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Do you realize how insane Usain Bolt is? After capturing the gold in the 100-meter dash at the World Track and Field Championships in Britain, he demolished his own record in the 200-meter dash today, besting his own time by .11 seconds. At one point during his mad dash in the 100-meter race, he reached a speed of almost 27 mph, which means he legally wouldn’t be allowed to run in a school zone. Someone get that man behind a bobsled pronto.
Maybe it’s Bolt’s incredible performance. Maybe it’s the heat. Maybe it’s that time in the sports doldrums before football starts. But whatever it is, I have a touch of the Olympic Fever. For tonight’s Late Movies, here is a look at some of the Opening Ceremonies from past Olympics.
Here are the 1980 games from Moscow. It’s incredible to think how much more intricate these ceremonies have become in the past 30 years.
Want proof? Here is a sampling from the Beijing games last year. It cost close to $300 million for the opening alone.
Here is the lighting of the giant torch that was a part of the Athens games in 2004.
Here’s a clip from the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
The final one tonight is from the Atlanta games in 1996. If you remember, they brought out Muhammad Ali as the last torch bearer. Still brings chills to my spine.
Alright, consider yourselves sufficiently inspired heading into the weekend!
Comments (6)
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Opening Ceremonies?
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
posted by PartiallyDeflected on 8-21-2009 at 1:11 am
Nothing from Barcelona in 1992? With the flaming arrow lighting the torch?
posted by Liz on 8-21-2009 at 1:19 am
Mr PartiallyDeflected, the Opening Ceremonies are not boring. Yes, the Parade of Nations may sometimes bore someone to sleep but over all, the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics are awesome.
My favorite Olympic Opening ceremony is the 2004 Olympics Opening Ceremony. It has something that last year’s Opening ceremony doesn’t have. It had artistic meaning. Unlike Beijing’s. Let me compare the 2 Opening Ceremonies.:
2004 Athens:
It has a reoccuring theme of man’s progression of knowing himself throught the ages. The 2004 Olympics Opening ceremonies were better in quality & have artistic heart & meaning. And probably the Parade of Nations part was the best ever with the party music & all that.
2008 Beijing:
Last year’s opening ceremonies were on a grand scale. Probably because China’s communist. Beijing’s opening ceremonies are great in quantity but not in quality. It doesn’t have a reoccuring theme unlike the other opening ceemonies. And last year’s Parade of Nations was SOOOOOOOOOOO boring with the looping music. It’s so irritating.
For me, these are my favorite Opening ceremonies:
1. Athens 2004
2. Sydney 2000
3. Beijing 2008
I hope in the London 2012 Olympics, the opening ceremonies will combine the quality of the 2004’s opening ceremonies & the quantity of 2008’s.
posted by Karl on 8-21-2009 at 4:37 am
I think it is interesting that Karl even has a list of his favorite opening ceremonies.
posted by Hyacinth on 8-21-2009 at 10:52 am
I really enjoyed Beijing’s ceremonies. I think they had quantity AND quality! everyone remembers the fireworks and the drummers with Beijing, but forget to mention the LED floor, which depicted the art of China over the ages. The dancers and singers were equally amazing. I had chills watching the entire performance.
Here is my list (summer and winter combined)
1. Beijing
2. Torino
3. Atlanta
4. Nagano
5. Athens
I can’t wait for Vancouver in February!
posted by Steven on 8-21-2009 at 11:23 am
USAIN BOOLLLTTTTT!!
Waiting for him to break 19 in the deuce.
posted by Megan on 8-21-2009 at 1:47 pm