Beach Volleyball Court Size - What Are the Correct Measurements to Set Up?

Playing beach volleyball is a fun and exciting sport, for both competition and recreation. Instead of being cooped up in a building or gym, go outside into the fresh air and feel the sand between your toes, as you play one of the world's favorite sports. You will be addicted, and if that addiction leads you to build your own personal sand court then you need to know the correct dimensions. Serious players need a worthy court to play on.

Beach volleyball court size differs from indoor volleyball courts in several ways, including the feeling of diving into sand for that famous dig, versus slamming into a hardwood floor! The court should be a rectangle shape that measures 16 x 8 meters, or if you are not used to the metric system, 52'6" x 26'3". Indoor volleyball is 1 meter narrower and 2 meters shorter in length, which gives you a bit more room to maneuver with sand.

When building a sand court, boundaries are very important. The court is marked with two endlines and two sidelines, there is no center line. All the lines are 5 to 8 centimeters wide or 2 to 3.75 inches. Lines should be some kind of sturdy material and contrast sharply with the sand, so they are easy to see. The beach volleyball court size is also bigger than an indoor court because the sand boundaries, outside the lines, are larger as well. You don't want your players diving across a line to make a save and hitting rocks or cement. There should be a 3 meter perimeter around the actual court, and for professional competition there must be a minimum of 4 meters on all sides.
There are several other measurements to remember for beach volleyball that include...

Beach Volleyball Court Size - What Are the Correct Measurements to Set Up?

o Net Height - Men - 2.43 meters (7'll 5/8")
Women - 2.24 meters (7'4 1/8")

o Sand should be at least 40 centimeters deep and made up of fine, loosely compact grains. The sand needs to be leveled and uniform, so there are no holes, dips or valleys to contend with.

o The sand should be free of anything that could harm competitors (i.e. glass, rocks, etc.)

o Net posts need to be round and smooth, padded if possible, for the safety and protection of players.

Whether you are a recreational player or a world class competitor, having the correct beach volleyball court size requirements is necessary to the game. As a professional, knowing the boundaries improves skills and is an asset. If you are an amateur but have a love for the game and want a place to invite family and friends for a friendly match, then you know what you are in for in building your own. Either way, get out and play!

Beach Volleyball Court Size - What Are the Correct Measurements to Set Up?
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What Does it Take to Become a Successful Athlete

Many athletes go through their sporting career without ever reaching their full potential. Many realize that being a successful athlete requires more than just practicing the necessary skills for their sport.

How is Success Defined? Success is the ability of the athlete to achieve a high level of performance every time they are in a competitive situation. It is the ability to consistently produce their best performance day after day and to continually improve. It is also the ability to maintain a high level of performance when faced with various challenges whether from within or from an external source.

Being successful means being able to consistently perform each required skill at a level that is demanded of the athlete when in battle. Success is achieving goals and then formulating longer term goals to be achieved.

What Does it Take to Become a Successful Athlete

Success is often defined by an athlete's results over their career. Success in sports should not be defined by monetary gain. Remember that the key to success is consistency. It is also being able to enjoy what you are doing in your sport.

How to be successful - First of all the athlete should set goals and know where he or she wants to go within their sport. Without goals, you have nothing to achieve and progress. These goals need to be specific to your sport and realistic. Set goals for the short, intermediate and long term. Each time you achieve one of these goals then you have been successful.

Understand what is required to be successful.By this I mean you have to conduct a needs analysis of your sport by analysing the skills that need to be learned and mastered. To be the best you can be you have to strive to achieve your best in every area of the game.

Be disciplined in everything you do. Be disciplined in arriving early for practice, having your equipment ready and in working order, following through on your designated tasks for each day, and setting the standard for others around you to follow your high expectations. If faced by cheating or confrontational opponents; the athlete is disciplined enough not to retaliate and lose their focus.

Evaluate your goals on a daily basis as well as your performance. Learn that some days are better than others but are not a sign of permanent deteriorating performance levels. Evaluate how your body responds to new training methods and exercises. Evaluate your progression in each fitness component and adjust any variables that need to be changed. Be honest and precise in your evaluations as you will only be cheating yourself. Evaluate what areas need to be improved on.

