Who I am Hates Who I've Been

I am sure almost everyone is hyped up about the Olympics Beijing 2008. This grand occasion was held on the 8/08/08 and started precisely around 8.08pm which I find it to no surprise as the Chinese always believe it'll bring good luck and fortune,not forgetting many 4D toto customers buying the number 8888 just hoping it'll strike first price.Ironically, this date coincides with one of the Chinese famous culture celebration that is the month of Ghost Festival. So, my question is, how can one such number or belief bring much fortune to one when it's held in the ghost month?
Just another one great superstition that is needless to explain eh?

Anyway, ever since the Olympic has started, many of us has tune it to the oh-so-great Astro which has 134128349018234912834 channels showing all sorts of events where as I, your cookie belly is being tortured and being limited to just one miserable channel just to watch the games. Tell me about it people. Luckily enough my sources from the Internet has been sufficient and reliable.

I decided to google/wikipedia through the greatest Olympic history that has ever record in the history books. Yes, Olympic history is much more interesting that the form 5 sejarah text book.


Out of the many I read, I find this two rather interesting in showing their true spirit of sportsmanship and making a statement.




Derek Redmond


Derek Redmond started well, but in the back straight about 250 metres from the finish, his hamstring snapped. He hobbled to a halt, and then fell to the ground in pain. Stretcher bearers made their way over to him, but Redmond decided he wanted to finish the race. He began to hobble along the track, with pain etched upon his face. He was soon joined on the track by his father, Jim Redmond, who barged past security and on to the track to get to his son. Jim and Derek completed the lap of the track together, with Derek leaning on his father's shoulder for support. As they crossed the finish line, the 65,000 crowd rose to give Derek a standing ovation. However as his father had helped him finish, Derek was officially disqualified and Olympic records state that he "Did Not Finish" the race. But in the public's perception, he had finished and done so heroically.



The Black Power Salute
Tommie Smith and John Carlos


On the morning of October 16, 1968 American athlete Smith won the 200 metre race in a then-world-record time of 19.83 seconds, with Australia’s Peter Norman second with a time of 20.06 seconds, and American Carlos in third place with a time of 20.10 seconds. After the race was completed, the three went to collect their medals at the podium. The two American athletes received their medals shoeless, but wearing black socks, to represent black poverty. Smith wore a black scarf around his neck to represent black pride. Carlos wore beads which he described "were for those individuals that were lynched, or killed that no-one said a prayer for, that were hung and tarred. It was a sign of of protest how the African American people were treated back then when racial segregation hit in America.


"In the end, the game comes down to one thing: man against man. May the best man win."
-- Sam Huff

That is all for now, back to my sejarah text book. =(