Aug. 20, 2008

While the rest of the Tar Heel football program is sweating through training camp, the normally ever-present Kevin Best is absent. Don't worry, he's got a good--or is that gold?--reason. The Deputy Director of Athletic Communications is in Beijing this month, where he's serving as the Information Manager for all Olympic events at the National Stadium. That includes the opening and closing ceremonies, all track and field events, and the men's soccer final. Kevin will file periodic dispatches from Beijing for THB.com.

Further details are needed on just how out of control the mixed zone can be. The most extreme example came on day two of the competition at the Bird's Nest when Ecudorian runner Jefferson Perez entered the zone. After capturing a silver medal in the race walk, Perez began what one distance runner from Australia called a "sadistic" four-level climb through the outdoor mixed zone. Perez then descended a flight of 22 steps and entered the second, and perhaps most taxing area of the interview area. Awaiting hime were several ENG (Electronic News Gathering) camera crews (think WRAL, WTVD, etc.) crowded inside a holding pen barricaded by bike rack on every side. As he went to conduct his first interview, Perez bent over at the waist and held his knees. Seconds later he collapsed on the ground. Of approximately 100 media in the mixed zone, just one yelled for medical attention. The others went wild, leaning over the fence trying to film the awful scene. Dan Steinberg wrote about it and got some photos in this piece on the Washington Post's Olympic Blog. I was about two feet from him when this occurred. With the help of the medical staff, we were able to push back some of the media and open a three-foot wide area in the fencing to bring in a stretcher and take Perez to safety.

LIU GOES DOWN

Buy an ice cream treat in Beijing at any Olympic Venue and Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang is on the wrapper. Go to a local mall and you'll see his image in store displays. Drive down the street and you'll see his image on a billboard. Liu Xiang truly is a Chinese hero. He's even a bigger star than Yao Ming. So when Liu pulled out of the 110 meter hurdles with a foot injury, no one knew how to react. There was just eerie silence in the 91,000-seat Bird's Nest. Eventually, tears streamed from some Chinese faces sitting in the stands and in the media. They wanted so desperately to hear the Chinese anthem played in the stadium when their hero eventually won gold. The fact is, Liu had been hurt for much of the year and Dayron Robles of Cuba was the clear favorite. Liu's coach broke down in tears in the hastily arranged press conference after the morning session.

A day later the Chinese reaction is mixed. Many seem to think it wasn't an injury that kept him out. Fans in the China Daily were quoted as saying, "he couldn't live up to the pressure." I think there may be some merit in the amount of pressure that was on Liu Xiang to win Gold, but his injury certainly seems authentic. Whatever the reason, ice cream sales will decrease this week for sure.