This is going back a bit, back to the 2008 Olympics in China when all sorts of patriotism was happening amongst the Chinese population. This guy decided that he should try and break his previous Guinness World Record of sticking 1790 needles into himself, by sticking 2008 of them – for the Olympics.

Was it “pointless“? Obviously not! He set a new world record and probably spread the word about acupuncture successfully.

Via WeirdAsiaNews

Technorati Tags: China, Olympics, Guinness World Record

China’s Liang Huo competes in the men’s semifinal of the 10 metre diving competition. A little late after the Beijing Olympics, but I thought it was a little funny. This complements the previously posted weightlifting expressions!

Check more diver expressions!

Via SwissMiss

Technorati Tags: Beijing Olympics, China, diving, photographs, Liang Huo, sport

The Big Picture returns with more excellent photos, this time of the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Amazing stuff capturing the fierce competition between the sports people having each won over their own struggles.

Via The Big Picture

Technorati Tags: Beijing, 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, sport

Mini Cooper used a nice idea to take its brand to the Beijing Olympics with this customised rickshaw. Looks good enough to use all year round.

Via TheCoolHunter

Technorati Tags: 2008 Beijing Oympics, cars, design, Mini Cooper, rickshaw design

The Hong Kong Lego Users Group created parts of the Beijing Olympics – completely in Lego!

Check out more on the The Hong Kong Lego Users Group website

Via Josh Spear

Technorati Tags: 2008 Beijing Oympics, Birds Nest, Lego, Hong Kong Lego Users Group, Water Cube

China’s Olympic champion Liu Xiang walks away from the track after failing to start his 110m hurdles first-round heat on August 18 at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Liu stopped before the first hurdle, clutching his leg, and then walked out of the stadium.

Via Activate.us

Technorati Tags: 2008 Beijing Oympics, hurdles, Liu Xiang, sport

Here’s a great composition, collecting the expressions of straining weightlifters during the Beijing Olympics!

Viktors Scerbatihs of Latvia, Evgeny Chigishev of Russia, Grzegorz Leszcz of Poland, Maama Lolohea of Toga, Artem Udachyn of Ukraine, Matthias Steiner of Germany, Jeon Sangguen of South Korea and Ihor Shymechko of Ukraine compete in the men’s 105kg weightlifting competition on August 19 at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Via Activate.us

Technorati Tags: 2008 Beijing Oympics, sport, straining weightlifters, weightlifting

Usain Bolt of Jamaica crosses the finish line to win the men’s 200m final at the 2008 Olympic Games, on August 20, 2008. Bolt set a new world record with a time of 19.3 seconds.

Via Activate.us

Technorati Tags: 2008 Beijing Oympics, men’s 200m final, sport, track, Usain Bolt

BusinessWeek ran an article on China’s most marketable Olympic stars. Check out the names if you want to familiarise yourself with these people.

You’ll recognise some of them, although Yao Ming doesn’t look too happy for some reason.

Not sure how marketable China’s sporting star Liu Xiang is now after pulling out of the 110m hurdles, though.

China’s Most Marketable Olympic Stars

Technorati Tags: Beijing, China, Chinas Olympic stars, Olympics, Liu Xiang, sports, Yao Ming

Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima who won the Gold medal in the men’s 100m breaststroke last week, credits the Wii as his training aid.

He mentioned that he used the game to prepare his mind. “See, Mario does the breaststroke,” he recently told Yomiuri Sports. “and thus, it’s perfect mental training for envisioning the actual Olympic hall.”

I think he’s having us on, or he’s sponsored by Nintendo.

Via Joystiq.com

Technorati Tags: Beijing, breast stroke, gold medalist, Kosuke Kitajima, Nintendo Wii, Olympics, swimming