Self-belief is essential. You have to believe in what you are doing. Be honest with yourself and assess how your are going with achieving your goals.

You must have fun and enjoy what you are doing. You have to love what you are doing. If you don't, then you need to evaluate and assess the reasons for being involved in the sport. Playing, training and competing should be fun even when faced with difficult challenges. The athlete should look forward to the next days practice sessions and really misses their sport when taking a break.

You understand the importance of rest and recovery. The athlete understands that they need to take periodic breaks from their sport. While on these breaks they assess their goals and look forward to returning to playing again.The athlete understands what their body is telling them and accepts these messages.

Self-discipline is a key component to being successful. Having the discipline to do whatever you have to and make what ever sacrifices necessary to perform at your best when in competition.

Self-realization is simply being the best athlete you can be. Your success will be unlimited once you believe in yourself and what you are doing. You are in control of your own destiny and you must control what you say, what you do, and how you react both on and off the playing field.

Success is defined in many ways but success shouldn't be defined by monetary gain. Many athletes are successful without making a living from their sport.

What Does it Take to Become a Successful Athlete
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David Horne is a former professional tennis player who has created several online sports web sites including Global Sports Zone which is the Ultimate Sports Directory for all sports fans! You can also visit the global web site for Tennis Coaching at Global Sports Coaching

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Celebration For Success Ideas

Planning on-going fun and celebration at work, with your family or friends is an excellent way to do group mental flossing. These ideas have been known to improve relationships, enhance creativity, make people feel appreciated, and build an invisible web of goodwill.

Most of the ideas below come from a survey of the most popular ideas used at medium to large organizations in North America. All the ideas have actually been tried, and more importantly, they have been accepted with joy and appreciation and have produced positive results for the organizations that tried them. Use these ideas or let them inspire you to customize your own for your group environment. Most of them cost little or nothing and require virtually no time beyond informing people about what's happening. You can weave them into your day or use them to plan a special event. The most important thing is to not just talk about these ideas, but actually do them.

A. Fun Rituals:

Celebration For Success Ideas

1. Champagne Celebration: Maybe the office has just landed that big, long-fought-for account, or, perhaps the division has just had a productive week together. Why not celebrate working together---for any reason---with some champagne (or sparkling grape juice if you prefer)?

2. Kazoo Applause: At Apple Computers, during a quarterly meeting, they gave out kazoos to the whole group. Rather than applauding by clapping hands (how passé!), they hummed their acknowledgment with kazoos. How about trying slide whistles instead of gavels for formal meetings? In fact, how about asking for a standing ovation . . . right now?!

3. Noses: There are a variety of rubber animal noses and red foam or plastic clown noses---bring 'em in and wear for staff meetings, tough times, on Fridays, etc.

4. Laugh a Day: The corporate office of Bank of America issued a "Laugh a Day Challenge" to all its Northern California employees. For the entire month of April, employees were challenged to bring in a joke or cartoon every day to share with their co-workers. Those people successfully completing the Challenge were given a Corporate Challenge T-Shirt, and a book, internally published, filled with the best responses. [It's important to note the spirit of the "challenge" NOT the "competition". They weren't looking for the best jokes to "win", but simply the willingness to participate. Thus everyone wins, even the employees who did not bring in jokes, but who nonetheless got to hear them.]

5. Thanks in Advance: Sure we enjoy and deserve to celebrate and be acknowledged for our contributions when we retire. But, why wait?! How about a party and a celebration on the first day of a person's joining your company/organization? What a great way to set the tone and include them as a member of the team.

6. Contests: Try these at lunchtime or at social events: Balloon shaving, Lip synch, Air band (or air orchestra), Worst Hair Day, Giant bubbles, Golf course.

