BigVic

Like Sydney, the Beijing Cauldron was removed from the stadium and is now just outside the Bird's Nest.

Glad you enjoyed it. The countdown was from 65,000 years to 0 but it was something special. Talkback radio in Sydney criticised too much emphasis on Aboriginal people at the Opening Ceremony. Liked the Indigenous segments especially the welcome plus it was fitting that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags were raised at the Ceremony too. Overall it was much better than the embarrassment of Glasgow but not as good as Melbourne 2006. The flying whale at the finale was something special. I'd give it a 7.0/10

Bandabi marching with athletes too

I preferred C. Soohorang was popular during the recently-completed Games but the Tokyo 2020 macot will have huge shoes to fill in

I loved it. Outdid Tokyo 2020 just 18 months ago. Thanks to technological advancement, Beijing's Opening Ceremony in 2022 will beat 2008.

The only thumbs down was the local TV coverage from Channel 7 Australia. No Bruce McAvaney and Johanna Griggs (whom are present with 7 in all Olympic Games when 7 have the rights including Rio 2016) and constant replays of figure skating while other events are on. 7 could've used its secondary channels 7Two and 7mate to provide supplementary coverage like what they did in Rio. Overhyping of Aussie gold medal potentials such as Brit Cox (Moguls) only for them to win silver was another thumbs down. Don't like to hear commentators overhyping potential medallists at all. Tokyo 2020 will be the best timezone for Australian viewers for a Summer Games since Beijing with the time zone being 1 hour behind of AWST and 1 hour ahead of AEST.

Live drones.

A solid Olympic Games. I'd give it an A. Lots of highlights and underdog stories to remember such as Germany's run in the men's hockey and the U.S. Men's Curling Team winning gold. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir was my favourite moment in figure skating but my highlights of the Games were USA's unlikely Gold Medal in curling and the USA-CAN Women's Gold Medal game. Shootouts shouldn't decide a Gold Medal Match. Despite postponements in the Alpine Skiing due to winds on the first week, organisation was flawless and perfect. It was a better Olympics than Sochi four years ago. It is the first Winter Olympics held in Asia outside Japan. For my home nation, we equalled our record at Sochi with 3 Medals (2 Silver and 1 Bronze) with my favourite Australian moment being Scotty James taking on Shaun White in the Snowboard halfpipe on Wednesday, 14th February.

It was formed after the playing of "Firebird Suite" and the start of "Ode to Joy" at the finale.

It feels a lot like 1980 all over again.

When the Games are held in Europe and GB, the big events take place in the early hours of the morning in Australia. We are used to waking up in ungodly hours to watch European Football and Champions League matches. Lucky for the next two Olympics in Australia, time zone won't have to be a problem as Tokyo is +1 of AEST and -1 of AWST and Beijing +3 of AEDT and at the +0 of AWST in the summer of 2022 Americans would have to deal with a big time difference for Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2020. Normalcy returns in Paris 2024 when all the swimming/track and field finals are held in the early hours AEST

Empty seats were also an issue in Sochi four years ago. Watching Vancouver 2010 replays on YouTube and seeing every venue filled to the brink makes me sad watching the last two Winter Olympics.

2022 CNY will be on the 1st of February with the Opening Ceremony in the 80,000 seat Birds Nest to be held on Day 4 of CNY. It's an auspicious day with families worshipping gods

On our forum we still have the candidate logo. Official emblem was unveiled less than 2 months before PyeongChang 2018 began. The PC2018 logo was unveiled in May 2013 9 months before Sochi 2014 began.

The Beijing handover ceremony for the 2008 edition at the 2004 Closing Ceremonies in Athens. My 2nd favourite handover ceremony with Tokyo 2020 coming up as #1