Leading the cheer

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On Friday the much molested Olympic torch is set to ignite a squillion fireworks, and with them the dreams of athletes from all around the world. I figured that it would be noble indeed to ignore tawdry politics for a while and raise a cheer for some very fit bodies who wont be collecting any medals in Beijing.

I’m talking about the Olympic Cheerleaders of course. Cheerleading in China has taken a great leap forward in recent years. In the latter half of 2007 a competition was held throughout the country’s schools, colleges and fitness clubs to find the country’s top cheerleaders. There are apparently 428 cheerleaders with 364 of them having won their places through these competitions.

Out with the old …(though I do find them strangely alluring)

… in training with the new

If you are going ten venues in Beijing will have cheerleading performances during the Games between August 8 and 24. They are: the northern area of the Olympic Green, the National Stadium, the Olympic Sports Center, the Laoshan bike venue, the Wukesong, the Capital Indoor Stadium,the Workers’ Stadium, the Workers’ Indoor Arena, the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Gymnasium, and the Chaoyang Park Beach Volleyball Ground.

Not all these will be sexy students. I believe there will be children’s performances and other more cultural events that are not at all suitable for lascivious thoughts. They’ve all been lumped under the banner of cheerleading so you’d better check

They will also be performing at the following sports: hockey, archery, table tennis, athletics (including marathon and race walking), football, handball, water polo, modern pentathlon (equestrian, running and swimming), bicycling, BMX, baseball, basketball, volleyball, boxing, weightlifting and beach volleyball.