Beijing2008Ready.info

As the 2008 Beijing Olympics draw closer, the spotlight falls on the athletes who will be competing on the sports world?s biggest stage in another edition of the Summer Olympic Games. While we all watch in awe as these athletes ply their trades and do things that most of us can only dream of, it?s important to remember the dedication and determination involved in becoming an Olympic level athlete. You will only be even more impressed by these great individuals when you come to understand what it takes for them to reach the Olympic Games.

One important thing to keep in mind is that no one just becomes an Olympic athlete. You can?t simply make it to the highest level of competition on natural talent alone. Every last athlete competing in each edition of the Olympics is successful based upon not only natural talent and ability, but years of hard work, preparation and planning. Since the Olympics only come every four years, athletes will have to train for several years just to get one opportunity to be the best in the world at their sport of choice.

If you think about it, that?s an incredible amount of sacrifice with no guaranteed reward at the end. An injury, a poor performance that keeps an athlete from qualifying for the Olympics, or any other number of things can happen that will render an athlete?s years of hard work and dedication effectively useless. Imagine dedicating your entire life to one goal, only to know that a single slip-up, mishap, or poor performance could erase all that you have worked for! This is the kind of pressure that Olympic level athletes must live with.

Although some Olympic athletes, such as basketball players, are professionals, most are not. This means that many Olympic athletes are students or must maintain jobs while training full-time to be the best in the world. It would not be possible, especially with the requirements of today?s top athletes, if it weren?t for sponsors. Most athletes rely on sponsors to help pay for strength and conditioning coaches and other needs, as well as to help pay for living expenses so that they can focus solely on their training.

Depending on the sport that the athlete participates in, they may have a very different background in their sport. As mentioned earlier, many Olympic basketball players are professional athletes, while top gymnasts are amateurs who are sometimes barely teenagers! Olympic athletes come in all ages, shapes and sizes, and from all different kinds of backgrounds. Some athletes are college competitors, and others are athletes who sharpened their skills on the college stage and have continued to train for a chance at Olympic greatness, deferring the start of their careers and families in the process.

While the demands and risks that are imposed upon athletes who dream to be in the Olympic Games are great, for these men and women, the potential rewards are well worth it. It takes a special person to dedicate themselves so completely to a singular goal, and even though many of us would love nothing more than to be given an Olympic gold medal, only a select few are willing to truly dedicate themselves to accomplishing the task.

Why is it that some athletes are able to devote themselves to the pursuit of Olympic excellence, while others can not? Perhaps Olympic athletes are simply more competitive, and their drive helps separate them from other top athletes. After all, at the highest levels of sport, the difference between a gold medal winner and a non-Olympic qualifier can be as simple as who wants to win more. One thing is for sure, though: Olympic athletes are a very special breed of individual. Although Olympic athletes are known and revered mostly for what their bodies can do, the best of them know that the work all begins in their minds and hearts.

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The 2008 Beijing Olympics: What to Watch For

The Olympic Games have always been a captivating event for spectators to behold.  Each edition of the Summer Olympic Games presents its own storylines, memorable moments, heroes, and inspirational events.  This year, there will be many great stories that come seemingly out of nowhere, but there are also great stories that have already been set up, that will keep the attention of viewers worldwide as the 2008 Beijing Olympics join sports history as one of the biggest events ever.

With all the events taking place and athletes competing, it can be hard to even know what to follow.  Here’s a beginner’s guide to a few of the stories to watch as the Beijing Olympics draw progressively nearer.

In 2004’s Summer Olympic Games in Athens, one of the biggest surprises was the collapse of the U.S. men’s basketball team.  The team started out with a loss to Puerto Rico, and would go on to lost two more games en route to a bronze medal.  The three losses in the 2004 Olympic Games surpassed the number of losses that the U.S. team had endured in Olympic history before that point.

It will also be fun to watch China’s athletes compete in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  Athletes always compete a little harder in their home country, and the Chinese athletes are certain to be ready when the Olympics commence in Beijing this summer.  In 2004’s Olympic Games in Athens, China finished second overall with 32 gold medals, so they have set the stage for Olympic dominance.  With strong athletes in nearly every Olympic sport, it will be interesting to see what kind of effort China’s athletes can put together as they host athletes from all over the world in the 2008 Olympic Games.

Track and field events are always among the most anticipated, but this year there may be an unprecedented newcomer to one or more events.  Oscar Pistorius, born without fibulas in either of his legs, is a double-amputee athlete who runs with the use of carbon fiber “blades” nicknamed “Cheetahs” that help him run like an able-bodied athlete.  After initially being told he couldn’t compete in this year’s Olympics because a German scientist believed that the blades gave Pistorius an unfair advantage, Pistorius successfully appealed the ruling and will be free to qualify for this year’s Olympic Games in Beijing.

If Pistorius can better his time in the 400 meters (which is one second off of Olympic qualifying pace), he will make history when he lines up on the track this summer.  Even if he does not meet the required time, he may still be selected to race as part of his native South African relay team.  If Pistorius does compete, you won’t want to miss it.

Finally, 41-year old Dara Torres is spicing up the swimming world with her possible participation in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.  Torres would set a number of records, including most Olympic appearances by a swimmer (5) and oldest swimmer to compete in the Olympics, if she is able to successfully qualify.  Her road to doing so appears to be pretty certain, as she is actually swimming faster than she did years ago when she was an Olympian!  You’ll want to follow this amazing and inspirational athlete in Beijing, whether you’re a fan of swimming or not.

These are just a few of the intriguing stories that have presented themselves already as the Olympics get closer.  Make sure to catch the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China so that you won’t miss out on any of the historic events that are sure to happen.