# Canonical recap data for Beijing Summer Olympics (2008)
# Source: https://recap.at/2008/2008-beijing-olympics
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: 2008-beijing-olympics
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/2008/2008-beijing-olympics"
title: Beijing Summer Olympics
aliases:
- 2008 Summer Olympics
- Beijing 2008
- XXIX Olympiad
subtitle: ""
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 2008-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 2008
decade: 2000
country:
name: China
slug: china
summaryShort: China hosted the Summer Olympics in Beijing from August 8–24, 2008, a 16-day showcase of 302 events across 28 sports and 204 competing nations.
summaryLong: |-
  Beijing's 2008 Summer Olympics were China's first time hosting the Games and arrived as the country was reshaping itself on the global stage. The opening ceremony on August 8 drew an estimated 91,000 spectators to the Bird's Nest stadium and featured a cast of thousands performing in a carefully choreographed display of Chinese history and culture directed by Zhang Yimou. The Games cost roughly $44 billion to organize-the most expensive Olympics ever held at that time-and left behind permanent venues like the Water Cube aquatics center and the Bird's Nest, designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron and British firm Arup.

  The competition itself produced several memorable performances. American swimmer Michael Phelps won eight gold medals, a single-Games record. China's Liu Xiang withdrew from the men's 110-meter hurdles due to injury, disappointing home crowds who had expected him to defend his 2004 Olympic title. Gymnast Shawn Johnson of the United States took team gold, while Chinese gymnast He Kexin dominated the uneven bars at age 14-a performance that sparked later questions about age verification in gymnastics.

  The Games occurred against a backdrop of political scrutiny. Human rights groups criticized China's treatment of Tibetan minorities and Uyghurs, and restrictions on press freedom drew concern from international media organizations. Days before the opening ceremony, an earthquake in Sichuan Province killed an estimated 69,000 people, casting a shadow over celebrations. The International Olympic Committee, however, proceeded without major disruptions to the schedule.

