Closing Ceremony: As it unfolded
Last Updated: Sunday, August 24, 2008 | 10:09 AM ET
By Jesse Campigotto CBC Sports
There was nothing downsized about the closing ceremony in Beijing. (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)After 16 days of triumph and tragedy, ecstasy and agony, doped-up horses and underage gymnasts (allegedly), we're about to see the Beijing Olympics come to a close.
This means two things: first, we can go back to spelling "sports" with an "s" at the end. Second, we can stop setting our alarm clocks for those crucial 4:15 a.m. team dressage competitions. (OK, we'll miss that last one).
But before we say goodbye to Beijing, Beijing says goodbye to us. That's right, it's time for our second-favourite Olympic ceremony: the closing ceremony.
If you're a fan of digitally enhanced fireworks and lip-syncing nine-year-olds, well, hold on to your hat.
And if that's not enough excitement for you, check here for our blow-by-blow account of all the festivities from magnificent National Stadium, beginning at 8 a.m. ET.
10:04 a.m. ET: And that is that. The Beijing Olympics are in the books. And what an Olympics: between Bolt's casual dominance on the track, Michael Phelps's eight gold medals in the pool, and Canada's 18 podium finishes (more than anyone predicted), I think we'll remember Beijing for a long time. And, contrary to what most everyone thought going in, it'll be for all the right reasons.
9:55 a.m. ET: The cameras cut away for a minute, come back, and the fireworks are still going. Beijing is pulling a Usain Bolt right now: they're looking to put so much distance between themselves and the next-best fireworks display of all time that they might never be touched.
9:53 a.m. ET: Maybe Jacques Rogge wouldn't say this, but I will: that was the greatest fireworks display of all time. Wow.
9:45 a.m. ET: The only downside I can see right now to the Beijing Olympics is that every opening and closing ceremony from now on will look very lame by comparison. I wouldn't want to be in Vancouver's shoes right now.
9:36 a.m. ET: A row of seven attractive Chinese women in formal eveningwear come out to sing a traditional folk song. Let's just say they have not mastered the ancient art of lip syncing.
9:25 a.m. ET: It's that most somber of moments: the Olympic flame is extinguished. But dry those tears: after another stunning display of choreography that I won't even try to describe, we're treated to a huge fireworks display. Next, an ensemble of clean-cut young Chinese pop stars takes the stage for a song about — from what I can gather — how awesome Beijing is. Take that, High School Musical.
9:24 a.m. ET: So, just to recap: over the last two weeks in China we've seen a live performance of a sexually explicit Led Zeppelin hit, preceded by a women's beach volleyball tournament. Somewhere, the ghost of Mao Zedong is really, really pissed.
9:14 a.m. ET: OK, this rocks. None other than Jimmy Page takes the stage to bang out Whole Lotta Love on his axe. Accompanying him on vocals is a very tall, very gorgeous woman who, for some reason, is standing on stilts (somewhere Robert Plant is nodding in approval). Then, just for kicks, David Beckham materializes and punts a soccer ball into a crowd of volunteers, who have no idea what to do. They all have a "I'm not touching that ball for fear of reprisal" look on their faces.
9:05 a.m. ET: Rogge's bold statement notwithstanding, these really were a terrific Olympics. And none of the predicted disasters actually happened. Smog wasn't an issue, protests were kept to a minimum… there wasn't even a John Carlos-Tommie Smith moment from any of the athletes. Really, though, should we be that surprised? If I remember my university history courses correctly, college kids in 1968 did nothing but listen to Joan Baez records and memorize the Port Huron Statement. Now they're consuming Solja Boy singles and The Hills.
8:58 a.m. ET: IOC boss Jacques Rogge declares the Beijing Olympics "truly exceptional." Way to go out on a limb, sir. Also, a colleague reminds me that the Greeks also gave us souvlaki. So they've got that going for them too.
8:48 a.m. ET: As per tradition, the Greek flag is hoisted and the national anthem played. Those guys are really milking the whole "We invented the Olympics" thing. OK, so you gave us that and democracy. But what have you done for us lately?
8:39 a.m. ET: Another nice tradition: the medal ceremony for the final-day men's marathon always happens at the closing ceremony. I'm not sure how gold medallist Sammy Wanjiru and the two others are even standing right now. I caught the beginning of the race, which happened last night our time, and the leaders ran the first 15 km in under 45 minutes. Three sub-15-minute 5 k's in a row? I had to have three Gatorades IV'd into my arm just from watching that.
8:34 a.m. ET: OK, I know everyone's pretty wiped after two weeks of competition, but could Team Canada have dressed up just a little bit for this? I haven't seen this many tank tops and knockoff Zubaz pants since my last trip to Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo.
8:27 a.m. ET: One of the neatest traditions of the Olympics: in contrast to the orderly Parade of Nations, the athletes simply stroll into the stadium and mingle freely. This would be even more fun if the organizers suddenly broke out an open bar.
8:19 a.m. ET: I guess this qualifies as downsized: instead of the molasses-like Parade of Nations from the opener, each country just sends out their flag bearer to form a big circle in the middle of the stadium. Doing the honours for Canada is trampolinist Karen Cockburn, who won a silver medal. Great choice, but to be honest I was hoping Hickstead would get the nod.
8:15 a.m. ET: So far the closing ceremony looks (and sounds) a lot like the opener: lots of drumming, lots of guys running around with little Christmas lights pinned to their suits. Co-host Scott Russell mentions how he expected a downsized show compared to the opening ceremony. But if we've learned one thing from these Olympics, it's that Beijing doesn't do downsized.
8:10 a.m. ET: The choreographers aren't fooling around this time. After making us wait for the much-anticipated fireworks display in the opening ceremony, they unleashed them right away this time. No word yet on whether they were CGI'd.
