The Beijing games are over, and what a show it was. The best show ever.
But beyond the athletes, the spectacle, and the fireworks, what I liked most was the chance to learn more about that fascinating country, and meet all kinds of ordinary Chinese people. If only on TV.
To hear them talk about their problems, their sorrows, their joys and their dreams. And to discover ....surprise surprise.... that they are just like ours.
I knew that of course. I love my Chinese friends. But in a world where it is so easy to put up walls between people it was so good to see some come down. So great to see people put aside their differences, if only for a while, and celebrate our common humanity “The world has learned about China, and China has learned about the world, and I believe this is something that will have positive effects for the long term.”
Yes there are things that need to change in China, just like there are things that need to change in Canada. But if we respect and like each other as human beings it will be so much easier to build a better and more peaceful world. And do what we have to do TOGETHER to save our threatened planet.
Anyway that's what these games meant to me. For me, for two weeks, it really was One World. One Dream.
So well done China. ZhongguoJiayou!
The Chinese people should be very proud of themselves. And they are... as well as sad.
Even the skies couldn't hold back their tears - but they made sure to cry in silence as the last dawn broke over the Beijing Games. They realized immediately, though, that it's not in the right spirit to say goodbye with tears in the eyes, and saved the rest for some other day Hmmm....who said the Chinese aren't emotional? *wink* One World. One Human Race. One Dream. Over to you Vancouver. Over to you London.
I watched Matthew Mitcham compete in the finals of the 10-metre platform event this afternoon. The other day I said I was sad and angry that he was the only out gay male athlete at the Beijing games. But that only made what happened today even sweeter. Mitcham, 20, battled depression, retired in his teenage years after physical and emotional burn-out, then just nine months later resumed his sport in 2007. Last night his triumphant return to the sport was crowned with gold. "Everything absolutely everything has been for this. I knew it was a far chance but I did everything, absolutely everything I could, to give myself the best chance of doing it. It's actually happened I never thought it would." And this was a bonus. One person who has been by his side for the entire tumultuous and now brilliant journey is his partner, Lachlan, he was in the crowd last night courtesy of a Johnson & Johnson Olympic sponsorship. As I've said before I don't like to call athletes heroes. But Matthew really is one. So I sent him a hero message. Congratulations Champ! I know you'd rather just be known as a great Aussie diver. But from all the gay kids in the world. Thank you. Thank youThank you.... And you should send him one too. Hopefully at the next Olympics more gay athletes will find the courage to come out. And make us as proud as these athletes did. Wow. what an awesome performance. Way to go sisters. Way to go Matthew. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.... ------------------------------------------- P.S. As for the other non out gay athletes....if I could I'd also send them something. A little bag of chicken feathers....and a note. Thanks for nothing....
Meet Matthew Mitcham the only out gay male athlete at the Beijing Games.
Only 10 of the 10,500 athletes competing in the Beijing Olympics are openly gay, according to a study by a gay website. Some gay athletes fear that coming out would bring disapproval from fans and team mates, others worry about the damage to endorsements, Outsports.com said.
Nine of the gay athletes named by Outsports were lesbians and their sports ranged from fencing to cycling. Just one, Australian diver Matthew Mitcham, was a man.
Isn't that pathetic? It makes me both angry and sad.
Angry because homophobia is such a disease it even infects the Olympics. And not enough is being done to fight it.
Sad because it deprives gay kids of role models, and perpetuates the myth that gay people don't love sports. Like I do.
I had to put up with a lot of shite when I was a member of my school's soccer team. But nothing was going to stop me from playing the game I love. Or loving who I am. And since some gay kids used to turn up to cheer for me I knew that it was more than just my fight. And that I was also playing for them...even if they HATED soccer. Homophobes are bastards. Closet queens are cowards.
Matthew Mitcham is a real champion even if he doesn't win.
Hang me kangaroo down sport. Go Matthew GO!!!! ---------------------------------------------------- P.S. for a list and pictures of the nine other out lesbian athletes....who are showing the boys up...here's the honour roll. They're our champions too...
When I first saw this picture of the Spanish basketball team I was prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Because sometimes you can be stoopid without being a racist.
But then I noticed that Spain has quite a track record.
In 2004, the governing body of international football fined the Spanish Football Federation 100,000 Swiss francs -- about $87,000 -- after some fans directed racist chants at black players on the England team during a friendly match in Madrid
And in February racing fans in Barcelona blackened their faces and taunted Lewis Hamilton, Formula One's first black driver.
So now I just want to say this:
I still think it was more stoopid than racist. Some people in Spain need educating. Badly.
And aren't Asian eyes BEAUTIFUL?
---------------------------------------------------------------------- P.S. The journalist who broke the story....and lives in Spain...... defends himself.
I don't like calling athletes heroes. It demeans the word. But we do have some heroic athletes on the Canadian Olympic team. Like Kyle Shewfelt whose Olympic dream ended the other night quickly and sadly. But what an inspiring story. Imagine how brave you have to be to fly through the air and land on both feet....just a year after breaking them. Badly. And how classy you have to be to react like this. I woke up this morning smiling. I did what I wanted to do. I've done a lot that I'm proud of in my gymnastics career. I came back from two broken legs. How amazing is that?
Awesomely amazing.
So tonight I'm pulling for the two guys still left in the competition. Nathan Gafuik who has his own challenges. Gafuik suffers from a rare condition called Addison's disease, which prohibits the body from producing adrenaline. As a result, he tires easily. He struggles to recover from injuries... Travel is tough, because his energy levels drop. And a minor gash can turn into a major medical emergency. But has never let that stop him...
And Adam Wong who missed most of last year with a ripped achilles tendon.
But fought his way back to become the reigning Canadian champion. And then, of course, there is the pool god Alexandre Despatie. Who had to struggle in the last few months to recover from a broken foot...that really screwed up his training. He's a BIG favourite in this place. We thought he was cute when he was a little kid. But now we REALLY like him...
And this is a bonus. "We are here as the Canadian team..... I'm French Canadian but we're all here as the Canadian team. We're representing Canada. We may be a crazy bunch of Québécois left-wing gay separatist sympathizers and anarchists. But we're also proud Canadians. The bourgeois prig Pauline Marois can go jump in the pool. We're proud of Team Canada.
And we don't care how many medals they bring back either. I know they are all doing their best. All they have to do is be as dedicated, as brave, and as classy as Kyle, Nathan, Adam and Alexandre.
After watching the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing games all I can say is WOW. What an amazing show. The lights, the colours, the children, the flying acrobats, the printing blocks that morphed into the Great Wall, the 2008 Tai Chi performers who moved as one. And of course the awesome fireworks. What a thing of beauty. It was the best show I've ever seen.
And to make things even more special for me.... there was even a pipe band.
When I heard Scotland the Brave playing as the athletes marched in, at first I thought I was hallucinating. Then I thought oh no....don't tell me the Chinese invented the bag pipes too. But it was only the humble Mains of Fintry Pipe Band. What a wonderful story. Unfortunately I don't have any video of them playing at the Opening Ceremony.
But here they are in ....um.....Confolens....
You know they may be amateurs. But I like them. Well done laddies and lassies.