7. Secret Pal: Have everyone in the office/organization/division/etc. write his/her name, address, phone number, birth date (actual date of birth for those with nothing to hide!), and a short list of things they like (such as: flowers, sports, chocolate, funny hats, exotic post cards, music, etc.). Fold and put slips in a hat. Then each person picks a slip --- making sure that no one has picked their own name (if so, all slips go back in and try again). Once all slips are distributed and everyone has someone else's name, the fun begins! You are the Secret Pal to the person whose name you've picked. Over the course of the Secret Pal experience (we recommend at least three months) your "mission" is to do creative, spontaneous, fun, and enlivening things for your partner...all anonymously of course. You might send flowers to his/her home; leave a note on her desk about how much you enjoy working together, or admire her professional competence, or appreciate his contributions to the organization; or, perhaps, simply send a Valentine's card in September with a note that you just couldn't wait until February to send your love. The important thing is to make it fun and uplifting--and impossible for your partner to guess who their Secret Pal is. And, of course, the extra special fun is that while you are being a Secret Pal to your lucky partner, someone else in the group is your Secret Pal, and is doing fun things for you! At the end of the predetermined time span, have a public event where Secret Pals are revealed.

B. Theme Days:

1. Clothes: Hats; socks (one only? mismatched?); tacky tourist; tacky/ugly tie; clashing clothes; have Casual Dress Day once a week/month. (it's a way to acknowledge those "secret identities" we all seem to have; the sides of ourselves that our friends see, but that our co-workers--who, let's face it, we may actually spend more time with---rarely get to see). In Hawaii, on occasion even the television newscasters wear Aloha shirts rather than "business clothing" during broadcasts. It's a real nod to the playful, joie de vivre spirit in all of us; certain colors (eg. one color, or color family only, ebony & ivory, etc.); inside-out; crazy T-shirts; pajamas; eccentric accessories.

2. Food: Have a backward meal; notes on orange rind; hot dog bananas; use food colors to change colors of food (blue potatoes? purple pasta?); senior management can cook and serve food to employees; do-it-yourself banana splits; gourmet lunch; food Olympics...

3. Celebrate: Special holidays; un-birthdays; Tuesdays; your giggling friends; standing ovations (at meetings, in the cafeteria); crazy awards (to bosses, to employees, part-time staff); a person's first day on the job; airport arrivals; Christmas in July; summer beach party in February; helium balloons (notes inside, give 'em away, decorate or write messages on the outside); .00 present anonymous gift exchange; celebrity for a day; decorate your boss' office...

4. Flowers: Bring 'em in to adorn the office; give 'em away with a note of acknowledgment; have a bouquet that someone keeps for an hour and then passes on to the next person; balloon bouquets...

5. Photos: (baby, pets, cars, kids) For the bulletin board; for newsletters; awards meetings; the training room.

6. Special Person Days: Secretaries Day celebrations; Family Day: bring in photos or bring in the family for lunch, have a lunch out; special office picnic day; Gopher Day: delegate things to people (ie, will you please go-fer this or that) or, if you come in and see your shadow, you leave and don't return to work for six weeks; offer massages on April 30...

7. Be Kind to Others Day: (Of course this should really be every day!) Do spontaneous, anonymous kind things for each other---eg., clean all the tea cups in the staff room; finish a colleagues report; finish your assistant's filing...

8. Excuses: Put up a sheet of paper and ask people to contribute the best excuse they've ever heard or given for: being late, returning merchandise, not paying their bill, etc. (use a real one, or make one up)

9. Awards: Night Each person gets given the name of someone else at work. They choose an award title and a fitting prize to go with it. Choose upbeat, non put-down prizes. Here are some examples of titles and awards:

o Best blow-dried hair...can of salon mousse.

o Perkiest phone voice...new phone headset.

o Most good-natured morning person...gift certificate for 10 cups of chai at local tea shop.

o Most legible handwriting... pen embossed with their name and company name.

C. On Going:

1. Humor Area: Create laugh books (people write in funny anecdotes and non-toxic jokes; bind them and distribute at the end of the quarter or year); cartoon corner; jokes/cartoons on memos and newsletters; smile more; cartoon treasuries or funny magazines in waiting areas and bathrooms; laughter cart; a laughter room; comedy library of books, CD's and DVD's...

