Athletics at the 2008 Winter Olympics in Beijing

In the Olympic stadium Usain Bolt demonstrated a crushing superiority on the sprint distances with three gold medals and three world records as a result. Usain Bolt started by winning one of the main events in the athletics competitions - the 100 m race - in a new world record of 9,69 sec. and he thereby broke what had for some years been a magical line of 9,70 sec. His achievement was particularly impressive as he started celebration on the last 20 meters which undoubtedly cost him some time.

Four days later Bolt claimed another Olympic title and world record. This time he broke one of athletics toughest records, namely Michael Johnson's time of 19,32 from the games in Atlanta 1996.

Finally Usain Bolt and his Jamaican compatriots took gold on the 4x100 m and again in a world record time. Usain Bolt's performance in Beijing is without hesitation comparable to the performance of Jesse Owens in Berlin 1936, Bobby Morrows in Melbourne 1956 and Carl Lewis' in Los Angeles 1984.

The athletics events were held in Beijing's new National Stadium - or Birds Nest as it was called. Birds Nest was a fantastic arena with a design inspired by a birds nest and with a construction and appearance dominated by an enormous net of steel beams - 36 km long and 45.000 ton heavy - that were weaved into each other like branches in a nest. Birds Nest had a capacity of 91.000 spectators and covered an area of about 250.000 square kilometres - it is arguably one of the master pieces among the Olympic arenas.

The athletics competitions lasted 10 days and took place in the period from Sunday 15th of August to the 24th. Five world records were set as well as 16 new Olympic records in the 47 events on the agenda. 3000 m steeplechase for women was a new event in Beijing.

In the sprints Jamaica's dominance was not only caused by Usain Bolt. In the men's events Jamaica took gold in 100 m, 200 m and 4x100 m and in the women's events on the 100 m (in fact a triple victory) and on the 200 m. Normally the dominating nation on the short distances would be USA but the Americans disappointed and among other examples of this both of USA's 4x100 m relay teams failed in the preliminary heats due to mistakes in the shifts.

On the long running distances the runners from Ethiopia dominated as expected and on 5.000 m and 10.000 m they won all four gold medals with double victories for Tirunesh Dibaba in the women's events and Kenenisa Bekele in the men's.

In the women's pole vault the defending champion and double world champion, Elena Isinbayeva from Russia, showed impressive force by retaining her gold from Athens 2004 and by setting a new world record of 5,05 m.

Despite some disappointments USA finished as best nation in the athletics events with a total of seven gold medals. Jamaica and Russia were close behind each with six gold medals. Kenya won five and Ethiopia four events.