BEIJING OLYMPICS:

OPENING CEREMONIES
Jane Student
Erika Deiters
Com-101
2 Dec. 2013

"CHINA'S PROUDEST NIGHT," DECLARED

THE CHINA DAILY (QTD. IN FORDE).

TORCHBEARER
Former Gymnast Li Ning lit the
Olympic Caldron after running
around the national stadium
of China, known now as the
Birds Nest. Behind him, a
large screen showed a scroll
opening pictures of China
(Former Gymnast Li Ning
Lights Olympic Cauldron).

THE CALDRON
Everan T. Brown, an American Specialty
Advertiser, said, I think out of all of the
opening ceremonies that Ive seen, and
seeing the torch actually lit, this is the
winner(2008 Olympic opening
ceremonies: Athlete's reaction).

THE UNITED STATES

"The excitement that is
behind the team comes
first of all with Russia,
China and the U.S.,
with all three having a
legitimate shot vying
for at the top gold and
total medal count,"
said Steve Roush,
USOC's chief of sport
performance. "I think it
has created excitement
around these Olympic
Games that has maybe
been missing for
awhile(Forde).

THE UNITED SATAES FLAG

BEARER

Lopez Lomong, of the Olympic mens track and field, was chosen as the flag bearer. Lomong had a
childhood full of struggle. He was a lost boy of Sudan. Since 1983, the Sudan People's Liberation Army
and the Sudanese Government have been at war in southern Sudan. The conflict had claimed more than
500,000 lives and displaced huge numbers of people. Among them were at least 20,000 children,
mostly boys, between 7 and 17 years of age who were separated from their families. Hungry, frightened
and weakened by sleeplessness and disease, they crossed from the Sudan into Ethiopia and back, with
many dying along the way (The lost boys of Sudan).

THE UNITED STATES TEAM

Lopez Lomong carried his country's flag with 596
athletes following him into the Birds Nest (United
States enters opening ceremony). Later on that
night Ed Eyestone, two-time olympic marathoner and
long distance runner commented, Seeing Lopez
Lomong carry the flag for the United States, I think
thats what its all about, and that makes maybe the
biggest statement of America and the land of
opportunity(2008 Olympic opening ceremonies:
Athlete's reaction).

CHINA
The Chinese Olympic Team was lead in by Yao Ming,
Chinese basketball player, and Lin Hao, a nine year
old boy from Wenchuan County, which was the
epicenter of a devastating 8.0-magnitude
earthquake on May 12 that killed over 69,000
people. Together they lead in 639 athletes (Yao
Ming and boy from quake zone lead Team China
into opening ceremony).

THE WORLD LEADERS

The Canadian Prime Minister and the Czech Prime Minister protested going
to the Beijing opening ceremonies. Earlier in the year Tibet had tried to
separate from China and they cracked down on them. Shi Yinhong,
professor at Renmin University of China said, Tibet will always be
Chinese. These leaders did not agree with these decisions. Britain's Prime
Minister and Germany's Chancellor, both didnt attend also, but they did
appear at the closing ceremony (Government Heads Of Canada, UK,
Germany, Czech Republic And Poland To Miss Olympics Opening
Ceremony").

THE PARTICIPANTS
Participants in the Opening Ceremony
were virtual indentured servants,
rehearsing for 10 months while living in
almost barbaric conditions. The director
of the production, Zang Yimou, told the
Telegraph of London in 2008 that neither
England nor any other country could
produce such a spectacle because labor
unions would never allow the work force
to endure such conditions, said Forde
from Yahoo Sports. But if it was ugly on
the inside, it sure was pretty on the
outside.

THE MEDALS
At the end of the day, the Olympic opening ceremony was
over and so began the race to get the gold. For the first
time jade is used for the Beijing Olympic medals. The
medals have been designed with inspiration coming from
bi, China's ancient jade piece inscribed with a dragon
pattern, explained the Olympic Beijing 2008 website.