Overall Medal Standings

Hi there,

I'm surprised to see that the debate of "Who won the Olympics ?" didn't show in the group.

How come all the papers in the US only write about the total number of medals (US would be on the top) and everywhere else only gold matters ?

hei guys,

请记住，友谊第一，比赛第二！

菲律賓不會拿金牌兒呀！我失望啦！：（

Anyway,中國恭喜！

Hi, Kimiik. Dollar or Euro? The Chinese used to call paper money "flying money". It flies out of your hands. Kublai Khan forced traders to accept it in 13th Century and it worked well, at first. Eventually, he was printing it to pay for wars. Result: inflation. Dollar or euro? Neither, it's all "flying money".

The EU hasn't financed wars like the USA, but they share another problem. It's not just the USA where banks have lent indiscriminately to home-buyers, some EU countries are as bad. These loans were packaged into bonds and sold on to other banks, pension funds etc. Now many borrowers can't repay and the bonds are virtually worthless. Banks need a solid capital base or nobody will do business with them. In the Eurozone they're turning to the ECB, in the USA to the Federal Reserve: "Help us or the whole system will collapse!" The temptation will be for governments to bail everyone out by printing money. But this is inflationary and Germany will never accept it. I've heard rumours of Germans refusing to accept Euro notes with Southern European serial numbers. The Euro is a political disaster waiting to happen.

All this is very bad for China, too, but that's another story. China's seen it all before.

(Of course, we might muddle through, or there might be a deflationary collapse, instead. Who knows? If I knew what was going to happen I'd be a rich man!)

Yes, these Games were superb: very well organised and highly enjoyable. Personally, I'm not too keen on national unity and synchronised mass behaviour. I was impressed by those drummers, but a bit disturbed. I'd go for: the friendliness and cheerfulness; the warmth towards athletes of all countries and colours; the flair and imagination; the fact that China has lifted millions out of poverty and now has the resources to put on a show like this... This was Beijing 2008, not Berlin 1936!

In the months before the start, the Chinese leadership emphasised again and again that the Games were not to be used for political purposes. China's new wealth has been made possible by abandoning ideology. Fascinating that Mao's image was nowhere to be seen! Communist leadership wasn't mentioned.

However, there was a powerful political message. Who knows the long-term aims of the Chinese leadership (their own survival is probably No.1, as for all politicians), but weren't they saying this? 1) please respect China for our great history and our success nowadays (but forget the nightmare in the middle. They might, I won't.) 2) please understand that we just want to get on with our peaceful economic development, conflict is enourmously wasteful and expensive for everyone 3) this is now a proud and mighty country. We can if we want. Can what? We can if we want. Those drummers again...

Funny how I'm tying myself in knots and contradicting myself. Wasn't that the whole idea? Brilliant!

xiaohu said: "A better China.  A Unified China."

You are kidding.

China isn't unified, there is no free press, there are no human rights, and more than 1000 missiles are aimed to Taiwan.

Still a long way to go for the PRC.

In the moment the new China, the better China is in Taiwan.

I have to tell you, I'm so sad to see the Olympics go.  This has been the greatest Olympic games ever and we owe it all to the Chinese.  Their amazing commitment to making the games the greatest in history, to use the Olympics in a positive way to change the perception of the Chinese in the eyes of the world, and at the same time has given us the most unforgettable Olympiad we've ever seen.

Michael 飞鱼 Phelps spectacular record breaking 8 Gold medals, Usaine 狂闪电 Bolt effortlessly breaking 2 track and field records all in one Olympics!  This was a games seemingly that much more captivating than any other.

Even with records being broken right and left, the drama of a near Diving sweep by the Chinese, 2 first time Boxing Gold Medals for the Chinese, more Gymnastics Medals, more Gold Medals and more overall Medals than any than any time in China's history, and yet all this spectacle was overshadowed by the organization and precision with which the games were executed.

Never in Olympic history have so many volunteers， over a million, sacrificed weeks of their time during the games, and months of time prior to the games without compensation all pulling together to bring about the realization of 同一个世界，同一个梦想，one world, one dream.

Never in Olympic history have we seen such unity of people and resources finely tuned for one great event.  The games themselves drawing raves from journalists, critics and politicians, blown away by how flawless were these 2008 Olympic games.

I say again, we owe it to the Chinese, for their commitment of moneys and manpower, making the investment in the games, the investment in their country and it's people.  Showing the world a new China.  This is not the China of 1960, circa The Great Leap Forward, this is not the China 1972 when Nixon met Zhou En Lai and Mao Ze Dong, this is not even the China circa 2001 when the games were awarded to China.  This is a new China.  A better China.  A Unified China.

