[Olympics]Beijing-2008 and the road ahead for Indian Sports

[spirit11]

We Got to have a thread for the Olympics Donn we Puys...??

After all whatever be the chances of an Indian Winning a Gold at the Olympics..we all need to cheer our Team @ Beijing..

A Leading English Daily Summed up India's Hopes at Beijing with this sarcastic dailogue...

India's Olympickings..!!


Suresh Kalmadi is such a sweet bloke.He had me in tears with his 'We go there with Hopes' speech on Thursday at that do to honour our beijing Olympic Team.It Was Quite Stirring..

Ah Yes,the Indian Olympic Association president had me in tears too,especially when I compared his fond words with those that he made in 2004 before seeing off our athletes to the Athens Olympics:"A few [medals] are on the cards."

Well the one silver medal from shooter Rajyavardhan S.Rathore in 2004 did add to the few already in the Indian Olympic Kiity..

I Think the number that you are lookin for is 17 Medals..

Umm..17 medals since the start of modern olympic games?But what about all those gold medals from Hockey?

Er.that includes the eight gold,one silver and two bronze medals in hockey.the others in the kitty are two silver medals in atheletics from 1900-incidentally claimed by both India and U.K-one wrestling bronze from 1952,one tennis bronze from 1996,one weightlifting bronze from 2000 and one shooting silver from 2004.

Hey,it could have been worse.

Well,it depends.Larissa Latynina,between 1956 and 1964 won 18 medals-9 of them gold..-by herself for soviet union.So....

Oh,you are so full of negativity.cant you see that the 55 athletes going to beijing need all the encouragement they can get!Its whiners like you who have made Indian sports reach this stage.

Thats True.Without people like me we would have medal winning chance in the Modern Pentathlon at Beijing.

You mean there is an Indian athlete participating in the modern Pentathlon??

No,Silly.

So Who are our athletes we should look out for?

I'd put my funny money on Gagan Narang and Abhinav Bindra in Shooting events

Surely,we will get a medal in hockey?

Oh dear, nobody told you.we haven't qualified in hockey for olympics this year.

Don't Say:If we had boycotted the beijing Olympics,we wouldn't have been so scared.

Do Say:Virender Sehwag is back With a bang!!

With these emotions in my heart I wish our Indian Team All The Very Best..!!

[nv_kkd]

Wondering why this thread is so idle

The interesting sporting battles to watch out for in this olympics...

Will Michael Phelps surpass Spitz's record of seven gold medals?
Who is going to be the fastest man in Beijing?(Gay/Bolt/Powell)?
Will China edge past U.S in medals tally?

[spirit11]

Originally Posted by nv_kkd

Wondering why this thread is so idle

The interesting sporting battles to watch out for in this olympics...

Will Michael Phelps surpass Spitz's record of seven gold medals?
Who is going to be the fastest man in Beijing?(Gay/Bolt/Powell)?
Will China edge past U.S in medals tally?

I guess all puys are waiting with bated breath for Indian athletes to come out with flying colors....

and sure do I think China is gonna give US a run for its money....watched a bit of opening ceremony last evening and it was surely awesome,I mean the birds nest stadium is one marvel of enginnering,and then the show put up by chinese was just to say spectacular...the way they potrayed there history thru dance,music,lights,lazer..i mean was just awesome..Three cheerzz to Beijing..

China is right on its way just won its first gold medal...

Check it out..

Overall Medal Standings - The official website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games

Cheerzz..

[td31]

one of the most intriguing battles this Olympics is also going to be the Mens Singles Tennis
All the top seeds like Federer,Nadal,Djokovic etc are hoping for glory

And with such drama surrounding Federer and Nadal. It is going to be real exciting to see if Federer can win Gold for his nation


News also coming in that India has had a not-so-good start today
Indian lady shooters have failed to qualify for the finals
Desperately hoping that we win some medals here!

[rockball]

Football as always will be followed. Lets see if the youngsters of Italy can compete with the masters from Brazil and Argentina.

Forza Italia!

[spirit11]

Originally Posted by td31

News also coming in that India has had a not-so-good start today
Indian lady shooters have failed to qualify for the finals
Desperately hoping that we win some medals here!

As Expected,Yeah they have along with couple of other too..

Shooters Samresh Jung, Anjali Vedpathak Bhagwat and Avneet Kaur Sidhu have crashed out of the competition...

In judo, too, India's Khumujam Tombi Devi lost in the preliminary round of the 48kg category to Ana Hormigo of Portugal...

Now with this kind of result from shooting which was said to be one of the brightest chance for India to win a medal...i have lost any bit of hope that i had for a silver lining in the Indian dark Cloud...

Looks like its back to oldies leander and mahesh too bring a token medal for India in tennis...

and yeah rafa-nadal rivalary is one to watch out for...

Cheerzz...

