e-magazine
The Hot Zone
China's newly announced air defense identification zone over the East China Sea aims to shore up national security
Current Issue
· Table of Contents
· Editor's Desk
· Previous Issues
· Subscribe to Mag
Subscribe Now >>
Expert's View
World
Nation
Business
Finance
Market Watch
Legal-Ease
North American Report
Forum
Government Documents
Expat's Eye
Health
Science/Technology
Lifestyle
Books
Movies
Backgrounders
Special
Photo Gallery
Blogs
Reader's Service
Learning with
'Beijing Review'
E-mail us
RSS Feeds
PDF Edition
Web-magazine
Reader's Letters
Make Beijing Review your homepage
Hot Links

cheap eyeglasses
Market Avenue
eBeijing

Olympics in Focus
Print Edition> Olympics in Focus
UPDATED: September 1, 2008 No.36 SEP.4, 2008
Asian Heroes
China, South Korea and Japan keep Olympic flag flying
By LU WEIPENG
Share

NUMBER ONE: The Japanese softball team celebrates victory after stunning
three-time world champions the United States 3-1 to clinch gold on August 21

The other three gold medals of the country were obtained in shooting, judo and badminton.

At the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Japan made a record-breaking of 16 gold medals to surpass South Korea for the first time since 1988 and took the second place in Asia after China. In Beijing, Japan dispatched an unprecedented delegation of 576 people with the goal of winning at least 10 gold medals and more than 30 medals in total.

Before the Games, Japan had aimed at gold medals in judo, wrestling, swimming, gymnastics and track and field events. The country gained nothing in gymnastics or track and field events and under-performed in other events too. The final result for Japan was nine gold medals, six silver medals and 10 bronze medals, which ranked it eighth on the medal chart.

Judo used to be a big source for gold medals for Japan, but its judo team encountered very strong competitors and only took home four medals, two less than expected. Japan won two gold medals in wrestling at the Beijing Games, equaling that of the Athens Games in 2004.

Japanese swimming star Kosuke Kitajima successfully defended his Olympic crown with a new world record of 58.91 seconds in the men's 100 meters breaststroke at the Beijing Olympic Games on August 11. Later he set a world record in the men's 200 meters breaststroke on August 14.

Japan won nothing in track and field events, but its women's softball and football teams had more success. The softball team beat the United States, who were defending champions, to win the country's first gold medal in this event. The football team beat China in the quarterfinal match.

Japanese women's football team had demonstrated their strength to beat down the stronger Chinese team, and step into the world first-class football club.

The autheor is with the Policy and Law Department of the State General Administration of Sport

   Previous   1   2  



 
Top Story
-Protecting Ocean Rights
-Partners in Defense
-Fighting HIV+'s Stigma
-HIV: Privacy VS. Protection
-Setting the Tone
Most Popular
 
About BEIJINGREVIEW | About beijingreview.com | Rss Feeds | Contact us | Advertising | Subscribe & Service | Make Beijing Review your homepage
Copyright Beijing Review All right reserved