2. Games: Non-competitive/cooperative games; charades; skits; secret word (upon hearing the word, everybody crosses legs or looks up or changes seats, etc.); treasure hunt...

3. The Great Job Exchange: Trade jobs, clothes, offices for a day. OK, OK, at least try an hour. 10 minutes?

4. Elevators: Smile, introduce people to each other (you don't have to know them either) face everyone else; have cartoons on the side walls call an elevated meeting.

5. What's Good?: Begin meetings by asking each person "What's going good in your dept?"

6. Joy Break Box: Instead of having coffee or tea at 3:15, take ten minutes off to do, read or play something fun (read a novel, thumb through a "Far Side" cartoon book, check out the movie pages for a comedy film to see later, listen to a comedy tape on your headphones); try to have a rule: "no-work-talk" on breaks; create a Joybreak Committee to plan occasional group break-time interactions and activities.

7. Stroll Meetings: For 2-3 person meetings, go on a walk together in nature
(bring a mini recorder to capture ideas and decisions for the minutes).

8. Best Mistakes: Stories allot 5 minutes during meetings for people to share any recent embarrassing or funny stories from their work or personal life.

9. Mural: Put up a large piece of paper in a common area. Pick a theme and ask people to contribute to it over a period of time. They can draw pictures, doodles, write words, poetry, paste magazine clippings, etc.

10. Lunchtime Fun: Go out to lunch with co-workers all wearing noses or fun hats. Give an outrageously good tip to the waiter. Sing the waiter a song for doing such a good job.

11. Unbirthdays (pick anyone and give them a surprise birthday party)

12. Decorate the boss's office with streamers, flowers and balloons

13. Way to Go notes: Have you ever wanted to tell someone what you admire, respect or appreciate about them, but never got around to it? Create a large envelope for each person at work and put them in a common area. Each week invite everyone to write notes of specific acknowledgment to their bosses, employees or even service providers--where you have caught them doing something right. Put your notes in the appropriate envelope. After one month, everyone opens their envelopes.

14. Caption Contest: Put up a cartoon without the caption on the staff area bulletin board. Invite people to make up a new caption that fits the cartoon. As people go through their day they can read what other people wrote and add to the list.

Celebration For Success Ideas
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Carla Rieger is an expert on creative people skills at work. Carla speaks at association conferences, sales conventions, staff in-service days, continuing education program and does leadership coaching helping workplace leaders keep their employees engaged. Contact info: http://www.carlarieger.com carla@carlarieger.com, or 604-222-2276.

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Interesting Facts About Bolivia's Sports

Did You Know...

Like Un Yong Kim (South Korea), Sheik Fahad Al-Sabah (Kuwait) and Joao Havelange (Brazil), José Gamarra Zorrilla was one of the best Olympic leaders in the Third World. He played a major role in promoting the values of sports in Bolivia and Latin America. José dedicated his life to fight against indifference to sports and the deplorable condition of the athletes in Bolivia. His country is one of the Third World`s poorest countries. Furthermore, Bolivia has had a record 194 attempted coups. However, under his leadership, several international congress and events were organized in La Paz, Cochabamba, Oruro and Santa Cruz de la Sierra. José was president of the Organizing Committee of the La Paz Bolivarian Games (1977) and for the South American Games in Bolivia (1978). As president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee (1970-1982), he led Bolivia to the best result ever in its history: 106 medals in the South American Games. He headed the Bolivian delegation at the Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. Many South Americans consider José Gamarra Zorrilla as the greatest South American Olympic leader of the 20th century.

This country had great sportspersons: Mario Martinez (tennis), Alan Saunders (nordic skiing), Milton Coimbra (football), Maria Ortuno (basketball), Giovanna Morejon Irusta (athletics), Ramiro Benavides (tennis), Anthony Iglesias (diving), Johnny Pérez (athletics), Scott Sanchez Saunders (nordic skiing), Oswaldo Morejon (track and field), William Arencibia (taekwondo), Erwin Sánchez (football), Ricardo Ramos (nordic skiing), Guadalupe Yañez (basketball), Betty Saavedra (basketball), Juan Rodrigo Camacho (athletics), Marco Etcheverry (football), Katherine Moreno (swimming), Roberto Nielsen Reyes (equestrian) and Billy Farwing Aranoa (nordic skiing).

