Beijing Games: Make a Post, Win a Prize!

Now that the Games have ended, we'd like to hear your comments and reflections on the performances, records, and athletes in Beijing. Please submit your thoughts on the questions below, using the "Comments" feature, by Friday, Sept. 5; one ACSM student member, one ACSM Alliance member and one ACSM professional member will receive a FREE registration to the 2009 ACSM meeting of their choice, as determined by a random drawing.

1. What was the most significant sports performance by an individual and why?

2. What was the most significant sports performance by a team and why?

3. What country was most successful and why?

4. What was the most relevant sports medicine/exercise science issue at the Games and why? Was it the environment, injuries, older athletes, extraordinary new Olympic record...or something else?

5. What is the top challenge for the athletes, organizers, or officials that needs to be improved or resolved before the 2012 Olympic Games in London?

6. What did you enjoy most and least about the Beijing Games, and why?

Please reference which question you're responding to in your comment. And don't forget to leave your full name so we can contact you!

Comments

[Daniel Theisen]

Thank you for this post. I do hope you will ask the same questions about the upcoming Paralympics, I would be happy to comment in a few weeks.
Greetings from Luxembourg.
Dan

[Allan Scott]

1. Usain Bolt 100/200 meters - Simply outclassed the field and had room to spare to do even better.
2. Men's eight rowing - the consistent team effort to maintain and accelerate over the course is hard to imagine in any other sport.
3. China - they set their sights and achieved their ultimate goal.
4. The environment, this will become even more important than drugs in future events, London in particular.
5. Is it getting to the Olympics, or about doing well while there? A serious look at qualifying standards needs to be addressed. Safety will be even more important in London. Judging will need to be improved. When events are won by 1/100th of a second, how can judges tell if a diver is perfect?
6. Opening ceremonies and living with the time differences.

[Kelly Ping]

What was the most significant performance by an individual was a no brainer, Michael Phelps! To accomplish what he accomplished in these olympic games is a giant feat that may never be accomplished again. I think the other aspect of this that makes it so heroic is the fact that he was so gracious and humble while doing it! You can't say that about many star athletes. To go along with that I would have to say the US mens swim team was the best swim performance where they came from a whole body length behind in the second race to win the gold medal. That just goes to show you what sheer determination can do for a person!

I can't wait for four years to see what is next!

Kelly Ping-ACSM-HFI, RD, LD

[David Bozak]

1. What was the most significant sports performance by an individual and why?
Michael Phelps getting 8 golds, and breaking 7 world records and 1 olympic record. Usain Bolt is a close second, when he destroyed the best in the world in the 100m, making a world record run look easy.

2. What was the most significant sports performance by a team and why?
US women's soccer team beating Brazil for the gold. When I think of soccer, I just assume Brazil would usually win!

3. What country was most successful and why?
The US of course, with the most medals. China a close second for having the most gold and pulling off a great Olympics despite all the concern.

4. What was the most relevant sports medicine/exercise science issue at the Games and why? Was it the environment, injuries, older athletes, extraordinary new Olympic record...or something else?
Extraordinary new records, with Usain Bolt breaking the 100 and 200, and leaving us wondering how fast he could have run in the 100 if he didn't slow down because he had no competition. Will his height foster a new breed of taller sprinters, who in the past were thought to not be able to get out of the blocks as fast. His top speed once upright is incredible.

5. What is the top challenge for the athletes, organizers, or officials that needs to be improved or resolved before the 2012 Olympic Games in London?
For the athletes, the divers need to figure out how to make as small a splash as the Chinese when entering the water. The organizers have a tough act to follow with impressive opening and closing ceremonies in China. The officials in gymnastics need to not be bias to any country or individual when judging.

6. What did you enjoy most and least about the Beijing Games, and why?
Enjoyed following Phelps quest for 8 golds, and watching Usain Bolt run. There is nothing I didn't enjoy!

[Kevin T.E. Weekes]

Question 3... the most successful team at the Beijing Olympics would have to be Jamaica. 5 gold medals from an island with less than 3 million people is a tremendous feat and captured the imagination of the public worldwide. The impact on the smaller nations cannot be overstated as they will now believe that it is possible to compete with the world powers and as such I expect to see an influx of athletes from these smaller territories across a number of disciplines competing in many meets to come

[Laura Meyer]

1. What was the most significant sports performance by an individual and why?

As a former swimmer, I am incredibly impressed by the feat Michael Phelps accomplished in these games. Swimming events is tough, but coupling them with heats is grueling. He not only came through a winner, but he maintained his character and mental toughness throughout. There was no sign of "cracking" or breaking down.

