At this time, about 24 hours exactly have passed since NBC's official primetime airing of the Beijing Opening Ceremonies. Though this broadcast wasn't live, it is still a good measuring tool and reference point to be used for the duration of the games. Although only one day of competition has transpired, many events have already declared winners and handed out prized gold medals. This isn't to say there wasn't action occuring in other sports that only featured preliminary heats either. Overall, the first day of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games didn't disappoint in following the incredible splendor and perfect display of the opening ceremony, and that's saying a whole lot.
Right now, as of press time, the medal count displays the United States in first place with 7 medals, and China and South Korea are tied in second place with 3. All three nations feature 2 gold medalists; the other winners of golds come from Australia, Czech Republic, Romania, and Spain, where those medals are the countries' sole ones. The top 3 nations may have settled in to their expected places for the total medal count, so this may be a sign of things to come. Many experts expect the U.S. and China to battle for the overall medal count and gold medal total.
What is really interesting in this medal race is the dominance of certain events by a single country. With so many talented athletes in a variety of sports all around the world, it is mindblowing to think that one nation can feature athletes that can consistently win over all others. A great example of this is the medal sweep of the women's individual sabre (fencing) competition by the U.S. Also, the Chinese traditionally win every medal in events such as diving and table tennis. So, the international battle for the most medals might depend on a country's competitors stepping it up and putting in big performances as underdogs. Such as China's womens field hockey team taking it to the highly-favored Spanish team 3-0 in the second right now (yes, I am indeed watching that right now online while I'm writing this). So, while you're watching the Olympics unfold, keep an eye out for the underdogs as well as monitoring the supposed favorites (i.e. Michael Phelps). They might, in fact, make history as well. Not just for national glory in a stat column, but for a personal achievement they will never forget and others might never either (think Kerri Strug's one-legged feat in the 1996 gymnastics team competition). For the Olympics, which have fully surrounded us now, are the greatest and most prestigious stages in all of sports. And legends may be in the making as we speak.
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