Interesting Facts About Bolivia's Sports

Bolivia sent 7 sportspeople to the Winter Olympic Games in 1988. The South American skiers were Manuel Aramayo, Guillermo Avila Paz, Jaime Bascon, Jorge Bejarano, Enrique Montaño, Pedro Tichaver and Luis Vizcarra.

Julia Iriarte is the greatest Bolivian athlete of all time. Why? She won 5 gold and 3 silver medals at the 1947 Bolivarian Games in Lima, Peru. She became the star of the Games. Her gold medals were in the 80m hurdles, discus throw, shot put, long jump and high jump. Her homecoming was a huge success . After she was invited by president Enrrique Hertzog to the Government Palace (Palacio Quemado). She also won five gold medals in the South American Athletics Championships in La Paz in 1948. Under her coach, George Voeg , she broke several national records during the 1940s. Unfortunately, she did not compete at the 1948 Olympic Games in Helsinki (Finland). She was born in Cochabamba, Bolivia on December 20, 1919 to Placido Iriarte and Clara Velasco.

Bolivia participated at the 1979 Spartakiade of the Nations of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

From 1980 to 1984, the Bolivian government destroyed the sport. The South American athletes were not allowed to compete in the Olympics in 1980. Many sportspeople who had trained for years for the Games felt great frustration. Among these athletes were: Johnny Pérez (track and field), Luis Dario Vasquez (fencing), Mary Rojas (athletics), Walter Quiroga (shooting), Linda Spents (track and field), Isidro Guarachi (boxing), Walter Quispe (boxing), Edgar Cueto (cycling), Jean Young Kim Song (judo) and Antonieta Arizaga (swimming). Ironically, the USSR -host Olympic nation- subsidized Third World's Olympic teams (Tanzania -one of the Africa`s poorest countries- sent 41 sportspersons). For political reasons, Bolivia also did not participate in the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas (Venezuela). For the first time since 1971, athletes from Bolivia did not took part in a Pan American. Unlike athletes from Haiti, Nicaragua, Chad and Sierra Leone ,Bolivian athletes had problems to go to Olympics Games in 1984.

Johnny Perez took part in the 1978 South American Games in La Paz, Bolivia, winning three gold medals in athletics, in 1,500m, 5,000m and 3,000m steeplechase.

The La Paz Olympic Stadium is one of the most modern in Latin America and the Caribbean. Among the athletes who have competed in the Olympic Stadium are Romario de Souza Faria (soccer/ Brazil), Joao Carlos de Oliveira (athletics /Brazil), José Luis Chilavert (soccer /Paraguay), Tito Stenier (athletics /Argentina), Edith Noeding (track and field/ Peru) and Carlos Caetano Bledron Verri (soccer/ Brazil).

Giovanna Morejon Irusta finished 16th in the 20-kilometer walk at the 2003 World Athletics Championships in Paris, France.

Katherine Moreno was one of the youngest swimmers at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.

The Bolivian team won the silver medal at the South American Basketball Championship and qualified for the World Women's Basketball Championship in 1978 in Seoul (South Korea). Bolivia qualified for a world tournament for the first time.The heroines were: Janeth Blanco Saavedra, Betty Saavedra Zaconeta, Daysy Chucatini Torrico, Liceo Rojas Arteaga, Norma Zambrano Siles, Elizabeth Navia Ledesma, Guadalupe Yañez Heredia, Tania Claros Vargas, Antonieta Gudmanson Torres, Judith Quiñones Miranda and Vania Claros de Justinino.

Bolivia sent only one athlete (Fernando Inchauste Montalvo/ kayak) to the Summer Olympics in 1960.

From 1971 to 1979, 500 Bolivian athletes participated in international tournaments and competitions.

Like Hortencia Maria de Fatima Marcari (Brazil) and Carol Turney (Canada), Guadalupe Yañez was one of the best basketball players in the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan de Puerto Rico.