2. What was the most significant sports performance by a team and why?

The women's gymnastics team was tops! They were winners in every sense of the word from their performances to their positive attitudes.

3. What country was most successful and why?

My nationalistic mindset will not let me swerve to consider any other country besides our own, the USA. Our athletes were classy, tough, and supportive of one another's games, matches, and events.

4. What was the most relevant sports medicine/exercise science issue at the Games and why? Was it the environment, injuries, older athletes, extraordinary new Olympic record...or something else?

Before the Games, it looked like the air quality was going to be a major issue, but once the Games started that entire topic seemed to disappear as attention turned to athletes. To elevate swimming, Dara Torres was incredible in what she accomplished as one of the older athletes.

5. What is the top challenge for the athletes, organizers, or officials that needs to be improved or resolved before the 2012 Olympic Games in London?

The Beijing games were impressive and will be hard to top. Maintaining athletic focus for the athletes who performed well in Beijing so they can repeat their performances in London will need to be a priority.

6. What did you enjoy most and least about the Beijing Games, and why?

I am still overwhelmed with the Opening Ceremonies. The drummers were incredible and the lighting of the torch was awesome. The only drawback from my standpoint was the time difference making it tough to view everything at a reasonable hour!

[Julia Erbacher, MS, RD, CD]

The most significant sports performance would have to be a tie - the silver medal-winning swim of 41 year old American swimmer Dara Torres and the record breaking sprints of Jamaica's Usain Bolt.

Both defied common exercise science beliefs of peak age for athletes and predicted record breaking times, respectively. It cannot be denied that both of these individuals have superb genetic backgrounds, but the fact that they have been able to utilize them in such fantastic athletic feats leaves most of us in awe.

Dara Torres has shown that even at an age where most elite swimmers have entered "retirement", she can more than just complete, she can compete - within one one-hundredth of a second of winning gold - with swimmers almost half her age. Hopefully we will continue to see more athletes in their 30's and 40's compete strong & healthy in upcoming Olympic Games.

We can all recall Michael Johnson's record breaking sprint in his gold shoes in Atlanta. Usain Bolt has shattered Johnson's record and it seems almost unfathomable that he can run even faster if he doesn't slow down in the last 20 meters!

Looking forward to Vancouver & London...

[Kevin T.E. Weekes]

Question 1... The most significant performance is the world record in the 4x100m for men set by Jamaica. This performance affirmed the changing of the guard in terms of sprinting in the world from USA to Jamaica, especially following the world record performances of Usain Bolt in the 100m and 200m. The 8 gold medals by Michael Phelps are worthy of mention too but it actually would have been an upset if he didn't achieve that inspite of how incredible it seemeed he was expected to do it.

[Kevin T.E. Weekes]

The gold medal by the USA mens volleyball team was I think the most significant given the tragic way in which they started the tournament. Start on an absolute low and finish on an absolute high.

[Kevin T.E. Weekes]

Question 4... The performances of first Phelps then Bolt, once they withstand the scrutiny of the doping tests, would lend creditability to the belief that extraordinary results can be gleaned through the correct and consistent application of exercise science/sports medicine protocols.

[Kevin T.E. Weekes]

Question 5 ... i think the top challenge for the organisers of the 2012 Games would be to bring a different package than Beijing to avoid comparison while maintaining the high quality and standards witnessed in these Games

[Kevin T.E. Weekes]

Question 6 ... The biased statements towards Usain Bolt first from Tiki Barber who all but said that doping was involved in those record breaking performances, then by Jack Rogges about his celebrations, come on ! with performances like that the other athletes should be seeking him out to congratulate him not the other way around!

[Brian West]

Question 1: By far Michael Phelps with his 8 golds medals showed total dedication to each of his events.
Question 2: The Men's basketball team. Coach K was the true catalyst that made this team play like a team. It was the "we" mentality that won them the gold.
Question 3: China not only in what they did athletically but how they opened up their country to others. We learned so much from them in the two-week period.
Question 4: I think Dara Torres' determination at her age to compete and nearly win Gold showed us that continued dedication can lead to success.
Question 5: Consistent and fair judging among some of the events.
Question 6: I enjoyed all aspects of this Olympics. I probably watched more of these games than in previous games since 1992.

