By Diego Lombera MartÍnez, Junior Sales Representative, Johnson & Johnson Medical Mexico, blogging from Beijing

Moving around Beijing is really easy but not always simple. When I got to China, I had my Olympic accreditation from Johnson & Johnson that allows me get into the Olympic Green and also free tickets for the subway.

Moving around Beijing is really easy but not always simple. When I got here I had my Olympic accreditation from Johnson & Johnson that allows me get into the Olympic Green and also free tickets for the subway.

The Olympic Green is like a small city specially designed for the Olympic Games, it’s the place where you find most of the venues in Beijing and the Johnson & Johnson pavilion, which really impressed me. The only way to get in is by subway or in case you are an athlete by car. I try to take the subway to get anywhere; it’s clearn, efficient, but sometimes it can get very crowded when there is an athletic event. Before I get into the subway a policeman checks my bags and I have to pass it thru a magnetic detector, and the same thing happens before I get into the Olympic green.

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By Diego Lombera MartÍnez, Junior Sales Representative, Johnson & Johnson Medical Mexico, blogging from Beijing. Photos by Maria Keilar, Senior Specialist, Media Asset Management, Johnson & Johnson

The night before my flight to China, it was almost impossible for me to get some sleep – first because I was so excited and second because I had to wake early in the morning to get my flight. I thought I could see Beijing from the airplane but it is impossible. There were only clouds and some smog, and then suddenly . . .I landed. It is 3:43 pm in the afternoon. Hello Beijing!

Since the moment you arrive you can feel the excitement of the Olympic Games, you see athletes walking around the airport and of course banners of the Olympic Games with Johnson & Johnson being one of the sponsors. It was weird how quiet the airport was. It seemed that everybody was at the National Stadium cheering for his or her country. After I got to the hotel I decided to go and meet with the staff that is involved with the Johnson & Johnson sponsorship, and get my accreditation for the Games.

That afternoon, I decided to walk around Beijing.

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By Susan Odenthal, Vice President, Corporate Communications

I’m lucky to be part of Johnson & Johnson’s Olympics team; as a result, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time in Beijing. To an outsider like me, it is a city of juxtapositions. To look up is to see its amazing future — tall skyscrapers speak to its economic growth. To look down is to see its proud traditions and past – well-worn bicycles bearing workers to and from work, handmade brooms clearing the dust from the air that’s settled along the curbs. We’ve all seen the sleek and awesome structures that are the “Bird’s Nest” and the “Water Cube.” The people who keep the venues going congregate in modest communities at the fringes of the Olympic Green. In its quest to demonstrate to the world its rightful place on the global stage, I hope China doesn’t relinquish the rich theatre that makes it the unique place it is.

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By Jeremy Walsh, Pharmaceutical Sales Representative for PriCara in the United States, blogging from Beijing.

The photographer is Anne Lebus, Customer Support Specialist at the Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics European Support Center (OCDESC) in Illkirch, France

At the Johnson & Johnson Olympic Games Pavilion this afternoon we were able to meet Tim and Amy Crandall. Mr. Crandall has worked for Johnson & Johnson for about 30 years. He and his wife are the proud parents of Lauren Crandall of the USA Women’s Field Hockey Team. Can you imagine being 1 of 16 people selected to represent your country in a sport? The Crandall’s were beaming with pride as they spoke about their Olympian and her journey to Beijing.

The dedication of Olympic Athletes is quite admirable. Yet, I was equally impressed with the support and dedication the Crandall’s have shown their daughter by traveling first to Russia and then to China to see her compete. Their Olympic Spirit was contagious — they charmed several people in our Pavilion with their USA garb.

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By Jeremy Walsh, Pharmaceutical Sales Representative for PriCara in the United States, blogging from Beijing.

I learned tonight that the human eye can have up to 20/8 vision. Talk about Go Go Gadget eyes (I finally got to use an Inspector Gadget reference!)

