCOCK
Organizers estimated around half a million travelers from overseas and more domestic visitors would descend on Beijing for the Olympics and though many have come, expectations proved optimistic.
While the top-end hotels in the city center are full of “Olympic family” guests and officials of various kinds, the mid-range accommodation that most tour groups and individuals seek are not seeing the same occupancy rates.
On the ground this means there are loads of volunteers, but not a great deal for them to do. Sure, it is busy outside the Bird’s Nest most days, but the fan zones have been a bit of a letdown.
PHOTO: JOHN HANCOCK
The restaurants that rolled out English menus in anticipation of hordes of visitors have been disappointed, while the additional traffic at established tourist spots like the Lama Temple or hutongs of Nanluoguxiang has been marginal.
Even so, people seem to be enjoying themselves. The German couple and their teenage son who turned up for the taekwondo finals were treating the Olympics like any other holiday.
They had three weeks in China and planned to stay in Beijing for the duration of the Games, then travel to Xian and a few other tourist spots before returning home in time for the school term.
A Taiwanese pair who managed to buy tickets from a scalper, Hsu Yu-rong and friend Li Qi-xiu, were taking a break from preparing for exams, and though they were enjoying the Olympics they said they preferred the capital city before its recent renovations.
Beijing Games organizers have prepared thousands of cultural activities for their guests. These range from performances by superstar pianist Lang Lang at the National Center of Performing Arts in Beijing, to folk art and gala performances. Museums and art galleries have also prepared aesthetic feasts.
Since all the events need licenses from the authorities we are only getting what the minister of culture of the People’s Republic of China thinks is fit for overseas consumption.
Some of the more notorious clubs and bars in the entertainment district of Sanlitun have been closed down, party organizers have not been able to get permits for open-air events and some proposed art exhibitions will take place after the Olympics have moved on.
It is sanitized entertainment, but there is a good atmosphere. Near the Bird’s Nest there are elaborate musical fountains for kids to play in, pavilions, a park and daily ethnic dance performances.
This is primarily where sports fans from around the world mix with like-minded people. They wear the colors of their countries, pose for photographs and swap stories. Like the constantly smiling band of Thai travelers dressed in national costume who travel to every Olympic and Asian Games.
Locals, meanwhile, watch with pride and take part in all this festivity. The spirit of “Olympic madmen” like Chen Dongguan, who cycled across China in his rickshaw for seven years picking up cigarette butts to promote a green Olympics, fascinates them.
For once, differences are celebrated. Though there is the jingoism of competition, for most visitors and locals there is a fresh appreciation of others. It’s called the Olympic spirit.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was