Beijing Olympics: Ripples – I

Himanshu Shekhar 29th Olympic Games in Beijing came to an end but not before shifting the globe’s sporting geo axis to China, while Washington watched from sidelines. China became the only nation to usurp US/ former Soviet Union’s position in medals tally since 1936 in Nazi’s Germany. The United States for the first time in Olympics history, in which they participated, were shunted out in Track and Field event. The Americans failed to hold the baton as ‘Lightning struck twice’ at Bird’s Nest stadium in form of Jamaica’s Usain Bolt. As the dirt in Bird’s Nest settles and splashes in Water Cube calms down post ‘Michael Phelps- hurricane,’ which swept along eight Gold, its time to dig in the Olympics aftermath. Few will dispute that what happened in these 15 days of sporting extravaganza, will have varied impacts world wide. Do Olympics change history? Thomas L Friedman writes; “Olympics don’t change history. They are mere snapshots- a country posing in its Sunday best for the world to see.”

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One may beg to differ with that opinion. It was a rigorous effort by China which took 7 years and 27 days of single minded commitment. International Olympic Committee had awarded the Olympic Games to Beijing on July 13, 2001. The World can see the difference in the ‘Walled Country’. “You don’t see the shift of sporting geo-axis every Sunday,” counters JNU’s Puspesh Pant. From now on, irrespective of where you are, be it Romania, Argentina, Finland, South Korea or Indonesia and aspiring for an elusive Olympics medal you will not be asking for US visa but China. No longer is Romania or Russia the only ‘hunting destination’ for Gymnastics coaches. The equations have changed. Positioning – future: Olympics might not change history, but it definitely makes strong fundamentals for future. One can see the mammoth investment in infrastructure building can do to a country. IOC President Jacques Rogge said, “Beijing has raised the bar so much so that it would be tough to follow.” An awestruck Friedman concluded after the closing ceremony; “Holy mackerel, the energy coming out of this country is unrivalled.” He further writes, “We (read American’s) are so cooked. Start teaching your children Mandarin.” With history by its side China wrote its own future with 51 Gold and over 100 odd medals and world class infrastructure- China is no more a third world country. For full coverage on BEIJING OLYMPICS, Click Here »