If I understand any of the basics about modern China, two highly prized life commodities are 1) greenery and 2) space. I have both, in spades, at the place I am staying, the Beijing Conference Center. Yes, I do appreciate it. (I so rarely admit to appreciating anything.) And it’s growing on me as we […]

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Nastia Luikin and Shawn Johnson just went 1-2 in the women’s individual all-around gymnastics competition, which apparently none of you back home saw tonight. It was running just late enough in the day (midnight-ish, EDT) that it won’t be shown in the States till Friday night. (NOTE: I’m told this isn’t so … that it […]

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I’ve been occasionally asthmatic since I was 13. It is exercised-induced, and it’s worse when the air is cold. I also notice that, in recent years, it’s coming back a bit, after a decade or three of not being much trouble. And I notice it a bit more when the air is particularly foul. I’m […]

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Interesting woman. Touted for a medal in the women’s individual pursuit, which is just a lung-burning, thigh-busting drag race of a cycling event around the velodrome. Nobody much pays attention to track cyclists, not even at the Olympics, but Hammer and some of her teammates became infamous, for a day or three, when they were […]

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The Chinese scored a couple of touchdowns and now lead the U.S. in the gold-medal race, 22-13. That is a gap the Yanks won’t be erasing. Not at this Olympics. China’s golds are concentrated in four sports: Weightlifting (6), shooting (4), diving (4) and gymnastics (3). (We should note that China has 13 of the […]

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I’ve covered the fortunes of several athletes at the Beijing Olympics now, but this was the first time I actually felt nervous for the kid I was watching — and writing about. You talk to the guy, you meet his mom and his wife and his high school coach, and it’s odd how you can […]

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