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After making history in the Beijing Olympics about a month ago, Michael Phelps steps out of the pool and agrees to host the season premiere of “Saturday Night Live” this weekend. He will be on the same stage his comedy idol Chris Farley once made people laugh. His record-setting eight gold medals in China has earned him the spotlight and the hosting stint. He also continues to make the rounds on TV shows, presenting at the MTV awards, and of course making the headlines on tabloids.

He claims to be more nervous about the show than he was while on the starting block at the Water Cube in Beijing. However, it is a new experience that he looks forward to and one he hopes to enjoy. The spot at SNL has also earned him his teammates envy like Lochte who plans to tease him and make fun of him before the show.

Phelps believes there will be a sketch about him but has no idea who will play his part. Other sketches on the 90-minute show will also involve his mom, his swimsuit, and his gold medals. He knows that they will take advantage of almost every topic possible.

He laughed when it was suggested that he will take off his shirt to to show his rock-hard abs. He says that if it happens, it happens. It’s not bad as long as it’s all done in good fun. Though he is nervous, he only has this to say — “No matter what happens they can’t take those medals away.”

Most people now live a hectic lifestyle. Everyone is in a hurry and spend more hours working than relaxing and enjoying life. It is no wonder that one of the leading causes of death is heart attack. Stress has become a part of our everyday lives. And we forget that part of life is rest and recreation. Hedonism has taken a backseat and considered a sin by most.

As such, I make it a point to de-stress every now and then. This involves going out with friends at the end of the week or enjoying a fast-paced badminton game. But what I always look forward to is my annual vacation away from work and home in a tropical paradise. This is the time I give in to hedonism and a well-deserved dose of pleasure and recreation. I believe that it is not only good for the mind, but also for the body. I wouldn’t even be surprised if the Olympians in the recent Beijing Olympics visit Jamaican resorts following the stressful and challenging weeks of competition. It is exactly what they need after the limits they put their bodies through.

This is exactly what Hedonism Resorts of Super Club offer to people who spend most of their time working and making money. They provide a perfect hedonistic getaway in discount vacation packages. The good price they offer makes it difficult for workaholics to say no. The vacation packages in the Caribbean, with white sands and pristine waters, will make anyone forget about stress and their jobs. Everybody deserves at least 3 days in a year under such conditions to have the strength to face the grueling challenges that life offers.

And because Hedonism Resorts provide the best, it is no wonder it has been the destination weddings are looking for. A once-in-a-lifetime event deserves nothing but perfection. It has also become the favorite honeymoon all inclusive resort of couples who want to take this hedonistic event in with the person they plan to spend their whole life with.

Forget work . . forget problems . . . plan your hedonistic vacation. It is a necessity that nourishes the heart, the mind, and the soul.

China proved to be a determined first-time Olympic host as it tops the gold medal chart with 51 in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The United States, Britain and an array of small nations also had reasons to celebrate. The US, though with less golds at 36, garnered first place overall for the fourth consecutive Olympics with 110 total medals.

China’s haul of gold medals was the largest since the Soviet Union won 55 in Seoul in 1988. Not since 1936, when Nazi Germany prevailed at the Berlin Olympics, had a country other than the US or the Soviet Union/Russia led the gold medal list. They groomed athletes since childhood in sports academies winning medals in 25 different sports, including its first ever in sailing, beach volleyball and field hockey.

The United States trailed behind the Chinese in golds, the first time since 1992 it didn’t lead the category. Meanwhile, it seems that the sporting world should watch out for Great Britain, host of the 2012 Olympics, which won 47 medals (the most in their history). This is an astonishing 17-medal increase from the previous Athens Olympics. It seems like Great Britain is preparing well as it will host the next Games in London for the first time in 68 years. They have another 4 years to prepare . . . we’ll see if they do as well as China did.

With the Beijing Games winding down, the International Olympic Committee wants close all pending controversies regarding the ages of China’s gold medal women’s gymnastics team. The IOC still could not find sufficient proof of any cheating. They did ask the International Gymnastics Federation to investigate “what have been a number of questions and apparent discrepancies.” Nevertheless, all the information the Chinese gymnastics federation presented supports its claim that its gymnasts were in compliance to age requirements.