  China finished second in the overall medal count with 51 golds and 100 total medals, behind the United States. The Beijing Games cemented China's arrival as an economic and sporting power and left the country with modern sports infrastructure, though questions about displacement of residents and long-term use of expensive venues persisted for years afterward.
lede: In August 2008, China hosted its first Summer Olympics in Beijing, spending $44 billion-the most expensive Olympics held at that time-to stage 302 events across 28 sports. The Games showcased emerging athletic talent, including American swimmer Michael Phelps' eight-gold performance, but also drew international criticism over human rights concerns and press restrictions.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Skyline_of_Beijing_CBD_with_B-5906_approaching_%2820211016171955%29_%281%29.jpg/1280px-Skyline_of_Beijing_CBD_with_B-5906_approaching_%2820211016171955%29_%281%29.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Beijing"
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 50
keyFacts:
- label: Total cost
  value: $44 billion
- label: Opening ceremony date
  value: August 8, 2008
- label: Duration
  value: 16 days (August 8–24, 2008)
- label: Opening ceremony attendance
  value: Approximately 91,000 spectators.
- label: Number of sports
  value: "28"
- label: Number of events
  value: "302"
- label: Competing nations
  value: "204"
- label: Michael Phelps gold medals
  value: "8"
- label: China's final medal count (gold/total)
  value: 51 gold, 100 total
timeline:
- date: 2001-07-13
  title: Beijing awarded 2008 Olympics
  description: The International Olympic Committee selects Beijing to host the 2008 Summer Games, marking the first time mainland China will host the Olympics.
- date: 2008-05-12
  title: Sichuan earthquake
  description: A magnitude 7.9 earthquake in Sichuan Province kills approximately 69,000 people. Rebuilding efforts continue through the Olympic period.
- date: 2008-08-08
  title: Opening ceremony
  description: Zhang Yimou directs the opening ceremony at the Bird's Nest stadium, featuring 91,000 attendees and thousands of performers in a display of Chinese culture and history.
- date: 2008-08-09
  title: Phelps begins medal streak
  description: Michael Phelps wins his first gold medal of the Games in the 400m individual medley, beginning his record-setting haul.
- date: 2008-08-13
  title: Liu Xiang withdraws
  description: Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang, defending Olympic champion from 2004, withdraws from the men's 110-meter hurdles due to injury, disappointing home crowds.
- date: 2008-08-16
  title: Phelps claims eighth gold
  description: Michael Phelps wins his eighth gold medal in the 4x100m medley relay, setting a single-Games record.
- date: 2008-08-24
  title: Closing ceremony
  description: China finishes second in the overall medal count with 51 golds and 100 total medals.
sources: []
related: []
relationships:
- targetSlug: 2008-us-presidential-election-obama
  type: happened_during
  confidence: 85
  evidence: Both occurred in August-November 2008; the Olympics aired during the final months of the US presidential campaign, with media coverage of Beijing 2008 competing for attention with Obama vs. McCain coverage in American markets.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: 1936-berlin-olympics
  type: echoed
  confidence: 78
  evidence: Beijing 2008, like Berlin 1936, featured an authoritarian government using Olympic spectacle to project national power and legitimacy; both Games prompted international debate over hosting criteria and human rights records.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: 1896-athens-olympics
  type: evolved_from
  confidence: 75
  evidence: The 1896 Athens Olympics established the modern Olympic movement's institutional framework and competitive structure, which evolved over 112 years into the massively expanded multi-sport, multinational format exemplified by Beijing 2008. The progression from 14 nations and 9 sports to 204 nations and 28 sports represents a direct institutional and organizational evolution of the same recurring event.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: 1924-summer-olympics-paris
  type: evolved_from
  confidence: 72
  evidence: The 1924 Paris Olympics established modern Olympic administrative standards and event structures that became the template for all subsequent Games, including Beijing's expansion to 28 sports and 204 nations. Beijing's scale and format represent a direct institutional evolution from the foundational model codified in 1924.
  source: ai
gallery:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260628051126/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Skyline_of_Beijing_CBD_with_B-5906_approaching_%2820211016171955%29_%281%29.jpg/1280px-Skyline_of_Beijing_CBD_with_B-5906_approaching_%2820211016171955%29_%281%29.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Skyline_of_Beijing_CBD_with_B-5906_approaching_%2820211016171955%29_%281%29.jpg/800px-Skyline_of_Beijing_CBD_with_B-5906_approaching_%2820211016171955%29_%281%29.jpg"
  caption: Beijing
  credit: Wikipedia · "Beijing"
  width: 330
  height: 220
culturalContext:
topMusic:
- title: Viva la Vida
  artist: Coldplay
  year: 2008
  note: Dominated global charts; performed at opening ceremonies by Foo Fighters (instrumental)
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-26T08:22:16.107Z"
- title: Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
  artist: Beyoncé
  year: 2008
  note: Peak cultural moment; released weeks before Games
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-26T08:22:16.107Z"
- title: Love Story
  artist: Taylor Swift
  year: 2008
  note: Swift's breakthrough summer hit, inescapable during Games coverage
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-26T08:22:16.107Z"
- title: Poker Face
  artist: Lady Gaga
  year: 2008
  note: Emerging artist during Olympic period; captured late-summer zeitgeist
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-26T08:22:16.107Z"
topFilms:
- title: The Dark Knight
  year: 2008
  note: Massive global phenomenon released one month before Beijing 2008; Heath Ledger's Joker dominated cultural conversation
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-26T08:22:16.107Z"
- title: Iron Man
  year: 2008
  note: May 2008 release; MCU origin point coincided with Games preparations entering final phase
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-26T08:22:16.107Z"
- title: Kung Fu Panda
  year: 2008
  note: June 2008; China-themed narrative released months before Beijing ceremonies
