Did you know …

Brazil men's national soccer team qualified for the 2008 Olympics. Like Argentina, Italy and Nigeria, Brazil is one of the favorites to win the gold medal. Ironically, Brazil, which has won five World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2000) – has never won an Olympic title. This Latin American country won the silver medal twice at the Olympics in 1984 in Los Angeles and in 1988 in South Korea …

The Olympic Committee Canada will send 200-250 athletes to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, capital city of the People's Republic of China. Alexandre Despatie (diving / Olympic Gold Medalist Olympic, 2004) and Brent Hayden (swimming / world champion, 2007) are the most famous representatives of the Canadian team. Despatie is an Olympic hero in Canada. He says: "When I was younger, I wanted to be an astronaut. Today, the business interests of the world and I have a love for film as well. For the moment, all my energy is focused on diving. While enjoying the diving, is what I will do.

Yurisel Laborde Duanes, who was one of the most Afro-Cuban great athletes of all time, will not compete in the Beijing Olympics. Why? In May 2008, sought political asylum in the judoka States.This Famous United disappeared in Miami after a Pan American Championship. During an interview with Maria Elvira Salazar, Laborde said: "I was afraid that the Safety Cuban state stopped me … "Laborde was considered a favorite for the gold medal in 2008 Olympic Games. He won a gold medal at the World Judo Championships 2007 in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). This athlete was born on August 18, 1979 in Cuba.

The United States has more than 630 athletes to the Beijing Games and aims to win 40 gold medals (archery, baseball, beach volleyball, basketball, kayaking, cycling, equestrian, swimming, athletics, boxing, gymnastics, sailing, shooting, soccer, softball, rowing, tennis, triathlon, taekwondo, indoor volleyball, wrestling).

Qatar is to start full preparations for the Games Beijing Olympics in August and will give priority to athletics, weightlifting, equestrian, shooting …

Montegrin men's national water polo team qualified for the 2008 Olympics. Under the leadership of Petar Porobic, one of the best coaches in the world, Montenegro won the European Championship Classification Olympic in Bratislava (Slovak Republic / former Czechoslovakia). Montenegro compete in the Olympics for the first time. In China, Petar Parobic feel the weight of expectation of their homeland. "I have only one reserve-whether we have the patience to wait .. The people expect and people expect results quickly sport. No one understands that there is easy for quick results. You must have a period of organizing and getting results, "he said.

The United Kingdom The States of Mexico sent 120 athletes to the Olympics in 2008. Mexican athletes will compete in archery, athletics, beach volleyball, boxing, cycling, diving, equestrian, fencing, gymnastics, judo, modern pentathlon, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, synchronized swimming, taekwondo, triathlon, weightlifting, wrestling. Be sent their best athletes to China: Paola Espinoza (diving), Romary Rifka (athletics), Juan Jose Veloz Davila (water), Belem Guerrero (cycling), Iridia Salazar Blanco (martial arts), Jose David Galvan (track and field) …

The 10km marathon swimming will be part of the official Olympic program 2008 in Asia. FINA president Mustapha Larfaoui said, "FINA has expanded the program of Olympic competition with the introduction of 10km Marathon Swimming events both men and women from the Olympic Games in Beijing. "

The National Olympic Committee of China is planning to take 500-600 athletes to the 2008 Olympics.

Brazil will send an Olympic team composed of veterans (Gustavo Endres, Gilberto Godoy Filho, Diego Hypolito, Kaio de Almeida, Fabiola Pulga Molina, Hudson Santos de Souza, Jadel Gregorio, Maureen Higa Maggi) and young hopefuls (Cesar Cielo Filho, Thiago Machado Vilela Pereira, Thaisa Menezes, Natalia Pereira, Bruno Rezende). Swimmer Fabiola Molina, who trains in Italy, will compete in the 100m and 200m backstroke …

The Games mascot, Fuwa (good luck dolls), is becoming the most popular toy in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong and Macao.

Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer. Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called “The Dictator and Alicia Alonso”. He is an expert on foreign affairs. Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latin America.

He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), José Gamarra (former president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee ,1970- 1982), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). Alejandro said: “The person who I admire the most is José Gamarra . He devoted his professional and personal life to sport. José played an important role in the promotion of Olympism in Bolivia -it is one of the Third World`s poorest countries- and Latin America. His biography is interesting”. The sportspeople he most admire is Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. “This African-American sportswoman is my idol… “

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