As a sports enthusiast, I realize that there are many more elements than sheer athleticism that play a role in an athlete’s successes. It was interesting to hear during last night’s press conference about the testing The Vision Care Institute, a Johnson & Johnson company, has done in the US and the UK to help Olympic athletes take their abilities up a notch. Hand-eye coordination is extremely important, so The Vision Care Institute successfully completed tests on athletes to help boost their athletic performance by improving their eyes. Examples of athletic movements that utilize hand-eye coordination include throwing the javelin while running, swinging a baseball bat to connect with a ball, and returning a 200 mph badminton serve.

FYI for fans of baseball: The average baseball players’ vision is 20/12.

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By Jeremy Walsh, Pharmaceutical Sales Representative for PriCara in the United States, blogging from Beijing.

The photographer is Anne Lebus, Customer Support Specialist at the Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics European Support Center (OCDESC) in Illkirch, France

On Aug. 10 at the Johnson & Johnson Olympic Pavilion, Anne and I attended a presentation by Johnson & Johnson China on the topic of Olympic Stars. The stars being honored were the mothers of all the Olympic athletes. I’d have to agree that many of the athletes probably owe much of their success to their mothers. Mom’s are great (try disagreeing with me on that one)! Interestingly enough, Johnson & Johnson recently broke the world record for the most mother and baby photos in China. It was a great presentation and the ambiance was set by the many cute drawings made by Kindergarten classes in Shanghai.

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By Jeremy Walsh, Pharmaceutical Sales Representative for PriCara in the United States, blogging from Beijing.

The photographer is Anne Lebus, Customer Support Specialist at the Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics European Support Center (OCDESC) in Illkirch, France

……………
I had the opportunity to stroll the grounds of The Olympic Green today to look at all the sponsor showcases while Anne went to attend the Men’s Gymnastics Event. I was surprised because it was relatively empty compared to last night when it was flooded with all the people waiting to see the Opening Ceremonies . You have to be a VIP like me to get into The Olympic Green but an Olympic sporting event ticket will also do the trick. I guess that makes me 50% VIP then.

The Olympic Green is also home of the Johnson & Johnson Olympic Games Pavilion. It is an awe-inspiring building, and one marvels at the green factor. Bamboo is planted everywhere! Bamboo is growing in various gardens throughout the inside and outside of the building, offering a respite from the heat.

When you enter the Johnson & Johnson Pavilion the first thing to do is hear several touching stories about the heroism shown in the aftermath of the recent earthquake in China.

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I’m a small part of a large team that has been scrambling in
preparation for Johnson & Johnson’s participation as a sponsor of the
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. There have been so many details, and so
many folks working so hard on them, that it’s often been difficult to
take a step back and see the significance of it all.

Yes, as you’ve read in many places, the air is thick. But
the air is also thick with something of significance.

That is the sound of many languages… the sound of a child laughing with delight at
a live cultural event… the halting English of a Beijing native who is
trying to help an American find a taxi. It is the sound of old China
merging with new China. It is the sound of the rest of the world
reconciling itself to this merger.

It’s the sound of human potential – as exemplified by sport – once
again helping make the world a smaller and friendlier place.

And yes, as you’ve already seen or heard, the opening ceremony was
awesome – 2,008 synchronized drummers will really rock a stadium. It
was also touching. Those of us fortunate enough to have attended will
likely see no grander, more positive spectacle in our lifetimes.

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As an Olympic sponsor, Johnson & Johnson has quite a bit going on in Beijing. There is, of course, a pavilion on the Olympic Green, but other activities include a monumental marionette show (with 22 foot tale marionettes) done as a tribute the Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Army Museum (which Johnson & Johnson has partnered with for years) and a partnership between our Family Health Initiative and the Right to Play — an international organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health.

But to help employees (like me!) who couldn’t make the journey to the games get in the Olympic spirit, a few J&Jers have been asked to blog internally about their experiences — but over the next few weeks don’t be surprised to see a few of their posts — as well as some other folks from Johnson & Johnson who are there — on JNJBTW. Just wanted to give a heads up that there may be some additional voices on JNJBTW over the next few days…

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This week on the Johnson & Johnson health channel, Rob has put up some videos about sexual health:

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