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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
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