(HANGZHOU, May 17) — On Saturday evening, a gathering was held involving the 208 torchbearers and 52 bodyguards for the Hangzhou leg of the Olympic torch relay. At the meeting, the torchbearers discussed the idea of using hand gestures and body language to express support for the victims of the recent earthquake that hit southwest China. A guide was created here, involving three gestures that can be used to symbolize solidarity and love. Read the rest of this entry »

(TIANJIN, May 15) – As competitions of the 2008 Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) came to a close on Thursday in Tianjin, the drawing for Beijing Olympic Games gymnastics events took place. At about 5:30 p.m. local time, the drawing ceremony began, according to sports.cn.

Before the drawing began, representatives of the FIG expressed their sympathy for the victims of the recent earthquake that hit China’s southwestern region.

The men’s schedule was decided first.

China will compete in the same group with mixed group 4, Canada, Russia, Japan, and France. Read the rest of this entry »

HONG KONG, May 2 (Xinhua) — The Beijing Olympic torch relay in Hong Kong concluded at 16:56 local time on Friday as Wong Kam Po, a world champion cyclist, lit the cauldron at the Golden Bauhinia Square on the southern coast of the Victorian Harbor.

As Wong, also the last torch bearer, ran into Golden Bauhinia Square, he was greeted by hundreds of people waving red flags and chanting support for Beijing Olympics.

“The torch relay in Hong Kong has successfully completed, but the Olympic spirit of friendship, peace and harmony will pass on forever,” said Timothy Tsun-Ting Fok, president of Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, said at the closing ceremony.

“We expect a successful Beijing Olympic Games and a good performance of Chinese athletes including those from Hong Kong,” said Fok, also the second from last torchbearer. Read the rest of this entry »

OC President Jacques Rogge welcomed the new Special Adviser to the United Nations (UN) Secretary General on Sport for Development and Peace, Mr Wilfried Lemke, to the IOC headquarters yesterday.

Lemke, a former manager of first division German football club Werder Bremen, and a former Senator of the German State of Bremen, succeeds Adolf Ogi.  Read the rest of this entry »

Chennai Super Kings won by 6 runs
Played at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai, India, on 23 April 2008 - day/night (20-over match)

Chennai Super Kings:
Fall of wickets 1-34 (PA Patel, 3.1 ov), 2-39 (MEK Hussey, 4.4 ov), 3-143 (SK Raina, 14.6 ov), 4-194 (ML Hayden, 18.6 ov), 5-206 (MS Dhoni, 19.5 ov)

Total    (5 wickets, innings closed, 20 overs)    208

Mumbai Indians:
Fall of wickets 1-9 (L Ronchi, 0.6 ov), 2-30 (ST Jayasuriya, 3.4 ov), 3-81 (RV Uthappa, 9.4 ov), 4-97 (SM Pollock, 11.4 ov), 5-130 (DJ Bravo, 14.2 ov), 6-141 (MA Khote, 15.3 ov), 7-189 (Harbhajan Singh, 18.5 ov)

Total    (7 wickets, innings closed, 20 overs)    202

ML Hayden was awarded the man of the match.

Umpires: J Harper (Australia), GA Pratapkumar (India)
Third umpire: BF Bowden (New Zealand)
Referee: FM Engineer (India)
Read the rest of this entry »