[Kirsten Ward]

1. What was the most significant sports performance by an individual and why?
Michael Phelps winning 8 Golds is by far the most significant because he did not just do 8 events. In reality, he swam at least 17 events (needed to qualify for the finals) and in addition, he was competing against other swimmers who were rested and had not competed previously. Besides the physical challenges to win 8 golds (and with world records to boot) he also had the mental challenge to focus on each race individually. Simply amazing.

2. What was the most significant sports performance by a team and why?
I loved watching the Women's Beach Volleyball final as well as the Men's Beach Volleyball. For the ladies, Misty & Kerri, they won their second Gold -in the rain - and for the men, they started on a low and finished with a high!

3. What country was most successful and why?
China - they set goals to achieve many golds and medals, as well as open their doors to foreigners.

4. What was the most relevant sports medicine/exercise science issue at the Games and why? Was it the environment, injuries, older athletes, extraordinary new Olympic record...or something else?
I loved Dara Torres and how she proved that she can compete despite being 20 years older than her competitors! I also loved learning about the Lazor swimsuits and how "equipment" and technology and improve the sport.

5. What is the top challenge for the athletes, organizers, or officials that needs to be improved or resolved before the 2012 Olympic Games in London?
I think the major challenge is consistent, fair and unbiased judging. In the ladies gymnastics there seemed to be some differences in the scoring and I think they should allow for 2 gold medals. Lastly, safety in this era of terrorism is always a major concern and London will have to be very vigilant about this in 2012.

6. What did you enjoy most and least about the Beijing Games, and why?
I loved the athletes. They amaze and inspire me. I disliked the Chinese' white lies during the opening ceremonies re: the fireworks and the little girl not "cute" enough.

[Ashley Guerieri]

Question 1
Dara Torres 50M win. 15-20 years older than some of her competitors and she seemed to be having the most fun of all of them. She finished the Olympics with a huge smile on her face simply because she was there.
Question 2
US Mens swimming relay. They seemed to really pull it together and all wanted to get Michael Phelps #8. Teamwork.
Question 3
Most successful country, China. At the completion of each competition every athlete was proud to compete. They put on a wonderful Olympic Games.
Question 4
Record breaking. A number of athletes surpassed records. Training? New uniforms? Better knowledge of nutrition?
Question 5
Reliability of judges between the countries.
Question 6
Most - Track and field competitions, they are amazingly fast athletes and get faster every year. And the stories of the athletes. Least - I miss seeing a well representation of the countries. The same countries dominate. And the sad attacks. For 3 weeks it would be nice to put aside bias and appreciate the hard work and talent of the athletes.

[Doug Baumgarten]

1. Although Usain Bolt was incredible - I've never seen a sprinter (since Secretariat) so dominate - Michael Phelps' performance has to be the most significant. As one commentator said - try swimming 50 meters and see how tired you are....Now swim 4 different strokes and 17 races in a week...win every race...and set 7 world records.

2. For team performances, the US men's volleyball team and the Japanese softball team - both far exceeded expectations to win their events.

3. We need to get away from the rampant nationalism that spoils the Games.

4. The most relevant sports medicine/exercise science issue had to be the age controversy regarding gymnastics. We need to take a hard look at how far we can (and do) push immature youngsters in sports - so we don't create crippled adults later in life.

[Bob Lowe]

What was the most relevant sports medicine/exercise science issue at the Games and why? Was it the environment, injuries, older athletes, extraordinary new Olympic record...or something else?