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-26T08:22:16.107Z"
- title: WALL-E
  year: 2008
  note: June 2008 Pixar release; environmental messaging relevant to Olympic development concerns
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-26T08:22:16.107Z"
topTVShows:
- title: Breaking Bad
  year: 2008
  note: Series premiere January 2008; gained momentum through year as Games approached
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-26T08:22:16.107Z"
- title: Mad Men
  year: 2008
  note: Season 2 aired summer 2008; critical success during Olympic period
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-26T08:22:16.107Z"
- title: True Blood
  year: 2008
  note: HBO debut September 2008; cultural talking point post-Games
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-26T08:22:16.107Z"
zeitgeistNote: Summer 2008 existed in the liminal space between peak Bush-era geopolitics and the financial crisis that would arrive in September. Beijing 2008 represented unrestrained Olympic ambition and Chinese economic confidence before the crisis fundamentally reshaped global investment flows. Meanwhile, American pop culture-The Dark Knight, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift-continued its global dominance despite economic uncertainty gathering at the edges. The Games themselves occupied the cultural moment between innocence and reckoning.
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Global Television Audience
  thenValue: 4.7 billion viewers
  thenYear: 2008
  nowValue: 3.6 billion viewers
  nowYear: 2020
  note: Tokyo 2020 saw declining viewership despite larger population, reflecting fragmented media consumption and reduced broadcast penetration in traditional markets.
- metric: Olympic Host Nation GDP
  thenValue: $4.5 trillion
  thenYear: 2008
  nowValue: $17.9 trillion
  nowYear: 2023
  note: China's economy quadrupled in size, positioning it as second-largest globally by nominal GDP.
- metric: Cost of Olympic Games (nominal USD)
  thenValue: $44 billion
  thenYear: 2008
  nowValue: Beijing Winter 2022 cost $15.4 billion in nominal terms, substantially less than the 2008 Summer Games despite inflation, reflecting scaled-down scope and venue reuse.
  nowYear: 2022
  note: Beijing Winter 2022 cost significantly less despite inflation, reflecting scaled-down scope and venue reuse; 2008 Summer Games remain among the most expensive ever held.
- metric: Number of Nations Competing
  thenValue: 204 countries
  thenYear: 2008
  nowValue: 206 countries
  nowYear: 2020
  note: South Sudan's 2011 independence and recent Olympic debuts slightly expanded the participant pool.
- metric: China's Share of Global Manufacturing
  thenValue: ~15%
  thenYear: 2008
  nowValue: ~28%
  nowYear: 2023
  note: Beijing 2008 coincided with China's industrial dominance just before the financial crisis temporarily disrupted global supply chains.
impactStatement: Beijing 2008 was a geopolitical coming-out party for China. The Games cost $44 billion, featured 302 events across 28 sports, and drew 4.7 billion television viewers-making it the most-watched Olympics in history at that point. The event showcased China's economic ascent and infrastructure capability to the world, though it occurred against a backdrop of human rights concerns and happened just months before the global financial crisis would reshape international power dynamics.
consequences:
- title: Heightened Global Investment in China
  year: 2008
  description: The successful execution of Beijing 2008 reinforced investor confidence in China's economic trajectory and institutional capacity, accelerating capital flows into Chinese markets and manufacturing even as the financial crisis unfolded elsewhere.
- title: Olympic Infrastructure Becomes Template for Future Host Nations
  year: 2010
  description: Beijing's model of rapid construction, state-directed development, and integrated transportation systems influenced how subsequent Olympic host cities-particularly Sochi 2014-approached planning and infrastructure investment.
- title: Increased Scrutiny of Host Nation Human Rights Records
  year: 2009
  description: International NGOs and media coverage of pre-Games arrests, restrictions on press freedom, and displacement of residents sparked ongoing debate about Olympic host selection criteria and athlete activism at Games.
- title: China's Soft Power Diplomacy Accelerated
  year: 2010
  description: The Games validated China's approach to deploying major sporting events as instruments of international prestige and statecraft, informing subsequent bids for and hosting of major events like the 2022 Winter Olympics.
- title: Environmental Concerns from Rapid Development
  year: 2009
  description: Post-Games analysis revealed air quality problems, water contamination in construction zones, and ecological disruption from the acceleration of development schedules, raising questions about Olympic environmental costs in developing economies.
archiveSnapshots: []
categories:
- sports
metaDescription: China's first Summer Olympics delivered jaw-dropping ceremonies, dominant medal hauls, and Michael Phelps' eight gold medals. Beijing proved it could host world-class sports on a massive scale.
originSignals:
- "wikipedia:2008-beijing-olympics"
translations:
es:
lede: En agosto de 2008, China organizó sus primeros Juegos Olímpicos de Verano en Beijing, gastando $44 mil millones-los Juegos Olímpicos más costosos celebrados hasta ese momento-para organizar 302 eventos en 28 deportes. Los Juegos showcasaron talento atlético emergente, incluyendo la actuación de ocho oros del nadador estadounidense Michael Phelps, pero también atrajeron críticas internacionales por preocupaciones de derechos humanos y restricciones a la prensa.
summaryShort: China organizó los Juegos Olímpicos de Verano en Beijing del 8 al 24 de agosto de 2008, una vitrina de 16 días de 302 eventos en 28 deportes y 204 naciones competidoras.
summaryLong: |-
  Los Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de Beijing 2008 fueron la primera vez que China organizaba los Juegos y llegaron mientras el país se reformulaba en el escenario global. La ceremonia inaugural del 8 de agosto atrajo aproximadamente 91,000 espectadores al estadio Nido de Pájaro y presentó a miles de participantes actuando en una presentación cuidadosamente coreografiada de la historia y cultura chinas dirigida por Zhang Yimou. Los Juegos costaron aproximadamente $44 mil millones para organizarse-los Juegos Olímpicos más costosos jamás celebrados hasta ese momento-y dejaron lugares permanentes como el centro acuático Water Cube y el Nido de Pájaro, diseñados por los arquitectos suizos Herzog & de Meuron y la firma británica Arup.

