Gamertell

With the start of the 2008 Olympics nearing, the world’s eyes are turning toward Beijing for big displays of sportsmanship and brotherhood to unite the world. While the other nation’s teams are preparing in their own ways, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has created a private training facility for the American representatives to not only help them prepare in a familiar way but also to give them a little taste of home. Yes, that means videogames, too.

So far the USOC has spent more than $3 million and at peak operating hours has up to 500 staffers working help American athletes train and unwind. It has all the supplies the athletes would need to stay in peak physical and mental condition. However, training isn’t the only thing that the facility includes.

From one of the pictures of American athletes in the facility, it looks like a university-style rec room. Low, soft lighting is used to set a relaxing glow to the room filled with tables, table-top/card games, big screen TVs and a well-stocked collection of films and video games. When the athletes were seen in the lounge there was a fencer and two volleyball athletes playing Uno while watching Juno. Also, three more fencers and a gymnast played a music video game (probably Rock Band) for more than an hour.

From left to right the people in the photo are Sada Jacobsen, David Durante, Becca Ward and Cody Mattern. The game is probably Rock Band because if you look closely all the controllers including the “mic” that is standard with the game. Also the “guitars” are standard Fender Strat model-shaped where Guitar Hero tends to focus on on famous Gibson models like the Les Paul. As for whether or not it’s the Xbox 360 edition or the Playstation 2/3 edition there is not much to show which edition they’re playing.

Since the Olympics have yet to start, they were probably relaxing between training and other preparations for the upcoming competition. Another reason could be to get to know more of their fellow American athletes on a common ground. While there really wasn’t much in the way of details of what else they might have, it seems that they are well-equipped for downtime.

While the USOC has set up a facility like this at two past Olympics, the buzz from the teams is that the committee as has done its best work ever. Sadam Ali, an American boxer from Brooklyn, has been quoted by the New York Times saying that he feels like he’s in Colorado Springs in the training facility.

One of the other big differences between this training facility and the other standard Olympic training facilities is that individual rooms are set up for sport-specific training instead of areas shared by all types of athletes. This does include a sauna and a gym, which was completely outfitted by 24 Hour Fitness. 24 Hour Fitness sent both equipment and 24 of its own trainers to help out. They also have a separate building for meals, some of which is bought locally while the rest is shipped in. According to the New York Times, the athletes love the facility.

Well, if this helps American athletes become medal-winners, then the $3 million+ is well worth it. We’ll find out at the closing of the Olympics on August 24, 2008. Good luck Team(s) USA and good luck to the rest of the world.

Read [New York Times]

NOTE: Photo from New York Times