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Going for the gold

Going for the gold

Beijing gears up for the Olympics, and beyond

Looking utterly surreal as it surfaces in Beijing’s sewer-thick haze, the National Grand Theatre hovers over the Great Hall of People like some hallucinatory monster. For obvious reasons, locals call it the Alien Egg; otherworldly, it resembles a gigantic, glistening metal egg hatched from deep in the bowels of outer space. The source of considerable controversy during its oft-halted construction earlier this decade, it has become, since completion last year, a celebrated icon, delineating a new, increasingly avant-garde Beijing, eager to attempt daring architecture that would never even be considered elsewhere. Yet, perhaps the most remarkable thing about this dazzling [...]

The final countdown

The final countdown

In the weeks leading up to what China hopes will be the greatest Olympic Games of all, hundreds of athletes made Macau home. Closer takes a look at their preparation for Beijing.

Adrian Stan smiled as he glanced around Macau Dome looking at the sporting facilities enjoyed by the British Olympic gymnastics team in their final preparations for the Beijing Games. “Macau for us has been amazing, everything we need is here and things are going really well,” the British gymnastic technical director said in a slight Romanian accent. “We came here last year for training and I like the place a lot, it is very good for our training.” Stan should know. [...]

Winning’s a real gamble

Winning’s a real gamble

Bookmakers fielding on the Olympics are placing their bets on Beijing being the most lucrative Games in history.

The Olympics may be all about the Games’ motto “faster, higher, stronger”, but to many who are set to bet tens of millions of dollars on Beijing, it will be more about “money, form and odds”. From October 8 to 24, millions around the globe will wager money through internet, official betting agencies or illegal bookies. Every sport, every event, every athlete will be covered by one betting agency or another. China came second in the medal tally in Athens four years ago, behind the US, and its home turf advantage makes it favourite this year. [...]