  La competencia en sí produjo varias actuaciones memorables. El nadador estadounidense Michael Phelps ganó ocho medallas de oro, un récord de una sola Olimpiada. Liu Xiang de China se retiró de los 110 metros con vallas masculinos debido a una lesión, decepcionando a las multitudes locales que esperaban que defendiera su título olímpico de 2004. La gimnasta Shawn Johnson de Estados Unidos tomó oro en equipo, mientras que la gimnasta china He Kexin dominó las barras asimétricas a los 14 años-una actuación que generó posteriormente preguntas sobre verificación de edad en gimnasia.

  Los Juegos ocurrieron en medio de escrutinio político. Grupos de derechos humanos criticaron el trato de China hacia las minorías tibetanas y uigures, y las restricciones a la libertad de prensa generaron preocupación en organizaciones de medios internacionales. Días antes de la ceremonia inaugural, un terremoto en la Provincia de Sichuan mató aproximadamente 69,000 personas, proyectando una sombra sobre las celebraciones. El Comité Olímpico Internacional, sin embargo, procedió sin disrupciones mayores en el cronograma.

  China terminó segunda en el conteo general de medallas con 51 oros y 100 medallas totales, detrás de Estados Unidos. Los Juegos de Beijing cementaron la llegada de China como una potencia económica y deportiva y dejó al país con infraestructura deportiva moderna, aunque preguntas sobre el desplazamiento de residentes y el uso a largo plazo de lugares costosos persistieron durante años después.
generatedAt: "2026-06-04T19:18:40.445Z"
fr:
lede: En août 2008, la Chine a accueilli ses premiers Jeux olympiques d'été à Beijing, dépensant 44 milliards de dollars-les Jeux olympiques les plus coûteux de l'époque-pour organiser 302 épreuves dans 28 sports. Les Jeux ont mis en avant des talents athlétiques émergents, dont la performance de huit médailles d'or du nageur américain Michael Phelps, mais ont aussi suscité des critiques internationales sur les questions de droits de l'homme et les restrictions de la presse.
summaryShort: La Chine a accueilli les Jeux olympiques d'été à Beijing du 8 au 24 août 2008, une vitrine de 16 jours avec 302 épreuves dans 28 sports et 204 nations en compétition.
summaryLong: |-
  Les Jeux olympiques d'été de Beijing en 2008 étaient la première fois que la Chine accueillait les Jeux et sont arrivés alors que le pays se redéfinissait sur la scène mondiale. La cérémonie d'ouverture le 8 août a attiré environ 91 000 spectateurs au stade du Nid d'oiseau et a présenté des milliers de performers dans un spectacle soigneusement chorégraphié d'histoire et de culture chinoises dirigé par Zhang Yimou. Les Jeux ont coûté environ 44 milliards de dollars à organiser-les Jeux olympiques les plus coûteux jamais tenus à cette époque-et ont laissé derrière eux des lieux permanents comme le Centre aquatique du Cube de l'eau et le Nid d'oiseau, conçus par les architectes suisses Herzog & de Meuron et le cabinet britannique Arup.

  La compétition elle-même a produit plusieurs performances mémorables. Le nageur américain Michael Phelps a remporté huit médailles d'or, un record pour un seul Jeux. Liu Xiang de Chine s'est retiré du 110 mètres haies masculin en raison d'une blessure, déçevant les foules locales qui s'attendaient à ce qu'il défende son titre olympique de 2004. La gymnaste Shawn Johnson des États-Unis a remporté l'or par équipes, tandis que la gymnaste chinoise He Kexin a dominé la barre asymétrique à l'âge de 14 ans-une performance qui a suscité plus tard des questions sur la vérification de l'âge en gymnastique.

  Les Jeux se sont déroulés dans un contexte de surveillance politique. Des groupes de défense des droits de l'homme ont critiqué le traitement de la Chine envers les minorités tibétaines et les Ouïghours, et les restrictions à la liberté de la presse ont suscité des inquiétudes chez les organisations médiatiques internationales. Quelques jours avant la cérémonie d'ouverture, un tremblement de terre dans la province du Sichuan a tué environ 69 000 personnes, jetant une ombre sur les célébrations. Le Comité international olympique a cependant poursuivi sans perturbations majeures du calendrier.