I'm so excited and lifted up to see the future of China, and history will show the new China was born in the summer of 2008!

During my visits to the US I was quite shocked how little people know about Europe. On TV only the US are a topic. Generations ago for many US people european countries were their "homeland", now their children know nothing about those countries. In many areas the EU countries are more progressive than the US...

Thanks, kimiik, for the EU ranking!

Michele, I spent some time in California few years ago and let me tell you that in this part of the USA most people nerver heard of European Union in the medias or at school even if the European Union is the strongest economic power in the world and the EURO the strongest currency. Yes that's quite shocking ! Like Xiaohu they mix up the European continent and the European Union.

Just for information here is the final medal count :

The Olympic Games have just finished, and I would not waste this beautiful atmosphere of universal friendship, saying something seemengly somehow polemic, but....

dear Xiaohu, I guess that your The world doesn't recognize the "European Union" as an entity refers to the specific argument of Olympic standings, otherwise it could sound.... a little bit strong, don't you think so?

After all Sweetwatermelon98@ was only making something as a playful hypothesis, I don't think it deserved such a strong reply.

I'm aware that the European Union, started with some good ideals, nowdays does not seem have to maintained them in a full manner, but after all, it does exist as a relevant political entity, it has a freely and democratically elected parliament, etc... etc... so, if, unlikely, in the future their citizens would decide to join them in a more effective union...

I know, I know, it seems somewhat Science  Fiction, at any rate, a little (or not so little?) part of my heart feels to be European, and I hope this could not sound offensive to anyone. So, please, let us at least for a playful purpose, for our own pleasure, to unofficially count our medals, I don't think this should offend you, or anybody else... I'll be happy to change my mind if someone will give any good argument, indeed!

most friendly, Michele.

Well, it's over.  What a great Olympics!  Here are the final medal counts (top 5 countries).  It's great that China got to 100 total and 51 golds.

                                                      G      S      B         Total

CHN - China 中国                 51    21     28        100

USA - United States 美国    36    38     36         110

RUS - Russian Fed. 俄罗斯 23    21     28          72

GBR - Great Britain 英国     19    13     15          47

GER - Germany 德国           16    10     15          41

Cmon now...Chinese girls always look younger than they are (except for ABC's because they eat the same lousy S.A.D. American diet as we do, and they follow the same lazy, bad habits that Americans do). 

I saw some information about that online, but it looks very unreliable because they were showing parts of supposed copies of documentation, which is very, very unrealiable. Anyone can forge up some documents and put it online as "proof".

I'll believe it when I see something really concrete.

There's been a lot of controversy as to whether a few of the girls are under the minimum age of 16.  The IOC has launched a probe because there seems to be quite a bit of documentation that states they are younger than 16. 

It would be sad to take away their gold medals, but if they're lying, it's the right thing to do.

I think China is assured of 1st place this Olympics, I hope that China can be first in overall medals, but I think that track and field might just have put America in the lead for good in that category.  Still it's so great that China is 1st in Golds (and thereby 1st in the WORLD!!!)

Calkins:

Why in the world would they strip medals from the Gymnastics team?

With only 2 days left, looks like China will finish with the most golds!  Still a small chance they could end up with the most overall (hopefully none of the medals are stripped from the Chinese women's gymnastic team).

                                                      G      S      B         Total

CHN - China 中国               47    17     25          89

USA - United States 美国  31    36     35         102

GBR - Great Britain 英国   18    13     13          44

After Day 12:

                                                      G      S      B         Total

CHN - China 中国               45    14     20          79

USA - United States 美国  26    28     28           82

GBR - Great Britain 英国   16    10     11           37

The world has a total of 216 gold, 217 silver, and 248 bronze, for a total of 681 medals :P  One world one dream....

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

John Lennon

(You can get this as a ring-tone. Imagine, there would be no rows , everyone would fall asleep before they answered the phone.)

Xiaohu (sorry for last joke I couldn't resist), In fact that's not countries competing individually but ATHLETES competing individually and the European medal standing is here FOR INFORMATION.

Kilik,

All I'm saying is that you're counting 44 countries against 1 and saying,

"44 countries put together against 1 is TOP!"

Then why don't we count, Canada, The United States, Mexico and every Central American Country, 33 countries together as one:

The Americas are TOP!