The IOC hopes that the matter will be put to rest since the information they received seems satisfactory in terms of the correct documentation—including birth certificates. If the federation had found evidence that the gymnasts were underage, it could have affected four of China’s medals. Parents of the gymnasts would already like to have closure on the issue as most of them have allegedly been indignant over the questions regarding their children’s age.

China coach Lu Shanzan said Asian gymnasts are naturally smaller than their American and European rivals.“Surely it’s not possible that these documents are still not sufficient proof of her birthdate?” Lu asked. “The passports were issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The identity card was issued by China’s Ministry of Public Security. It would be a difficult fight for those who believe they have been cheated. If the Chinese government had been part of the conspiracy, there was no way to prove that the girls were indeed underage. Cached website pages found by hackers that prove the girls were underage have since been removed. Previous gymnasts did admit that they had been underage during the Olympics that they had competed on. Maybe it will take a few more years to find the truth about the controversy.

Cuban Olympic boxer Dzhakhon Kurbanov was disqualified during his light heavyweight bout with Kazakhstan’s Yerkebulan Shynaliyev. The bout was stopped 17 seconds before the end of the third round when Shynaliyev showed the referee blood on his shoulders. Apparently, Kurbanov bit him during the clinch.

It was good that Evander Holyfield had already left the gymnasium early on and did not witness the incident. I’m sure he did not need to be reminded of his last bout with Mike Tyson when the former champ took a chunk of his ear in 1997.

Shynaliyev, who angrily showed the blood on his shoulder to the referee, led 12-6 at the time. Kurbanov had already received multiple warnings from the referee earlier for shoving and holding his opponent.

It was a bad ending for Kurbanov who got off to an auspicious start in Beijing last week after beating world champion Abbos Atoev in his first bout. He was also the middleweight won champion in the 2005 Asian championships.

This biting thing in boxing should not become a normal event in competition as it may usher in a new trend that could make the sport even more gory than it already is.

Michael Phelps has now been dubbed the greatest Olympian of all time after eclipsing Mark Spitz’s 7 golds in a single Olympics with his 8th gold in Beijing in the 4 x 100 medley relay. Again, it was Jason Lezak who made sure that Phelps made his goal as he anchored the final leg, keeping the lead that Phelps had given him.

Though the Americans had never lost the event, it was not a piece of cake as the team came in third behind Japan and Australia when Phelps jumped in for the third leg. However, Phelps overtook both teams as he used the same stroke and distance he used in his 7th gold. He passed the lead to Lezak in the anchor leg and despite Australia’s attempt to spoil Phelps’ record, the Americans will not be denied this honor. The Americans broke the world record again with Lezak touching in at 3 minutes and 29.34 seconds.

After the win, Phelps hugged all his teammates, thanking them for the support they had given him. “Without the help of my teammates, it wouldn’t have been possible,” he said. Out of his 8 golds, 3 were from relays that he was a part of. Phelps set seven world records and one Olympic record, doing a personal best time in every event. While competitors ganged up on him and spewed out challenges that would faze normal athletes, Phelps kept cool and responded to them by doing his best in the pool.

He ran up to his Mom and sisters and gave each one a hug and a kiss. His mother hugged him tighter with tears streaming down her face. It was every mother’s dream — to raise a son who would conquer every challenge in his life head on and triumph by etching his name in history as the greatest Olympian yet. He not only holds the record for the most golds in a single Olympics, but he is also the Olympian with the most career golds at 14, 5 more than any other Olympian in history — and he has one more Games to go.

After receiving his eighth gold, they cranked up the American flag and the Star Spangled Banner. Phelps looked up to his Mom and sisters and finally gave in following days of challenges and pressure — he broke down and cried.

Michael Phelps delivered an unforgettable race at the Water Cube for the 100 meter butterfly. The audience was barely breathing when he turned for the final 50 meters at 7th place. He then shovel-kicked his way to victory by a hair. Phelps won the gold and broke the world record with a time of 50.58 seconds while Serbian Milorad Cavic got silver with 50.59 seconds.

The American audience was ecstatic when the computer registered the time. It was impossible to tell with the naked eye who won the race. Thus, the Serbians later protested the results which led to FINA reviewing the replay and slowing the final second frame by frame. The video and timing system did confirm that Phelps won the race by an eyelash. Even the Serbians relented after seeing the frame by frame video. The race was so close it seems that the American swimming sensation has God’s attention in the Olympics.

The win puts him one gold away from Olympic history. Sunday’s 4×100 medley relay will decide his fate. The Americans have never lost this event and are favored to win. Over-confidence has a way of creeping up on you when you least expect it. And God sometimes has a weird sense of humor. Whatever happens now, Phelps has proven that he is a fighter and a winner. The last gold would simply be icing on the cake. Good luck kid!

Here’s a video of the 100 meter butterfly race between Phelps and Cavic. Amazing race!

Michael Phelps won his sixth gold in the Beijing Olympics in the 200 meter individual medley. What is more critical is that he is on the brink of matching Spitz’s record of 7 gold medals in a single Olympics. And then another to break it. As a matter of fact, Phelps has already made records by being the Olympian with the most number of career gold medals at 12. Yet, he is still swimming as if he has not made his mark in sports history.

His next two races are important, the 100 meter butterfly and the 400 meter medley. The 100 meter butterfly is his signature stroke, so it is likely that he will be able to match Spitz’s record. The last race will be the one that makes or breaks his place in Olympic history.

My money is on Phelps breaking the record. Good luck Mike!

If you have been watching the Beijing Olympics and some action in Women’s Beach Volley, you’re probably wondering what that black goo on Kerry Walsh’s shoulder is all about. I made a guess too and thought it was a cover-up for a tattoo of a non-paying sponsor or something like that. Some say it’s a Nike swoosh gone haywire. Others think it’s not a cover-up but an actual tattoo that means something. Care to guess?

It’s not any of those I mentioned above. The black stuff on Walsh’s right shoulder is actually medical tape called Kinesio Tape. A kinesio tape is made of special elastic material designed to support muscles without impeding any range of motion. Walsh underwent surgery last fall to remove bone chips, bone spurs, and scar tissue that has built up over time from spiking and setting. The tape and the method by which it is applied stabilizes the shoulder and aids in circulation during the match.

We’ll see how this kinesio tape holds up when Walsh and her partner retains the gold medal in Beijing.

Alain Bernard, current world record holder for the 100-meter freestyle just announced that the French freestyle relay team’s goal is to smash the American team. The world record for the 4×100 freestyle is currently held by the Americans which the French team are running after. Reports have circulated that the most recent time clocked in by the French relay team was good enough to beat the European record and just 0.08 seconds away from world record.

So, are the American swimmers shaking in their boots? Nah! If anything, Bernard got them all fired-up. And knowing Michael Phelps, remarks like these serve more as fuel than deterrents in the water. The remark was most likely triggered by reports that the American swimming team currently has the best collection of male swimmers in Olympic history. Along with Phelps in the team are Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak who were part of the team that made the world record in the 4×100 freestyle in Victoria, British Columbia in 2006. It is likely that they will be joined by Garret Weber-Gale, the current American record holder of the 100-meter freestyle.

Swimming is one of my favorite events in the Olympics, along with track and field, diving, and basketball. There’s never a dull moment in these events. And with the Frenchman’s remark, looks like the 4×100 freestyle is the event to watch.

As the Beijing 2008 Olyimpics opened yesterday, athletes from around the world marched in their chosen colors while the whole world watched in anticipation. The Americans looked fantastic in their Ralph Lauren navy coats and white pants as they paraded around with Lopez Lomong of the track and field team carrying their flag.

Meanwhile, other teams were less formal like the Australians wearing comfy sandals rather than formal shoes and the Swiss who sported the skateboarder look.

But the fashionistas for the night were definitely the British with their navy suits, matching belt and white jackets. They were led during the parade in the National Stadium by swimmer Mark Foster who proudly waved the flag as the team showed off their national colors.

During the Olympics, I will keep everyone posted and updated on the important events in the Games until the final parade. Good luck to all athletes!