Three events that seem to grab international attention also coincide the leap year of 2008. They are: the United States presidential election, the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games. Just like a leap year, these events tend to occur every four years.
Illustration based on artwork from ©iStockphoto.com/Juan Monino,Stephan Rothe, Oey Yu Kwok & Igor Smichkov
United States Presidential Election
The United States presidential election occurred on November 4, 2008. It was the 56th election for the president and vice-president of the United States. This election coincided with other elections within the United States, including the elections of many Senate seats and the House of Representatives' seats.
Held every four years, the presidential election involves extensive campaigns and media attention. President Barack Obama was elected as the first African American president in United States history as a result of the 2008 elecion. The year 2008 was also the first time since 1928 that an election had neither a current president nor a current vice-president running for their party. The first presidential election in the United States was held in 1789, when one of the nation’s “founding fathers” George Washington was voted as the country’s first president. George W Bush, who was a former governor of Texas, currently serves as the 43rd president of the nation.Olympic Games
The 2008 Olympic Summer Games was in Beijing, China, from August 8-24, 2008. A torch relay, which plays a symbolic and crucial role in celebrating the Olympic Games, marked the opening of the event. In Sydney 2000, the torch flame journeyed underwater in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and covered the longest distance in the Games’ history.
Olympic athletes from different countries, such as Australia, China, Japan, South Africa and the United States, competed for medals in a wide range of sports. These sports include: athletics, aquatics, archery, boxing, gymnastics, judo, tennis, volleyball and weight lifting.History of the Modern Olympics
In 1894 Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee. Two years later, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece. The revival of the ancient Olympics attracted athletes from 14 nations, with delegations from countries including Germany and France.
Paralympic Games
Beijing also hosted the Paralympic Games, held from September 6-17, 2008. The Paralympics are elite sport events for athletes from six different disability groups. Athletes include those with mobility disabilities, visual disabilities, cerebral palsy and amputees.
This event focuses on the athletes’ achievements rather than their disabilities. Paralympic sports include: archery, athletics, swimming, table tennis, and volleyball. The Paralympic Games are always held in the same year as the Olympic Games. From the 2012 onwards, the city chosen to host the Olympic Games must host the Paralympics.History of the Paralympic Games
In 1948 German-born neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttmann organized a sports competition involving World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries in England. An international movement was born as a result of Guttmann’s efforts. In 1960 athletes with a disability travelled to Rome to compete in Olympic-style games, which are now known as the Paralympics. The Paralympics have proven to be increasingly popular over time. More than 3800 athletes from 136 countries competed in the Paralympics in Athens, Greece, in 2004.
More information
- Why and When Leap Years are Used
- About Leap Day – February 29
- Leap Day – Famous Birthdays and Events
- February 30 Was a Real Date
Further reading
Calendar tools
- Calendar for 2010
- Calendar Generator – Create a calendar for any year
- Repeating calendars – Which years share the same calendar?