My point is, I don't even know why this came up in the first place, because Europe as a whole isn't competing in the Olympic Games, it's the following European countries each INDIVIDUALLY competing in the games:

Albania	Andorra
Austria	Belarus
Belgium	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria	Croatia
Cyprus	Czech Republic
Denmark	Estonia
Finland	France
Germany	Great Britain
Greece	Hungary
Iceland	Ireland
Italy	Latvia
Liechtenstein	Lithuania
Luxembourg	Macedonia
Malta	Moldova
Monaco	Montenegro
Netherlands	Norway
Poland	Portugal
Romania	Russia
San Marino	Serbia
Slovakia	Slovenia
Spain	Sweden
Switzerland	Ukraine

Xiahu, You put together China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, India and Mongolia in the same group. But is there really a chance to see this sort of "Super Asian Union" before 100 years (without chinese invasion) ? ;o)

Just for information :

Sweetwatermelon98,

The world doesn't recognize the "European Union" as an entity, the rankings are by countries.

If it's like that, then we have to count all of Asia together as one, so the standings are like this:

Gold= 65

Silver= 33

Bronze = 33

Total = 131

ASIA HAS THE MOST GOLDS!

ASIA IS #1!!!

GO ASIA!!!!!

The European Union is TOP!

see here

#1        EU      

Gold 56  
Silver 64   
Bronze 58   
TOTAL 178

#2        PRC   

Gold 39  
Silver 14 
Bronze 15  
TOTAL 68

You guys came out of nowhere the last couple of days with a bunch of golds in sailing and rowing.

Didn't think 英国 would do so well.

I'm tremedously excited about the Olympic results!  But I can't help but feel really bad for 程菲 Cheng Fei, she was favored to win the gold but for some inexplicable reason fell in her Vault AND Floor Exercise. 

She managed to snag the Bronze for the Vault but didn't place in medal standings for the Floor Exercise which should have been hers.

At least there was a tremendous show of support from the audience, but I'm sure that's a very small consolation, but I was very glad to see the audience pulling for her like that.

After Day 10...China is blowing away the competition in golds:

                                                      G      S      B         Total

CHN - China 中国               39    14     14           67

USA - United States 美国  22    24     26           72

GBR - Great Britain 英国   12      7      8             27

Just for information :

After only 9 days the Olympic medal standings are absolutely astounding!  Both China and America are poised to win over 100 medals in these Olympic Games and with 16 more Golds than America, it's looking like China is assured of their first place stand. 

Considering China is only 4 medals behind America in the overall medal standings, China is poised to not only take home more Golds, but also to take home more overall medals than any other country.

中国加油！

北京奥运会第九天奖牌榜情况如下

After Day 8:

                                                      G      S      B         Total

CHN - China 中国               27    13      7           47

USA - United States 美国  16    16    22           54

GER - Germany 德国            8      5      5           18

One interesting note...Chinese women have 9 more total medals than Chinese men, and 7 more golds.  加油中国妇女!

Medal standings after Day 7.

                                                      G      S      B         Total

CHN - China 中国               26      9      6           41

USA - United States 美国  14    13    19           46

GER - Germany 德国            8      2      4            14

i am so happy for China that i will say this 8x's symbolic of the games starting on 8-8-08!

中国加油！

中国加油！

中国加油！

中国加油！

中国加油！

中国加油！

中国加油！

中国加油！

China is blowing everyone away in the gold department.  加油！

After day6,

I was so addicted to the Olympic Games in recent days that I almost forget to come here and post!!LOL^_^

让我们一起为运动员们呐喊助威吧！加油！

Cassie 加油 :)

After day 5

Medal standings after Day 5.

                                                      G      S      B         Total

CHN - China 中国               17      5      5            27

USA - United States 美国  10      8     11           29

KOR - Korea 韩国                 6      6      1            13

If you put Europe in the list or level the number of medals of a country by the number of its inhabitants, you will get a more accurate liste.

http://www.chine-nouvelle.com/pekin2008/classement.html

After Day 4, China is seeing lots of gold.

                                                      G      S      B         Total

CHN - China 中国               13      3      4            20

USA - United States 美国    7      7      8            22

KOR - Korea 韩国                 5      6      1            12

After Day 3, China is still kicking butt :)

                                                      G      S      B         Total

CHN - China 中国                 9      3      2            14

KOR - Korea 韩国                 4      4      0            8

USA - United States 美国    3      4      5           12

中国加油，中国加油！！！

中国加油！ After Day 2, China has the most golds and total medals.

                                                      G      S      B         Total

CHN - China 中国                 6      2      0            8

KOR - Korea 韩国                 3      2      0            5

USA - United States 美国    2      2      4            8