Olympics 2008 - an update

The greatest sporting event which takes place once in an Olympiad, the Summer Olympics 2008, scheduled to take place on August 8 is getting closer. Therefore, here’s a small update to keep you counting the days until this great event.

Everything is going well ahead of schedule, and the preparations regarding transport has become a huge project. It is reported that the transport service team for the Olympics and Paralympics consists of about 20,000 people, including 13,000 drivers. Among them are 4,800 specialised drivers and 8,000 volunteer drivers.

The number of vehicles to be used at this event would also make your jaws drop in awe. During the Olympics and Paralympics, about 7,000 motor vehicles are to be made available for official persons. Among them, 3,200 minibuses will be offered to members of the Olympic Family, national Olympic committees and international sports federations.

The Olympic Village and the entire Olympic Games is set to be an environment-friendly and energy saving event.

The Olympic Village which would accommodate 16,000 athletes is said to be partly powered by solar energy to save electricity. Waste water is to be recycled, and rainwater is also to be used as part of the main water source.A tradition that has come down the ages in the history of Olympics is the Olympic torch relay.

This time the Olympic torch relay commenced on March 24, from ancient Olympia in Greece. Taking the Olympic torch to Mount Qomolangma, the world’s highest peak also known as Mount Everest, despite its tough weather conditions and lack of oxygen, will be a notable feature in this year’s Olympic Torch Relay.

Nature’s contribution is going to be critical at a huge event like this. Therefore, the Meteorological Departments of China have made arrangements to provide weather forecasts every hour during the Olympics. A special task force has been working for two years to make it a reality.So, it is evident that so much is going on to make this a phenomenal event, and until the Olympics, we’ll keep you updated of the latest happenings.

- Aravinda Dassanayake