Summer Olympics, London 2012

[Patty Smyth]

Any thoughts/speculation about who will light the torch/cauldran what ever it is this time?

Natalka I am with you on Brian Williams also Rod Black but I don't know if he is still with CTV?

[Natalka]

As for lighting the cauldron, I'm not very up on UK athletes - if there were a way Roger Bannister could do it, that would be most awesome! He's over 80, not sure of what shape he is in.

Some bits of who is hosting what segments of the day - I love that Catriona Le May Doan is hosting the morning - she's a hometown girl from here!

http://bellmediapr.ca/olympics/

Rod Black will be calling the gymnastics events.

[Darth Penguin]

I saw a documentry a few weeks ago and it's this man

[Natalka]

The symbol of the Olympic Games is composed of five interlocking rings, coloured blue, yellow, black, green, and red on a white field. This was originally designed in 1912 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games.

...five intertwined rings in different colours - blue, yellow, black, green, and red - are placed on the white field of the paper. These five rings represent the five parts of the world which now are won over to Olympism and willing to accept healthy competition. Blue stands for Europe, black for Africa, Red for America, Yellow for Asia and, green for Oceania.

[Natalka]

Wenlock and Mandeville are the official mascots for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

Wenlock and Mandeville are animations depicting two drops of steel from a steelworks in Bolton.^[2] They are named after the Shropshire town of Much Wenlock, which held a forerunner of the current Olympic Games, and Stoke Mandeville Hospital, a facility in Buckinghamshire that initially organised the Stoke Mandeville Games, the precursor of the Paralympic Games.

[Natalka]

Official song

"Survival", a single released by the English band Muse, will be the official song of the Olympics.^[393] It will be broadcast when the athletes enter the stadium and in the period before medal ceremonies; international broadcasters will also be playing it while reporting on the Games.

[Natalka]

I totally believe in the pure sport of the Olympics - that which its creed touts -

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

And the motto -

"Citius, Altius, Fortius" (faster, higher, stronger).

[Natalka]

May seem contrary to what I posted above, but we all know some athletes get lucrative endorsement deals, etc. which are a great boon to them financially.
Also, some countries pay bonuses to medal winners:

Canada
gold - $20,000
silver - 15.000
bronze - 10,000

- for the first time, Canadian Olympic Committee will also give a bonus to the coach of the winner - which will be half of the amounts the athletes get.

US
gold - $25,000
silver - 15,000
bronze - 10,000

Note about US - the different sporting federations in the country have their own ways of remunerating their athletes.For example, a wrestling champion will grow a paltry $250 richer, while his winning colleague from the American cycling team can count on an extra $100,000.




Indonesia
gold - 1 billion rupiah -about $107,000 CDN
bronze - $400,000 rupiah - about $20,000 CDN

Malaysia
gold - a solid gold bar valued at $600,000 CDN

Kazakhstan
gold - 200,000 euro (one euro is 1.24 CDN dollar)

Italy
140,000 euro for gold, 75,000 for silver and 50,000 for bronze

Egypt-
gold - 140,000 euro

Olympic champions from Russia will get a bonus of 100,000 euro, as will those from Belarus, Lithuania and Bulgaria.

Germany
gold - 15,000 euro

Great Britain is the only top-10 competing nation not to offer money for a gold medal.

[Natalka]

I'm going to wait and watch the opening ceremonies this evening, with my son and husband.

My hope is that these Games are peaceful - I know they can be as prepared as possible, but I truly hope nothing untoward happens.

[Darth Penguin]

I'm watching them on TSN....complete with adverts...boo!

[Patty Smyth]

watching on CTV WOW

[Patty Smyth]

I'm going to wait and watch the opening ceremonies this evening, with my son and husband.

My hope is that these Games are peaceful - I know they can be as prepared as possible, but I truly hope nothing untoward happens.

I won't say anything more, no spoilers

[Koolaid]

Mr. Bean stole the show!!!!

[MrsSunshine]

what was Mr. bean doing? missed it.. was chasing the puddles.

[Jbird]

I have to say our Olympic team looked pretty darn good coming into the stadium! Good luck to our athletes! Proud to be a Canadian.