Olympics: Goodbye, Beijing... Hello, London

Sleep-deprived Americans can now rest at night. The Olympics are officially over. The worldwide athlete gathering, held half a world away, will no longer be luring us to a late-night vigil.

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WASHINGTON (Catholic Online) - In a burst of fireworks the world's spotlight dimmed on Beijing, China as the 29th Olympiad came to a close. The most gold medals will stay in China along with unanswered questions on gymnasts' ages and the on-going struggle for human rights.

Since the Olympics began people have walked around with a dazed look from staying up way too late watching Michael Phelps, our incredible USA gymnasts, beach volleyball, along with track and field. More hardcore enthusiasts found ways to take in badminton, weightlifting, soccer, baseball, and the other lesser-known sports.

The opening ceremony offered one incredible activity after another. From the 2,008 drummers throughout the entire extravaganza, the wonderful could even be felt in spite of the limitations of the television screen.

People were often heard commenting that they had no intention of supporting the China Olympics, but ended up captivated by the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Judges came under great scrutiny in a number of events, leaving people shaking their heads, especially in but not limited to women's gymnastics.

We also learned from the Beijing Olympics that athletics can transcend the geo-political agenda, yet it doesn't really go away. Even the opening ceremony, as incredible as it was, reinforced the idea of the body politic.

Over 15,000 individuals had been dedicated to this one evening event. Like levers, and cogs in a huge machine, these persons became a single unit of mechanical precision.

A cloud also hung over the awarding of gold in women's gymnastics to Chinese athletes who looked way too young to meet the 16-year-old age limit. Many wondered if the host-country had intentionally falsified documents to lock in gold medal status.

The 16 days in Beijing even allowed the human rights issue to be showcased through demonstrations at Tiananmen Square. These would have probably not been covered had not the world's media be in town for the games. It also provided a well-needed safety net for those from other countries who might have been locked away and forgotten had the spotlight not been burning bright.

When the announcement came, in 2001, that Beijing would host the Olympics, the International Olympic Committee took a great deal of criticism. Now, with the 29th Olympiad completed, the IOC insists that its choice had been vindicated.

IOC President Jacques Rogge told the overflow crowd of 91,000 at the National Outdoor Stadium, as well as a worldwide television audience, "Tonight, we come to the end of 16 glorious days which we will cherish forever. Through these Games, the world learned more about China, and China learned more about the world."

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"These were truly exceptional games," he stated and then declared the 29th Olympic Games officially closed.

At the end, China won the most gold medals, with 51. The United States was second at 36 with Russia coming in third with 23. The United States came in first with regard to the total medals won with 110, China winning 100 and Russia at 72.

When the flame again is kindled, the torch will be in London England. The handover officially took place during the closing ceremony on Sunday evening, China time. Featuring an entourage of British stars, the eight-minute segment included singer Fiona Lewis, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and Soccer super-star David Beckham.

When asked how they were going to compete with the incredible extravaganza at the Beijing Olympics, Paul Deighton, chief executive of the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG), told reporters, "How can we compete with them? London will be great in its own way. The Games will light up the city."

Later he stated, "London is a world in a city. We'll be fine."

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