[holy_luv]

first of all...CHEERS to spirit11 for startin dis awsum thread...wud get a chance to interact wid like minded puys
saw the openin ceremony!...superb!...dint blink ma eyes e1 fr a sec! but was a bit disappointd wid Indian contingent ....it seemd dey wr given da last min notice of paradin der...totally incoherent!
wateva ...i feel indians r well poisd dis tym to win a gold

more than nythin i wud want phelps to win 8 golds dis tym!(a gargantuan task)...i ll defntly booz if dis feat is achivd!

keep pourin, olymPUYS

[td31]

Some Good news for India towards the end of the day

Saina nehwal won her 1st match in the Round of 64.
Her scoreline was 21-9 , 21-8
Totally dominated the proceedings. Mind you, she was the favorite to win the match anyway
She seems really talented.and she is all of 18 years!
Lets all hope she does India proud @ Beijing!

Also, The Indian Archery and Boxing teams have done fairly well and reached the next round
I think Paes and Bhupathi are in action tomorrow...

[no signal]

Olympics, greatest sporting spectacle mankind takes part on our planet. It doesn’t get bigger. Yesterdays opening ceremony at the Birds Nest stadium in Beijing was something to watch out for. Critics say it’s something they haven't seen lately. And indeed, opening ceremony was spectacular. I was waiting for it to begin eagerly. Right form the beginning event left me captivated, and glued to TV though I was feeling a bit sleepy, courtesy the incessant rains (necessary evil). Initially troops performing played some old Chinese percussion instrument, hundreds of performers in absolute symmetry, all hands, legs and heads moving with utmost accuracy. Its something pleasing to eyes. Then came Chinese national anthem, followed by flag hoisting. Then came exhibition of ancient china, paper making technology, kites, painting techniques and what not. From ancient china to the modern china that relies on technology, capturing its history across time. It all was awesome. Fireworks were spectacular too, as they made 32 foot-marks across Beijing to finally approach Birds Nest. Then smile made in sky by fireworks. Here, there and everywhere were fireworks making everything possible in sky. Beijing seemed spectacular on8-8-8. The last event was amazing, people under boxes making waves, pyramid, numbers and different shapes. Somewhere in the middle people made Birds Nest arranging them. Globe too evolved from the center, people running across horizontally defying gravity, simultaneously videos were projected on it making me and millions across globe awestruck. Lighting was amazing, so was uninterrupted video transmission. Breathtaking was the view of Beijing from chopper. Forgot to mention that Sachin uncle too peeked in advising viewers to donate blood, and also encourage your near and dear ones to do so.

Sporting contingent started to march in stadium. Greeks were the first one. Few other nations followed. But I was waiting for something else. The 56 member Indian contingent. 10 minutes late, had a power cut at my place. It came well before Indians entered stadium. Athens silver medalist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore bore our tricolour flag. There was a moment of pride as he waved our flag. Sonia Gandhi too made her presence felt. Sportsmen and sportswomen thronged Birds Nest. It was one endless festival. Celebration of humanity, spirit of equality. Before the sporting contingent made it to stadium the presenters held umbrellas which had photos of children of different ethnic origin. We all are equal as humans was the message. A great beginning to a extraordinary event. I’m looking forward to it, with a hope of everlasting sporting glory that will be followed in days to come.

Alas I’m waiting for shooting event to start. Let’s see if Rathore can make us proud again. Though our start is disappointing with terrible performances form Anjali Bhagwat(usual for her) and Samaresh Jung, some good news has flown in from unexpected quarter of sculling, archery and good progress made by Nehwal in badminton. Monica Devi who was dropped a day before contingent left for Beijing on being tested for performance enhancing drugs has been acquitted now. Its clear politics(in sports) determines who will participate. Perhaps we have a lesson or two to learn from China.
Cheers Team India!

@ spirit11
I’ve been seeing Suresh Kalmadi as IOC president since my birth . I would like to see Kalmadi being ousted in future like K.P.S.Gill. He has been there for a long time and no considerable progress has been made.

[spirit11]

Originally Posted by no signal

Monica Devi who was dropped a day before contingent left for Beijing on being tested for performance enhancing drugs has been acquitted now. Its clear politics(in sports) determines who will participate. Perhaps we have a lesson or two to learn from China.
Cheers Team India!

@ spirit11
I’ve been seeing Suresh Kalmadi as IOC president since my birth . I would like to see Kalmadi being ousted in future like K.P.S.Gill. He has been there for a long time and no considerable progress has been made.

Gr8 Post No Signal..

But even if Suresh Kalmadi goes some one else similar to him will come and sit in his place for 10 more years...he is just a face of the system that has to go fully,if Indian Sports has to go somewhere..otherwise it will be same story year after year...I mean its so demotivating to see the state of the sports in our country..you should have just looked on the faces of the chinese athletes in the opening ceremony to that of Indians..I mean Indians looked as though the best part of olympics for them is the opening ceremony and the chinese with there win only body language were giving clear signals to George Bush..here we come...