OLYMPICS NEWS
August 25, 2008
An Extravagant End
A dazzling show brings the Beijing Olympics to a close
The 2008 Beijing Summer Games ended on Sunday night much like they began two weeks before - with a great big bang.
 |  ANDY WONG—AP The U.S. men's volleyball team beat Brazil, 3-1, to earn the top spot on the medal podium. |
A stunning fireworks display kicked off the Olympic Closing Ceremony. Colors exploded in the night sky above the National Stadium, where the festivities took place. After the Chinese National Anthem played, a sea of 7,000 performers flooded the arena. Joining them were the stars of the Games, the Olympians. Unlike the more formal Opening Ceremony, the athletes strolled casually onto the field and mingled with fellow Olympians from other countries.
"Tonight, we come to the end of 16 glorious days which we will cherish forever," International Olympics Committee President Jacques Rogge told the crowd of 91,000 people in the stadium, as well as the worldwide audience watching on TV. "Through these Games, the world learned more about China, and China learned more about the world."
Passing the TorchOne of the highlights of the evening came after the Olympic flame was put out. Acrobats dressed in red and orange climbed up a 30-ton, five-story steel structure, called the Memory Tower, to create a human torch. The organizers explained that the performance represented "the holy flame which will burn and never be extinguished in people's hearts."
As the 2008 Olympics wrapped up in Beijing, a new countdown started for the 2012 Games. During the ceremony, China officially passed the torch to London, England, the next host of the Summer Olympics. London celebrated by bringing out a symbol of the city: a bright, red double-decker bus that transformed into a stage for performers Leona Lewis and legendary rocker Jimmy Page. Later on, British soccer star David Beckham appeared from underneath the stage to kick a soccer ball to the audience. A lucky volunteer caught it.
 ERIC GAY—AP Kobe Bryant and the "Redeem Team" defeat Spain, 118-107, to take home gold. | |
But before the Olympics closed on Sunday night, there were still a few more games to be won. The U.S. men's basketball team, known as the "Redeem Team," grabbed gold for the first time since the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia. The team, led by NBA superstars Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, dominated the court throughout the tournament, winning all eight match-ups. In a close and thrilling final showdown, the United States crushed Spain with a 118-107 victory. "It will probably go down in history as one of the greatest Olympic games ever," said James.
After an amazing run, the U.S. men's volleyball team did not disappoint, either. On Sunday, they defeated defending champion Brazil, 3-1, to win the gold. It was the third gold-medal win for U.S. men in the sport, matching the record set by the Russians. "This is an incredibly special moment for us," said U.S. wing spiker Reid Priddy.
One for the History BooksChina spent $44 billion to ensure the success of the Games. The two-week event was filled with historic performances - most notably those by U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, who took home a record eight gold medals in a single Games, and by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who took home three golds.
In the medal count, the United States led overall with 110. China and the Russian Federation followed with 100 and 72 medals, respectively. In the race for gold, China took the top spot with 51 medals, capturing 15 more than the United States.
"These were truly exceptional games," says Rogge. Athletes, including Phelps and Bolt, broke 43 world records and 132 Olympic records. - With reporting by Sean Gregory/Beijing
