China's Liu Xiang (R) reacts on the starting line during the first round competition of men's 110m hurdles at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 18, 2008. The defending champion Liu Xiang dropped out after getting injury. (Xinhua/Chen Kai) When you are cheering for China's 45th gold medal, when you are exclaiming Michael Phelps' snatch of eight golds, you must still remember those who narrowly missed the chance and agree on the Olympic grand stage, everybody a hero!
Liu Xiang, the defending Olympic champion of men's 110m hurdles and icon of Chinese sport, limped out of the Bird's Nest stadium after just managing a few awkward steps in his opening heat.
American shooter Matthew Emmons's nightmare recurred when he stunned all with a 4.4. He just needed a 6.7 to be crowned in the men's 50-meter rifle three positions. Gone was the gold, even the silver and the bronze for him.
Matthew Emmons (R) of the United States is comforted by his wife after the men's 50m rifle 3 positions final of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Shooting event in Beijing, China, Aug. 17, 2008. Matthew Emmons won the 4th with a total of 1270.3. (Xinhua/Jiao Weiping) Lots of big names can be listed here: Cheng Fei, Asafa Powell, Paula Radcliffe. They have paid as much as the medal winners, but they have no chance to harvest the glory on the podium because in sports there are inevitably many "sorrows" behind every gold medal.
However, the significance of the Olympic ideals goes far beyond the sheer numbers of records, medals and flowers.
A century ago, Pierre de Coubertin, known as the father of the modern Olympics, wrote: "The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity."
Transcending their differences in political systems, ideologies, races, complexion and cultures, athletes from around the world compete under the Olympic Flag and under the Olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius, or "Faster, Higher, Stronger."
"One World, One Dream" -- the slogan of the Beijing Olympics symbolizes the spirit of solidarity, friendship and peace, reflects the world trend and delivers mankind's perennial expectations: progress and peace, coexistence in harmony and harmonious development.
On Liu Xiang's "quit," a survey by the Chinese channel of MSN.com shows that among more than 160,000 asked, over 37 percent voted for respect and support for him and about 26 percent "felt the cruelty of sports competition and sighed for Liu."
This is by no means the same as two decades ago. When Li Ning, a triple Olympic gold medalist in 1984 and the "Gymnastic Prince" in China, stumbled and failed in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, he was met with a tide of anger and even hate mail containing razor blades and ropes upon his arrival home.
The attitude change demonstrates the Olympic spirit has further insinuated into the hearts of the people in China and the world: Not only emphasize people's bodily health but more importantly their moral health.
"People's Olympics," one of the most important features of the Beijing Olympic Games, has added a new platform for China 's civil development and will serve as a beacon for the nation's future development and social progress.
Source:Xinhua