Since the Olympics come every four years it is not surprising that some Olympic Records should fall. World Records on the other hand should be less likely to fall since they can be broken throughout the year. This in spite of the fact that most sports performance could be graphically displayed as approaching some theoretical horizontal asymptote. So the question that is of most interest to me is why would so many World Records fall? Is it improved training, technique, nutrition, equipment, clothing, or drugs? As pointed out by another writer the differences between medals and records are recorded to 0.001 seconds. Combining the limitations of human performance (discounting some type of genetic anomaly) with improvements noted above should place athletes on the path of improved performance. It is not surprising to me to see a number of World or Olympic Records by the same athlete over a narrow range of performances, e.g. Bolt's 100 and 200. If Bolt had one both the 100 and the marathon that would certainly be of physiological significance! However, we know that energy systems function optimally over a more compact range of performances in terms of time, distance, etc. What intrigues me is the long-standing records which were broken in which we must ask why from the arorementioned list above. Because doping is constantly evolving, one must suspect it when there are outstanding performances (not seen up to that time) in an individual athlete. One only has to follow professional cycling to see evidence of this. Only time will tell if some of these athletes used performance enhancing substances which have no current tests or may have been masked. Using professional cycling as an example once more provides insight into this question. Some highly regarded professional cyclists have recently confessed to using banned substances. I suppose it my professional training which prompts me to ask these questions and to be skeptical. Deep in my heart I want to believe what the athletes did was due to their unique phenotype and hard work ethic. Time will tell.

[Zev Stern]

1. The world record in the 200 meters by the Lightning Bolt. Michael Johnson's 19:32 was expected to last for decades but Bolt kicked it into another dimension.

4. Several athletes were seriously hurt trying to make weight for wrestling and boxing. In 1997 three American wrestlers actually died. We know how to prevent this: weigh-ins have to be held not more than two hours before the start of the match.

5. Eliminate subjective judging from the Olympics insofar as possible. "Sports" such as gymnastics and figure skating that rely heavily on "artistic impression" and the like are not sports but beauty contests; they have no place in the Olympics. Some sports need to change their rules, e.g. wrestling matches should continue until someone surrenders or is pinned. If that makes life difficult for TV, too bad. Referees and judges should not be from the same country as any contestant.

[John Loeber]

1] Jamaican sprinters with Women's sweep of 100m and Bolt winning 100m/200m/4X100m sprints with record times. Incredible accomplishment ... especially from a small nation ... and Bolt's height/limb length [training adaptation of turnover/stride length].

2] US Men's Swimming with record times anchored by 32yo Lezak.

4] Older athletes: interested in Resistance Stretching concept used by Torres. Seems to be an adaptation of PNF which facilitates strength at developed ROM and some aspect of sarcomeric addition. [wondering if contraction actin/myosin sarcomeres more than titin]

[Young sub Kwon]

1. What was the most significant sports performance by an individual and why?
South Korean Miran Jang was a gold medalist who lifted 326kg (world record) at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Olha Korobka of Ukraine ranked second with a total record of 277kg, which is 49kg less than Jang. Is not a lot 49kg difference between Gold and Silver medalist in weight lifting? In addition, she broke world record in clean, jerk, and total weight at that time.
2. What was the most significant sports performance by a team and why?
Korean baseball team who won the gold medal and they beat successive 7 games against strong team like Cuba, Japan, and U.S.A, This was Asia’s first Olympic baseball gold medal.
3. What country was most successful and why?
Korea. Because Korea was 7th place at this Olympic and the medals came from various sports like swimming, baseball, weight lifting, archery, etc. Korea’s population is just below 50 millions, so this country was really impressive in Beijing.
4. What was the most relevant sports medicine/exercise science issue at the Games and why? Was it the environment, injuries, older athletes, extraordinary new Olympic record...or something else?
Phelps earned eight Olympic gold medals of this Olympic. He has unique body shape, a different turn technique, impressive dolphin kick, etc. His swimming style, technique, diet habit must be revealed by sports scientists or biomechanics scientists.
5. What is the top challenge for the athletes, organizers, or officials that needs to be improved or resolved before the 2012 Olympic Games in London?
I don’t know how to answer this kind of question. China has a lot of problem like human right and Tibet. This country wanted this Olympic game used a political event regardless of their intention. Opening ceremony was really impressive; however, London Olympic committee should not try to do their opening ceremony like Beijing’s. Just show Olympia’s basic mind.
6. What did you enjoy most and least about the Beijing Games, and why?
I enjoy every game and every time; however, I enjoyed least the women individual archery final. There were Chinese and Korean athletes. The Chinese crowd had bad behavior during Korean athlete trials even with whistles. That was really bad.
Another one was kicking referee by Cuba’s Angel Matos. Amateur athletes should follow referee even they were treated unfairly.

