The Olympian

The Greeks come bearing praise

Comparisons are not necessarily odious; they can sometimes be obligatory.

Will Beijing be ready?

As the DJ always asks: ARE YOU READYYYYYYY?

Country's first Olympian leaves track of legacy

Liu Changchun's youngest son did not know his father was the first Chinese to ever compete in the Olympics until over four decades later.

Alphabet soup of Chinese hope

A -lian, the Chinese nickname for 19-year-old basketball sensation Yi Jianlian. The 2.12m power forward was drafted by Milwaukee Bucks as the sixth pick during the 2007 NBA Draft on June 28. Yi averaged 24.9 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.8 block shots a game in the 2005-06 season for the Guangdong Southern Tigers, where he helped the team win three China Basketball Association (CBA) championships in five years.

Rooms with an Olympic view

Two kilometers south of what will be Beijing's signature Olympic venue, the National Stadium (Bird's Nest), one three-star hotel is undergoing extensive renovations before reopening as a five-star hotel next January.

Clock ticking for Britain's Ben

British diplomat Ben Ladd has what on paper sounds like an impossible mission: finding 1/1000s of a second in a city where time refuses to stand still.

(good) progress

With a series of pre-Olympic test events getting under way this month, the readiness of the venues is one of the key subjects being put under the microscope.

Other venues in Beijing

Venue: National Indoor Stadium Status: new

City paves way for smooth ride

For accountant Liu Yu, the worst part of her working day is usually the journey home.

Project Construction

Beijing-Tianjin high-speed train

Licensed to thrill

From stuffed toys to mobile phone-friendly mascots, Olympic licensed products can form a nice appendage to visitors' memories of their Olympic experience, or at least something tangible to show they were there.