The 2010 Winter Olympics torch relay began this week with a ceremony at Olympia in Greece. The relay will last 106 days and will eventually end in Vancouver, the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics. It was pretty cool how a parabolic mirror was used to use the Sun's ray to light the torch. Take a look:
NPRreports that golf and rugby will be added as Olympic sports at the 2016 Olympic in Rio de Janeiro. Golf was last an olympic sport in 1904 and Rugby was last played at the olympics in 1924.
Both were reinstated for the 2016 and 2020 games after a vote Friday by the International Olympic Committee.
The vote also was a victory for Jacques Rogge, the IOC president who was re-elected to a final four-year term hours earlier. The 67-year-old Belgian, the president since 2001, was the only candidate.
"Time will show your decision [on the new sports] was very wise," Rogge said.
Each sport received majority support in separate votes after leading athletes and officials from both camps gave presentations, including a taped video message from Woods and other top pros. Woods has indicated he would play in the Olympics if golf were accepted for 2016.
It should be interesting. Both of the very different sports were strongly approved. Tiger Woods says he will golf for a medal in 2016.
Former medal winning U.S. track and field star Marion Jones was released from prison Friday after serving a six-month sentence. She was sentenced earlier this year about lying to federal invesigators about using performance-enhancing substances at the Olympic games. Jones denied using steroids for years before finally admitting using them. Marion Jones says it was an "incredibly stupid thing to do" and says she is fully responsible for her actions.
U.S. swimmer Mark Phelps is rapidly accumulating gold medals. He picked up his third today at the Water Cube reports the Chicago Tribune.
No heavy lifting, to pick up gold medal No. 3, was required this time.
Michael Phelps took away the tension almost immediately on Tuesday morning at the Water Cube, leading by the first 15 meters and then seemed to shift into cruise control, lowering his own world record in the 200-meter freestyle at the Olympics, going 1 minute 42.96 seconds.
Didn't someone by the name of Ian Thorpe used to swim this race? Phelps is three for three, all world records, including the classic of a 400 free relay on Monday morning
The medal was Phelps' ninth Olympic gold medal - tying him with Mark Spitz and Carl Lewis. You can find the bio for Mark Phelps here on NBCOlympics.com.
The U.S. crushed China 101-70 in the highly anticipated basketball matchup. The game was close for the first half. LeBron James led the U.S. in scoring with 18. China's Yao scored 13 points.
However, with LeBron James scoring 18 points and Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard both contributing 13, the Americans eased clear of a tiring Chinese team.
More than a billion people were estimated to have seen the game on television.
US coach Mike Krzyzewski said: "More people were supposed to be watching this game than any other in basketball history, and we treated that as a great honour. Both teams responded to the magnitude of the event."
Yao, who scored 13 points, said: "It was a great game played in a fantastic atmosphere, with all the flags and cheering. Everyone was very proud."
8-8-08 arrives and the Olympics began with a stunning opening display in Beijing at a building dubbed the Bird's Nest. The Associated Press calls the opening a "a stunning display of pyrotechnics and pageantry."
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, the world record holder in the 100 meters, will also run the 200 meters in Beijing reports the AP. Bolt broke the world record in the 100 in New York this May. Usain Bolt has been one of the most widely discussed athletes appearing at the Beijing games.
The opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing is getting closer and closer. Those curious about the games may want to check out Time's special piece about 100 athelets to watch in Beijing.
Listed at #1 is rising U.S. basketball star LeBron James who has promised an Olympic gold in basketball for the U.S. It's more than just a promise since any medal other than gold would be consider a massive failure for the U.S. basketball team. James will be up against Yao Ming who plays for the NBA's Houston Rockets but will be playing for his home team of China at the Olympic Games.
Another athelete to watch is China's own Liu Xiang, who suprised analysts with a victory in the 110-m hurdles in Athens. Also check out U.S. sprinter Allyson Felix, 16-year-old U.S. gymnast Shawn Johnson, Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice and China's diver Guo Jingjing. If you are interested in getting excited about the Olympics this great list from Time will help you to better know many of the possible stars of the 2008 Olympics.
This satellite image captured by DigitalGlobe shows the National Stadium and Aquatics Center in Beijing. The Beijing Olympics being on August 8th, 2008. The official site for the game is en.beijing2008.cn.
The Associated Press has an interview with U.S. olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin. We recently learned about the swimsuit she will be wearing. Coughlin says she feels really good so far and she is starting to get into the routine of camp. She also says it is overwhelming because of all the attention it gets.
There were protests as the Olympic torch was passed to China on Sunday by Greek officials. Inside the ceremony was beautiful despite the grim action that China has taken recently against Tibet.
7-foot-6 Chinese basketball star Yao Ming is out for the season with a foot injury. Sadly, the injury may also dash Yao's Olympic hopes. Newsweekreports that 1 million Chinese fans are weeping alongside Houston Rockets fans.
NPR 
U.S. swimmer Mark Phelps is rapidly accumulating gold medals. He picked up his third today at the Water Cube 
The U.S. 
The opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing is getting closer and closer. Those curious about the games may want to check out Time's 
