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GAME OVER: The gymnasium for Olympic Taekwondo competition is seen behind a locked gate on August 12, 2005, in Athens, Greece, a year after that city hosted the 2004 Games (GETTY IMAGES) |
In the very same way that Olympic athletes remain Olympians for the rest of their lives, Olympic cities are forever Olympic.
And, in the eyes of the world, the deeds of the thousands upon thousands of athletes, organizers, volunteers and citizens of Beijing a year ago will never be forgotten.
The pace of change for most established nations is often slow, but the catalyst for change can sometimes seem to be instantaneous.
And so it was in many ways last year for Beijing.
It was two weeks that forever shaped the future of the Olympic movement and put China's bustling, exciting and intriguing capital steadfastly in, and in many ways above, the company of the great cities of the world that have hosted the Summer Games.
Some 10,500 athletes from 204 countries took part in the 302 events on the program.
It was a grand gathering that saw 38 world records and 120 Olympic records set—an outstanding international success that took everyone's collective breath away.
Through these Games, the world learned more about China and China learned more about the world.
It was an Olympics punctuated by meticulous organization, a 4,000-year-old contemporary culture shared with the world and the unforgettable images of the permanently smiling faces of tens of thousands of blue shirted volunteers of all ages.
And while most of the billion-and-more people watching from all corners of the Earth will most readily remember the competition and the ceremonies—the excitement of the host nation's tally-winning 51 gold medals—one of the great legacies of any Olympic Games is what was physically built and what was left behind.
One only has to witness the awe with which all who stand before it take in the Bird's Nest.
The National Stadium stands as a monumental creation—an architectural puzzle and something to take the breath away of anyone fortunate enough to stand in its aura on the Olympic Green, sit in its stands or walk on its field of play.
Internationally it is the Olympic Stadium and the sprawling Olympic Green, against which, for many Olympiads to come, all others will be measured.
To mark the first anniversary of the Olympic opening ceremony on August 8, Inter Milan played Lazio in Italian soccer's Super Cup. It was the first event to be held at the venue since the Paralympics.
More top-level sport is planned as well, with the Bird's Nest fascinatingly set to host November's Race of Champions, which will feature Formula One drivers Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button, among others.
In its shadow sits the discotheque-inspired National Aquatics Center, or Water Cube—another head-scratching Chinese engineering marvel.
It's where U.S. superfish Michael Phelps on his record eight gold medals and where today Russian ballet dancers and synchronized swimmers entertain large crowds with a version of Swan Lake.
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