Erwin Sanchez was one of the most important football players in Bolivia in the 1990s.

From 1975 to 1977, more than 25 foreign coaches helped to train Bolivian sportspeople in preparation for the international competitions (Olympic Games, Bolivarian Games, Pan American Games and South American Games). The coaches were: Bornj Wangemann (athletics/ West Germany), Mike Lucero (basketball/ USA), Paul Gonzalez (basketball/ USA), Stanislav Golubkov (boxing/ USSR), Heriberto Diaz (cycling/ Mexico), Pedro Escobar (equestrian / Chile), Stanislav Spyra (fencing/ Poland), Walter Madel (fencing/ West Germany), Eduardo Virba (football/ West Germany), Dale Cutler (gymnastics/ USA), Donald Howorth (gymnastics/ USA), Pedro Ortega (gymnastics/ Mexico), Jasuhido Takasuka (judo/ Japan), Benigno Marquez (wrestling/ Venezuela), Karol Czarkoswki (weightlifting/ Poland), Wu Yu Yung (swimming/ Taiwan), Yadwiga Czarkoswka (swimming/ Poland), Adolfo Coronado (swimming/ Ecuador), Francis Conway (shooting/ USA), Nicolay Durnev (shooting/ USSR), Cselaw Gajdamovicz (volleyball/ Poland), Tien Heing Hisch (volleyball/ China), Chiu Chiao Chi (volleyball/ Taiwan) and Lin Chou Nou (volleyball/ China).

Interesting Facts About Bolivia's Sports
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Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer.Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He´ve studied political science and journalism.He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, Olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso". He is an expert on foreign affairs. Furthermore, Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latina America.

He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). His favorite film is "Gorillas in the Mist".Some of his favorite books are "The Return of Eva Peron and the Killings in Trinidad" (by V.S.Naipaul), "Las Mujeres de los Dictadores" (by Juan Gasparini) and "Murder of a Gentle Land" (by John Barron and Anthony Paul). His personal motto is "The future is for those people who believe in the beauty o f their dreams" by Eleanor Roosevelt.

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London 2012 Olympics: The Kingdom of Tonga - An Olympic Nation in the South Pacific

Discovering Olympic Countries: Tonga

Officially known as the Kingdom of Tonga (also known as the Friendly islands), the archipelago lies in the Western South Pacific, between Niue (overseas territory of New Zealand) and the island-nation of Fiji, being one of Oceania's last monarchies and among the smallest states in the region. The tiny nation consists of a chain of 170 volcanic islands. There are more than 100,000 inhabitants. On June 4, 1970, the archipelago became the world's youngest state when it gained full independence from the United Kingdom. Nuku'alofa is the national capital and largest city.

Politically, it is an ally of America's administration since the early 1970s. Furthermore, Tonga is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Like most of Oceania's island-nations, this land possesses picture-postcard beaches and rich marine life. On the economic side, it is one of the least-developed places in the region. On the other hand, Tonga's long dream of competing in the Summer Olympics occurred in 1984 when it sent a group of fledgling athletes to Los Angeles (CA).

London 2012 Olympics: The Kingdom of Tonga - An Olympic Nation in the South Pacific

Sport in Tonga: From Rugby to Football

Sport was influenced in large part by the United Kingdom when the archipelago was a Briton protectorate. With the exception of rugby, the island's Olympic sport has a low profile on the continent of Oceania since 2000.

There are five popular Olympic sports on the South Pacific island-nation: soccer (or football), athletics, boxing, weightlifting, and tennis. In recent decades, water sports are a favorite outdoor activity on the island, from aquatics to sailing. Netball is other important sport, especially among women. Nonetheless, the islanders have a "big passion" for rugby -certainly a Briton legacy--- having qualified for the international meets. Since then, this European sport is the country's national pastime as happens in most of Oceania's independent states and dependencies. In fact, football has become a favorite sport for the island's population, who are avid soccer watchers when the men's national football team of Tonga plays, especially during the pre-Cup World tournaments (at home and abroad).

