3 April 2008 – Remaining four months must focus on integration to ensure Games-time delivery of seamless operations and timely decision-making.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordination Commission for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games today concluded its tenth and final meeting with the Beijing Organising Committee (BOCOG) confident that BOCOG is on the right track with its preparations for this summer’s Olympic Games, which begin in just 127 days. The Commission, which is the body appointed by the IOC to oversee the operational aspects of the Games, spent three days (1-3 April) in the Chinese capital helping to guide the organisers …read more

During dinner, I was scanning the headlines over at CNN (on telly) then I spotted a blurb that said “Olympic Torch arrives in Beijing”. I was still out so when I got home I quickly browsed through my sources and found out that the plane bearing the torch landed on Beijing, 9 this morning.
It was Chinese President Hu Jintao who announced the official start of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay. The President lit the cauldron at the Tianamen Square in Beijing. This took place two (2) hours after the Olympic Torch landed in China.
You can view the welcome ceremony here …read more

The Olympic Torch is currently staying overnight in Athens, Greece. It will leave ancient Acropolis in Athens headed towards its last destination in Greece.
The ceremony will take place at the Panathenaikon Stadium. The Olympic Torch will be ceremoniously handed over to representatives of BOCOG (The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad).
The Panathenaikon Stadium is the site of the first modern-day Olympic Games.
Source

I’ve managed to find an awesome footage of the lighting ceremony signaling the start of the Olympic Torch Relay. This took place in Olympia, Greece last 24 March 2008.
The footage includes portions on the High Priestess played by actress Maria Nafpliotou lighting the torch flame; releasing the dove; and handing the torch to the first Olympic Torchbearer of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad Alexandros Nikolaidis.
Originally aired over at CCTV 9.

I recently learned that Johnson & Johnson Vision Care is sponsoring a sweepstakes that will provide four winners and their guests a once-in-a-lifetime chance to attend the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Quite exciting, innit?
To enter and become eligible for the ACUVUE® The Difference is Real™ Trip to Beijing Sweepstakes, you and any of your readers 18 years and older can visit www.myspace.com/heathervision, where they will also get a personal look at the athlete through fun facts and photos.
The sweepstakes runs March 18 through April 11, 2008.
With the help of U.S. Soccer Women’s National Team star forward Heather O’Reilly the …read more

17 March 2008 – With the health of athletes who participate in the Olympic Games being of the utmost importance to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the IOC’s Medical Commission has been appraising the air quality in the Chinese capital.
Over the past weeks, an analysis has been made of a set of data – including temperature, wind, humidity and SO2, NO2, CO, Ozone and PM10 readings – which were taken by the Beijing Environment Protection Bureau from 8 to 29 August 2007 and given to the IOC. The data have been evaluated on the basis of the WHO 2005 interim …read more

I just learned that there\’s a special treat for all you guys come 24th of March. \r\n\r\n
On 24 March 2008 visitors of www.olympic.org will be able to watch the Olympic flame come to life in Olympia, Greece.
\r\n\r\nSource\r\n\r\nThe coverage of this special event, as part of the 2008 Beijing Games, will start 10:00 GMT; accessible online. The Olympic torch relay is said to cover 137,000 kms — passing through five (5) continents — and will last around 130 days.

What better way to tell just how much we’re all anticipating the day the Olympic Games in Beijing will commence but to count them down!
Light the Torch will now sport an countdown app that’s quite common among sites that talks about the Games.

You can periodically check it or every time you visit this blog. It’s found on the sidebar (on the right of your screen), just below the About widget. You might need to scroll down a bit.
What do you think? Isn’t it cool? :mrgreen:

I just saw this advert earlier on TV and I found it so adorably funny!
Watch out for Yao Ming’s appearance. Hehe. ;)
Enjoy! :mrgreen: