2008 Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympics was an international multi-sport festival that took place from 8-24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes competed in 28 disciplines and 302 events, among the 204 National Olympic Bodies. It was the first time that China hosted the Summer Olympics but the third time that the Games took place in East Asia, following the Olympics in Tokyo, Japan in 1964 and the Summer Olympics in Seoul in 1988. They are the second summer Olympic Games in a Socialist Republic, following the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow and the sixth in a industrialised world after the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City and the 1980 Summer Olympics in the Soviet Union, and the first overall Olympics hosted by a Communist State since the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics were held by the former Yugoslavia. After two rounds of voting by members of the International Olympic Committee, Beijing was given the 2008 Games over four competitors on 13 July 2001, having received a majority of vote. The Government of the People's Republic of China has been promoting the Games and spending actively in new technology and transport networks. A total of 37 stadiums were used to host the games, with twelve built especially for the 2008 Olympics. The equestrian competitions were held in Hong Kong making this the third Games under the authority of two independent NOCs which coordinated the competitions. The sailing events were contested in Qingdao, while the football events were held in other nearby towns. The official logo for the 2008 Games, called "Dancing Beijing," featured a stylised calligraphic character jīng in reference to the host city. 3,500,000,000 people attended the Beijing Games globally, which featured the longest distance for an Olympic Torch relay. Event sets many world and Olympic records in sport history, and is currently the most expensive all-time Summer Olympics, and the second most expensive ever since the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. The opening ceremony was praised by viewers and numerous international media as spectacular and spellbinding, and by other accounts as "the greatest ever in Olympic history." At the Olympics, an impressive 87 countries earned at least one medal. At 48, China won the most gold medals and became just the seventh different nation to top a combined tally of the Olympic medals, taking a total of 100. The United States came second in the gold medal count but won the highest number of overall honours, totaling 112. Russia has secured third place in the count for gold medals. The opening ceremony officially began at the Beijing National Stadium at 8:00 p.m. on 8 August 2008. Average Chinese Time. The number 8 is connected to the Chinese community's prosperity and religion, and here it was a triple eight for the year, and a double for the time. The ceremony was co-directed by Chinese director Zhang Yimou and Chinese choreographer Zhang Jigang, and featured a cast of over 15,000 actors. The ceremony lasted over four hours and cost over US$ 100 million to make. UNGA President Miguel d'Escoto addressed the meeting and delegates from 105 countries addressed. A dazzling selection of Ancient Chinese art and literature had regulated the ceremony. It opened with Fou Drums beating for countdown. Finally a giant scroll was unveiled and became the series ' centrepiece. The official single of the 2008 Olympics, titled "You and Me," was performed by Britain's Sarah Brightman and China's Liu Huan on a wide spinning globe rendition. The last Olympic Torch relay competitor, former Chinese gymnast Li Ning, lit the cauldron after being raised into the air by ropes, and finished a loop at National Stadium roof height.