BEIJING (06-Aug) -- To call Beijing a big city is laughably inadequate. This sprawling metropolis of 17 million people is not only vast, but is growing as one of the world's key commercial centers. Signs of new affluence are everywhere, from a Roche Bobois furniture store, to luxury high-rise residential buildings and hotels, to huge car dealers selling luxury European makes like BMW, Volvo and Mercedes.
But is there any greater sign of China's rise on the global stage than hosting the Olympics? Critics say that the Olympic Games are simply just another tool of Chinese government propaganda, a glorious distraction from human rights violations, denial of Tibetan independence and meddling in African affairs. Perhaps. But as I moved around this city today and met dozens of ordinary Chinese, their pride in hosting these Games is genuine, and the welcome they have extended to their visitors is very warm, indeed.
Jane and I spent today getting oriented to our work area. We toured the Main Press Center and the International Broadcast Center, both huge buildings built specifically for these Games. In the steamy air (over 80% humidity) we walked to the "Water Cube," the spanking new aquatics facility. It's a fabulously impressive building, housing the pools for diving at one end and swimming at the other. We watched the divers practice for a few minutes, including the tiny teenagers from China who bravely do handstands atop the ten meter tower before launching into multiple somersaults and slicing into the water as straight as pencils.
But the Water Cube is tiny compared to the National Stadium, the already famous "Bird's Nest." Seemingly woven of huge strips of steel, the massive stadium makes everything --and everyone-- feel small and insignificant. It is indeed a fitting stage for an Olympic Games.
Using our special credentials, we went into the stadium as it was being readied for the opening ceremonies. It seats 91,000 people and, adding the media and production people who will be attending, there will be over 100,000 people packed into the place on Friday night as the torch is lit to open the Games. Not including NBC which brings its own equipment, 80 cameras will be in place in the stadium to cover athletics when the competition opens on Aug. 15.
I know you're all dying to know about the air quality here which has received so much press in the months prior to the Games. I would say that the heat and humidity are bigger factors that the pollutants when it comes to athletics performance. The air is just stifling during the day, with just a little relief at night. It will indeed be difficult for endurance athletes to compete here, even early in the morning.
The latest news reports on Paula Radcliffe reveal that she had been bitten by a poisonous spider while training in France, which forced her to lose a few more days of training. The world marathon record holder is hurrying to prepare for The Aug. 17 women's marathon, trying to make up for lost time while a stress fracture in her left thigh healed. She told the British media that she is determined to make it to the starting line. She'll face an extraordinary field, including two-time world champion Catherine Ndereba, defending Olympic Champion Mizuki Noguchi, 2006 Flora London Marathon champion Zhou Chunxiu and reigning World Marathon Majors champion Gete Wami.
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