  La Chine a terminé deuxième au classement général des médailles avec 51 ors et 100 médailles au total, derrière les États-Unis. Les Jeux de Beijing ont consolidé l'arrivée de la Chine en tant que puissance économique et sportive et ont laissé au pays une infrastructure sportive moderne, bien que des questions sur le déplacement de résidents et l'utilisation à long terme de lieux coûteux aient persisté pendant des années.
generatedAt: "2026-06-04T19:18:47.083Z"
de:
lede: Im August 2008 richtete China seine ersten Olympischen Sommerspiele in Beijing aus und gab 44 Milliarden Dollar aus – die teuersten Olympischen Spiele bis zu diesem Zeitpunkt – um 302 Wettkämpfe in 28 Sportarten auszutragen. Die Spiele zeigten aufstrebende athletische Talente, darunter die acht Goldmedaillen des amerikanischen Schwimmers Michael Phelps, zogen aber auch internationale Kritik wegen Menschenrechtsbedenken und Pressebeschränkungen auf sich.
summaryShort: China richtete die Olympischen Sommerspiele vom 8. bis 24. August 2008 in Beijing aus – ein 16-tägiges Spektakel mit 302 Wettkämpfen in 28 Sportarten und 204 konkurrierenden Nationen.
summaryLong: |-
  Die Olympischen Sommerspiele 2008 in Beijing waren Chinas erste Ausrichtung der Spiele und fanden statt, während sich das Land auf der Weltbühne neu formte. Die Eröffnungsfeier am 8. August zog etwa 91.000 Zuschauer ins Vogelnest-Stadion und zeigte Tausende von Künstlern in einer sorgfältig choreografierten Darstellung der chinesischen Geschichte und Kultur unter der Regie von Zhang Yimou. Die Spiele kosteten etwa 44 Milliarden Dollar in der Organisation – die teuersten Olympischen Spiele, die bis zu diesem Zeitpunkt jemals abgehalten wurden – und hinterließen permanente Austragungsstätten wie den Water Cube Aquatics Center und das Vogelnest, entworfen von den Schweizer Architekten Herzog & de Meuron und dem britischen Büro Arup.

  Der Wettkampf selbst produzierte mehrere denkwürdige Leistungen. Der amerikanische Schwimmer Michael Phelps gewann acht Goldmedaillen – ein Rekord für ein einzelnes Olympisches Turnier. Chinas Liu Xiang zog sich vom 110-Meter-Hürdenlauf wegen einer Verletzung zurück und enttäuschte das Heimatpublikum, das erwartet hatte, dass er seinen Titel von 2004 verteidigt. Die amerikanische Turnerin Shawn Johnson gewann Gold im Team-Wettbewerb, während die chinesische Turnerin He Kexin im Alter von 14 Jahren das Stufenbarren-Turnen dominierte – eine Leistung, die später Fragen zur Altersverifizierung im Turnen aufwarf.

  Die Spiele fanden vor dem Hintergrund politischer Überprüfung statt. Menschenrechtsgruppen kritisierten Chinas Behandlung tibetischer Minderheiten und Uiguren, und Beschränkungen der Pressefreiheit weckten Besorgnis internationaler Medienorganisationen. Tage vor der Eröffnungsfeier tötete ein Erdbeben in der Provinz Sichuan etwa 69.000 Menschen und warf einen Schatten auf die Feierlichkeiten. Das Internationale Olympische Komitee setzte die Spiele jedoch ohne größere Störungen des Zeitplans fort.

  China belegte mit 51 Goldmedaillen und insgesamt 100 Medaillen den zweiten Platz in der Gesamtmedaillenbilanz hinter den Vereinigten Staaten. Die Spiele von Beijing zementifizierten Chinas Ankunft als Wirtschafts- und Sportmacht und hinterließen dem Land eine moderne Sportinfrastruktur, obwohl Fragen zur Vertreibung von Einwohnern und zur langfristigen Nutzung teurer Austragungsstätten in den Jahren danach bestehen blieben.
generatedAt: "2026-06-04T19:18:54.959Z"
geo:
lat: 34.5412252
lng: 108.9237067
place: China
note: Location inferred from recap.country via OSM Nominatim.
significance: 25
