Timeline August 2008

Events in August 2008 11

• 1918 – 2008 Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008) Died 3 August 2008, aged 89 Russian novelist and Nobel laureate whose works, including The Gulag Archipelago, exposed the brutality of the Soviet labor camp system. His writing and exile from the USSR made him one of the twentieth century's most significant literary dissidents.
• 1927 – 2008 Phil Hill The American Champion The first American-born driver to win the Formula 1 World Championship (1961).
• 1942 – 2008 Isaac Hayes (1942-2008) Died 10 August 2008, aged 65 American singer, songwriter and musician whose soul soundtrack for Shaft won an Academy Award and helped define 1970s funk. He was also known to a later generation as the voice of Chef on South Park.
• 2007 – 2008 The Police reunion tour 30th anniversary One of the highest-grossing tours ever, ending at Madison Square Garden.
• 2008 US Open 2008 Men: Roger Federer · Women: Serena Williams Federer's 5th consecutive US Open title.
• 2008 Russo-Georgian War Five-day war over South Ossetia Fighting broke out between Georgia and Russia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia on 7 August 2008. Russian forces pushed deep into Georgian territory before a French-brokered ceasefire ended the conflict on 16 August.
• 2008 2008 Summer Olympics XXIX Olympiad - Beijing Michael Phelps breaks Spitz's record with 8 golds. Winner: China.
• 2008 Beijing Olympic Games China announces itself to the world The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics opened on 8 August 2008 with a spectacular ceremony watched by an estimated 1 billion people. China topped the gold medal table with 51 golds. The games were China's symbolic coming-out party as a global superpower — a showcase of its economic achievement, organisational capability and national pride. The Bird's Nest stadium and Water Cube became global architectural icons.
• 2008 Beijing Olympics China hosts spectacular Summer Games The Beijing Olympic Games opened on 08/08/08 with a spectacular ceremony. China topped the gold medal table for the first time. Michael Phelps won 8 gold medals — a single Games record.
• 2008 Usain Bolt breaks 100m world record 9.69 seconds in Beijing Usain Bolt of Jamaica broke the 100m world record at the Beijing Olympics on August 16, 2008, clocking 9.69 seconds while celebrating before the finish line. He later ran 9.58 in Berlin 2009.
• 2008 Sarah Palin named Republican vice-presidential nominee Alaska governor joins McCain's ticket John McCain selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate on 29 August 2008. The surprise pick energized conservative voters and made Palin a prominent national figure.