10 Things You Dont Want To Miss At The 2008 Summer Olympics
A major concern for athletes participating in longer events, like the marathon, has been and continues to be the immense amount of smog that blankets Beijing on most days. The Chinese government has spent close to $200 billion dollars since 1998 trying to fight air pollution and results are mixed on how effective these measures have been. In preparation for the Olympics, athletes have been encouraged to wear facemasks and stay inside to be ready to perform in their event. In March, the International Olympic Committee issued a report saying some events will not be conducted under optimal conditions and the Games are more about competing in the Olympic spirit, than about breaking records. Its doubtful that many athletes will agree that they are headed to the worlds biggest athletic competition to put in a mediocre performance. Its possible that the schedule could be changed for the mens marathon, which is set for the last day, depending on the smog levels and organizers are looking at moving it up. Stay tuned to NBC for any updates on date changes and if runners will be forced to wear masks while running. The mens marathon is currently set for Primetime hours (7:30pm-12:00am EST) on Saturday (8/23).
6. The Lopez Taekwondo Family
