Tokyo, 4 April 2008 – Ahead of the ANOC General Assembly in Beijing, TOKYO 2016, Japan’s Bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, today took a big step forward by gaining the strong support of the national sport federations and leveraging an opportunity to strengthen further TOKYO 2016’s plan.
The conference held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government gathered officials from Olympic and Paralympic sport federations together with Governor of Tokyo and TOKYO 2016 President, Shintaro Ishihara, JOC Sports Committee Chairman, Tomiaki Fukuda, and TOKYO 2016 Chairman and CEO, Dr Ichiro Kono. They were able to discuss in detail the bid …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.

23 March 2008 – The lighting of the Olympic Flame in Olympia tomorrow is a time to reflect on the role of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The main responsibility of the IOC is to deliver the best possible Olympic Games to the athletes, who deserve it.
We do this in a close and intense collaboration with the Beijing Organising Committee.
Awarding the Olympic Games to the most populous country in the world will open up one fifth of mankind to Olympism.
We believe that China will change by opening the country to the scrutiny of the world through the 25’000 media who will …read more

March 22, 2008 – Taking Olympic Sports to the next level that is the objective of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC).
“We are living in a fool’s paradise if we continue to act as if achieving sporting excellence will come without higher standards of fitness and strength.These building blocks must be in place ,there are no shortcuts” said TTOC president Larry Romany.
Romany was explaining the rationale behind the TTOC Sport performance strength and conditioning course which will start on Tuesday 25 March at the Athletes Lounge at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
“It is called sport performance because it is just …read more

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

25 February 2008 – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced an agreement with SKY Italia for the broadcast rights within Italy for the Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic Games.
SKY Italia, Italy’s leading digital satellite television network, acquired the rights across all broadcast platforms, including free-to-air television, subscription television, internet and mobile phone.
SKY Italia will be responsible for ensuring the broadest possible audience is able to access the Olympic Games across all of these platforms, including a guaranteed continuation of free-to-air television coverage. To achieve this commitment, SKY Italia will shortly begin seeking a partnership with a free-to-air network …read more

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: