The 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (第二十九届夏季奥林匹克运动会; pinyin: Èr líng líng bā Nián Xiàjì Àoyùnhuì), officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (Chinese: 第二十九届夏季奥林匹克运动会; pinyin: Dì Èrshíjiǔ Jiè Xiàjì Àolínpǐkè Yùndònghuì) and commonly known as Beijing 2008 (Chinese: 北京二零零八; pinyin: Běijīng Èr líng líng bā), was an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008 in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) competed in 28 sports and 302 events (one event more than those scheduled for the 2004 Summer Olympics). This was the first time China had hosted the Summer Olympic Games, and the third time the Games had been held in East Asia, following the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, and the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. These were also the third Summer Olympic Games staged in a developing country after the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City and the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.
Beijing was awarded the 2008 Games over four competitors on 13 July 2001, having won a majority of votes from members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after two rounds of voting. The Government of the People's Republic of China promoted the Games and invested heavily in new facilities and transport systems. In total, 37 venues were used to host the events, including twelve constructed specifically for the 2008 Games. The equestrian events were held in Hong Kong, making it the third Olympics for which the events were held under the jurisdiction of two different NOCs. The sailing events were contested in Qingdao, while the football events took place across several different cities.
The official logo for the 2008 Games, titled "Dancing Beijing", featured the character for capital (京, stylized into the shape of a human being) in reference to the host city. The 2008 Olympics were watched by 3.5 billion people worldwide and featured the longest distance for an Olympic Torch relay. The 2008 Games also set numerous world and Olympics records, and were also the most expensive Summer Olympics of all time and second most expensive overall after the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi. The opening ceremony was lauded by spectators and numerous international presses as spectacular, spellbinding and, by many accounts, "the greatest ever in the history of Olympics". Beijing has been selected to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, making it the first city ever to host both a Summer and Winter Games.
An unprecedented 87 countries won at least one medal during the Games. China won the most gold medals, with 48, and became the seventh different team to top an overall Summer Olympics medal tally, winning a total of 100 medals overall. The United States placed second in the gold medal tally, but won the highest number of medals overall, with a total of 112. The third place in the gold medal tally was achieved by Russia.
Venues[]
Venue | Location | Events |
---|---|---|
Beijing National Stadium | Beijing | Ceremonies, athletics, football (final) |
Beijing National Aquatic Center | Swimming, diving, synchronized swimming | |
Beijing National Indoor Stadium | Gymnastics (artistic, trampoline), handball (final) | |
Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium | Judo, taekwondo | |
Beijing Shooting Range Hall | Shooting (pistol, rifle) | |
Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium | Badminton, gymnastics (rhythmic) | |
China Agricultural University Gymnasium | Wresting | |
Laoshan Velodrome | Cycling (track) | |
Olympic Green Tennis Center | Tennis | |
Peking University Gymnasium | Table tennis | |
Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park | Rowing, canoeing, swimming (marathon) | |
Wukesong Indoor Stadium | Basketball | |
Beihang University Gymnasium | Weightlifting | |
Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium | Volleyball | |
Beijing Shooting Range Clay Target Field | Shooting (shotgun) | |
Capital Indoor Stadium | Volleyball (final) | |
Fengtai Softball Field | Softball | |
Laoshan Mountain Bike Course | Cycling (mountain bike) | |
Olympic Sports Centre | Football, modern pentathlon (riding, running) | |
Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium | Handball | |
Workers Indoor Arena | Boxing | |
Workers Stadium | Football | |
Ying Tung Natatorium | Water polo, modern pentathlon (swimming) | |
Beach Volleyball Ground | Volleyball (beach) | |
BMX Field | Cycling (BMX) | |
Olympic Green Archery Field | Archery | |
Olympic Green Convention Center | Fencing, modern pentathlon (fencing, shooting) | |
Olympic Green Hockey Field | Field hockey | |
Triathlon Venue | Triathlon | |
Urban Road Cycling Course | Cycling (road race) | |
Wukesong Baseball Field | Baseball | |
Hong Kong Equestrian Venues | Hong Kong | Equestrian |
Qingdao International Sailing Center | Qingdao | Sailing |
Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium | Qinghuangdao | Football |
Shanghai Stadium | Shanghai | |
Shenyang Olympic Sports Center Stadium | Shenyang | |
Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium | Tianjin |
Broadcasters[]
Country | Broadcaster(s) |
---|---|
Europe | Eurosport |
Middle East and North Africa | Arab States Broadcasting Union, Al Jazeera Sport HD |
Albania | RTSH |
Argentina | Canal 7, TyC Sports |
Armenia | ARMTV |
Australia | Seven Network, SBS, 2GB, SEN, 5AA, 6IX, 2CC, KOFM |
Austria | ORF |
Belarus | Belteleradiocompany, TV-First, LAD |
Belgium | VRT, RTBF |
Bolivia | Unitel, Red Uno, TyC Sports |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | BHRT |
Brazil | Rede Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, SporTV, Band Sports, ESPN, ESPN Brasil, Globosat HD, Rádio Gaucha, Rádio CBN, Rádio Globo, Rádio Jovem Pan, Rádio Eldorado, Terra Networks |
Brunei | Kristal-Astro, RTB |
Bulgaria | BNT |
Cambodia | National Television of Cambodia |
Canada | CBC Television, Radio-Canada, bold, TSN, RDS |
Chile | TVN, Canal 13, Terra Networks |
China | CCTV, CRI, CNR, Sohu.com |
Colombia | Señal Colombia, Caracol Televisión, RCN Televisión, Terra Networks |
Croatia | HRT |
Czech Republic | ČT |
Denmark | DR, TV 2 |
Dominican Republic | Telecentro |
Estonia | ETV, ETV2 |
Finland | YLE, Urheilukanava, Eurosport HD, Saunalahti |
France | France Télévisions |
Germany | Das Erste, ZDF |
Greece | ERT |
Hong Kong | ATV, TVB |
Hungary | MTV |
Iceland | RÚV |
India | Doordarshan, Zee TV |
Indonesia | TVRI |
Iran | IRIB TV3 |
Ireland | RTÉ |
Israel | Channel 1, Sport 5, Pelephone, Orange, Cellcom |
Italy | RAI |
Japan | NHK, Nippon TV, Fuji TV, TV Asahi, TV Tokyo, TBS |
Laos | Lao National Television, Lao National Radio |
Latvia | LTV |
Lithuania | LRT |
Macau | TDM |
Malaysia | Astro, RTM |
Mexico | Televisa, TV Azteca, TVC Deportes |
Moldova | TRM |
Mongolia | MNB, UBS, Channel 25, TV5, TV9, NTV |
Montenegro | RTCG |
Myanmar | Myanmar Radio and Television, Myanmar Radio National Service |
Netherlands | NPO/NOS |
New Zealand | TVNZ |
Norway | NRK, Viasat Sport N HD |
Pakistan | Geo Super |
Philippines | Solar Sports, Basketball TV, Jack TV, Solar All Access, C/S, ETC, 2nd Avenue |
Poland | TVP |
Portugal | RTP, SportTV |
Puerto Rico | Telemundo Puerto Rico |
Romania | TVR, Telesport |
Russia | VGTRK, Channel One, NTV Plus |
Serbia | RTS |
Singapore | StarHub TV, mio TV, MediaCorp |
Slovakia | STV |
Slovenia | RTV Slovenija |
South Africa | SABC, SuperSport |
South Korea | KBS, MBC, SBS |
Spain | RTVE, Adsmedia |
Sri Lanka | Rupavahini |
Sweden | SVT, SR, Tele2 |
Switzerland | SRG SSR |
Taiwan | CTV, CTS, FTV, TTV |
Thailand | NBT, Modernine TV, Channel 3, TV5, BBTV Channel 7, Thai PBS, TrueVisions |
Turkey | TRT 3 |
Ukraine | First National |
United Kingdom | BBC |
United States | NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, USA Network, Telemundo, Universal HD, NBC HD Olympic Basketball & Soccer Channels, Westwood One |
Venezuela | Venevisión, Meridiano TV, TVes |
Vietnam | VTV, HTV, Hanoi Radio Television, Vietnam Multimedia Corporation |