[Sylviane j DONNADIEU]

What country was most successful and why?

How to answer in an objective way when a person's opinion is going to be influenced by his/her background and nationality as well as where (country) the person watched the Games? whether you are in the US or France or Australia, the emphasis is going to be on the national athletes and on the sports a country favors or is good at. Retransmission through a selected TV channel that acquired the rights, commercial agreements, time difference, selection of sports that will bring the ratings up for commercial purposes and so forth will influence a person's perception of the Games and answer to the above question.
So which country was most successful? the one that got most gold medals or the one that got most medals, gold,silver and bronze combined? Do we need to compare the number of medals to the country's population(ratio)? or to the money invested by a government in each athlete from the first day of training to the delivery of the medals (cost of a single medal per athlete).
Considering all these factors, the implementation of a sophisticated system that will calculate and decide which country deserves to be elected most successful is up to the challenge!
or should we rephrase the question and ask: which athlete was most successful and why?

[joe ricci]

1. What was the most significant sports performance by an individual and why? : Michael Phelps : was able to deliver 100% of the promises - 8 gold medals!
2. What was the most significant sports performance by a team and why? Misty May & co : keeping cool and in total control against the menacing chinese duo and striking for gold.
3. What country was most successful and why? : China won all the gold (old communist model); best country is the one sending female athletes that needed to respect the principles of their religious-cultural way and be honored by all the citizens of their country.
4. What was the most relevant sports medicine/exercise science issue at the Games and why? Was it the environment, injuries, older athletes, extraordinary new Olympic record...or something else? :Well, all of the above, proof of the plasticity of the human body still looking for the weakest link and try to diminish its effect.
6. What did you enjoy most and least about the Beijing Games, and why? : It is the biggest show on earth from many points of view that is able to attract a huge amount of international resources. May be a standard formula could save the show because there is now too much competition just to outbeat the last host nation. They have disappeared once, they could disappear again.

[Lynn Kabaroff]

While I would be happy to answer these questions, I do not believe the Olympics are over yet. The 2008 Beijing Paralympics begin in less than a week. I hope that this website puts a focus on these deserving athletes as well.

[April Crommett, PhD Cedarville University, Cedarville Ohio]

Most definately the most significant individual performance was that of Michael Phelps. What an incredible example of athleticism he gave us! I am proud of every athlete that represented the United States and celebrate each even being able to perform on such a grand platform but Michael was most impressive.

The U.S. girls gymnastics team was by far the most significant team in attendance. Although the sports casters kept going back to the one team member who was not flawless, the team stuck together and was proud to win Silver. What true sportsmanship in the face of not making the mark that is most coveted.

A little tongue in cheek I have to say China was the most successful country to appear at the Olympics this year. While there were several issues raised and many questions about their athlete's ages, lip syncing, and fake fireworks, etc., they were awarded more gold than any other nation. Isn't the point of the Olympics to win gold for your country? Putting all rules and regulations aside, they did just that.... won more gold than any other.

I see the air quality as a huge exercise science issue. Oxygen is one of the essential ingredients of human performance and from the looks of things, it was not the best. I commend the athletes for going and performing and setting so many records despite the clouded air.

London has probably identified what they think is the most significant issues they need to address/resolve before 2012 but from the limited knowledge I have, I would say it is going to be traffic. England is more limited in landmass than say, China, and London's streets are already quite congested. From just a logistics point of view, hosting the Olympics in London would not be a challenge I would want to deal with for the next 4 years.

I watched the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics with my eight year old nephew and he will still spontaneously burst out laughing in rememberance of the "runner in the sky" carrying the torch. I am under the impression the runner trained many many hours to be able to "run" in space, hanging from a wire, for many many minutes around the Bird's Nest. Bravo to him for such a graceful performance and for giving me and my nephew something to treasure and remember for many years to come.

[Kristin Coleman]

Although it is hard to choose with so many amazing athelets out there, the most significant performance by an individual would have to be Dara Torres. Being a swimmer myself, I know what it takes to compete, the time, the energy, the stain on your body... And having just had a baby I know what happens to your body and what it takes to get back in shape. I can only imagine what it takes to get back to elite swimming status and compete against women half your age. Dara Torres should be an example to althelets of all ages especially women.