Tonga's major Olympic heroes are Tevita Taufoou and Peae Takaunove Wolfgramm (both boxers). The nation's Olympian athletes majority have been boxers, weightlifters, and sprinters. Like Swaziland's Olympic delegation, the national athletes sometimes wear traditional dresses and "leis" - it is made of flowers (orchids & jazmine) strung together-- as necklaces during the Parade of Nations. Aside from attending the Summer Olympics, the Tongan Olympic Committee competes in the Olympic-type South Pacific Games, and other multi-sport events such as the World University Games and the traditional Commonwealth Games (an event for entries from Anglophone countries).

Tonga At the Summer Games

Most of Tonga's population seem to have an athletic type for sports such as judo, wrestling, weightlifting, boxing, and field events (and American football, of course), Curiously, they are taller and stronger than the other islanders of the Pacific South. Due to this, there are some interesting performances in boxing despite being a sport without international experience.

On the global stage, the first Olympic islanders were who participated in the Games of the 23rd Olympiad in 1984 in Southern California, America (where there is one of the largest Tongan communities outside the archipelago). Its long-awaited international debut was interesting especially when its national star, the fighter Tevita Taufoou, was able to qualify for the first rounds and then to emerge as one of the world's top five boxers in the heavyweight category (91kg/120lbs). He was a key member of the nation's seven-male delegation at Los Angeles '84, an Olympiad boycotted by the Kremlin and its Soviet proxies. Once back on Tongan soil, Tevita was a focus of national pride in Nuku'alofa.

In California, Tevita was one of the most prominent athletes from Oceania in the Olympic Boxing Championship, paving the way for future fighters on the island of Tonga, which just occurred in the mid-1990s when an islander, of German heritage, put the Tongan flag on the sporting map of the world after becoming Olympic silver medalist.

By 1988, a handful of athletes made a trip to Korea to attend the Summer Games, the second Olympian participation by a Tongan squad. In Far East, Siolilo Vao Ikavuka was the first Olympic sportswoman to represent Tonga, a country which was a pioneer in the women's rights when the legendary Queen Salote Tupou III came to power in the first half of the 20th century. It was a milestone in the history of Tonga's sports. Prior to her participation in the women's discus throw in South Korea, where placed in 21st (last), Miss Siolilo defeated many other hopefuls for the chance to become Tonga's first Olympic sportswoman.

Exactly four years on, a handful of national champs were invited to attend the 1992 Summer Olympics on Barcelonese soil, competing in track-and field and weightlifting.

Peae Takaunove Wolfgramm: A National Hero

Without a doubt, the Island's finest hour came during the Atlanta Centennial Games in July 1996 as Tonga became the third nation from Oceania (among 18 independent states and dependencies), behind only Australia and New Zealand, to gain an international status as an Olympic medalist on the global stage upon capturing a boxing medal with Mr. Wolfgramm. No other Tongan had ever won a major medal on the global stage. Tonga sent only five representatives to America, competing in athletics, boxing, and weightlifting.

Wolfgramm came to America promising to compete with Olympic spirit and giving the island something to be proud of itself. He was runner-up to Ukraine's national champ Vladimir Klitchko in men's super heavyweight category in the 1996 Boxing Championship, after beating notable fighters in the first rounds and semis respectively and teaching the world a lesson of Olympic spirit. Aleksei Lezin of Russia and Duncan Dokiwari from Nigeria were bronze medalists in the Global Tournament, respectively. Because of Wolfgramm's single medal, the Anglophone nation was one of the 61st most important Olympic delegations at Atlanta'96, surpassing Mexico, Puerto Rico, and India.

Few days prior t the 1996 Atlanta Games, the Wall Street Journal's sportswriters Roger Thurow and Jonathan Buck wrote an interesting article about Tonga's hope Olympics on Georgian soil and putting Wolfgramm as the nation's main athlete. Following his triumph at Georgia, Wolfgramm was to become a national celebrity by Tonga's people, who had watched only achievements of Fiji's golfer Vijay Singh or when Guam's national delegate, Kimberley Santos, was crowned as the 30th Miss World at London in November 1980.

At the 2000 Australia Games, there were Olympics from Tonga. The national team's September 2000 trip to Sydney was the island's fifth participation in Olympian history. From 2004 to 2008, the English-speaking nation was represented by eighth entries --- almost all were eliminated in the first rounds at 2004 Athens and Beijing 2008.

Tonga will attend the London 2012 Games with a handful of athletes. Because of its poor performance in the pre-Olympic meets, however, most of the island's representatives will be invited by the International Olympic Committee. Ana Po'uhila, a shot put thrower, is the most remarkable athlete, having won two medals (gold and bronze) at the 2011 South Pacific Games on New Caledonia.

London 2012 Olympics: The Kingdom of Tonga - An Olympic Nation in the South Pacific
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Alejandro Guevara Onofre: Within a span of three years, Alejandro has produced a host of high-quality articles/essays about cultures of the world, "re-discovering countries" and exploring exotic locations -from Chad to Vietnam, from Kosovo to the paradise island of Dominica - and new biographies (from such disparate individuals as Halle Berry, José Gamarra Zorrilla...). He also has made a name for himself as an expert on Summer Olympics, becoming the top "Olympian author" at Ezinearticles.com; stories based on athletic perseverance and Olympian spirit in global sports, including the United States of America. Under this backdrop, he has declared himself as "the world's No. 1 fan of the Olympics". As a keen sports fan, he says "I am passionate about sport--writing about it, playing it, watching it, and talking..."

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Olympic Sport List - The Complete List of the Beijing Olympic Sports

Beijing Olympics A Moment In History

The Beijing Olympics will take place August 8-24, 2008, in Beijing, China. During this time the Olympic sport list consists of 28 summer sports. There are also roughly 10,500 athletes that are projected to partake in the Games, with around 20,000 credited media bringing the Olympics to the world.

Here is the Olympic Sport List:

Olympic Sport List - The Complete List of the Beijing Olympic Sports

Archery
Athletics
Badminton
Baseball
Basketball
Beach Volleyball
Boxing
Canoe/Kayak Flatwater
Canoe/Kayak Slalom
Cycling BMX
Cycling Mountain Bike
Cycling Road
Cycling Track
Diving
Equestrian
Fencing
Football
Gymnastics Artistic
Gymnastics Rhythmic
Trampoline
Handball
Hockey
Judo
Modern Pentathlon
Rowing
Sailing
Shooting
Softball
Swimming
Synchronized Swimming
Table Tennis
Tae kwon do
Tennis
Triathlon
Volleyball
Water Polo
Weightlifting
Wrestling

There are 302 different events in these 28 sports. The 2008 Beijing Olympics will mark this the third time that the Olympic events will have been held in the territories of two dissimilar National Olympic Committees. One event will be held in Hong Kong

Athletes from Hong Kong nevertheless are flying the flag of Hong Kong even though Hong Kong is not an independent state.

The opening which occurred on August 8, 2008, all but one (Brunei) of the current 205 National Olympic Committees will take part. China and the United States have the biggest teams, with 639 and 596 competitors in that order. Quite a lot of countries are represented at the games by a single athlete.

Of 195 independent countries, only three did not take part: Brunei, Kosovo and Vatican City. Another three countries participated for their first time in history: The Marshall Islands, Montenegro and Tuvalu.

The agenda for the Beijing 2008 Games is rather like to that of the Athens Games held in 2004. The 2008 Olympics will see the arrival of 28 sports, and will hold 302 events (165 men's events, 127 women's events, and 10 mixed events), one event more in total than in Athens.

Olympic Sport List - The Complete List of the Beijing Olympic Sports
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The Olympics have always held out to many the ability of man-kind to unite and celebrate in the spirit of sport. It is also a means for all of us to understand the importance of not only developing our mind but our bodies as well.

To learn more about how to build muscle and get in shape for any sport visit http://www.build-muscle-guide.com there you will find tons of FREE information, videos, tips and more that will guide you along the way. Keep the spirit of the First Olympic Sports alive.

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