Beijing 2008 adorned with gold-medal hopefuls

Last year, Sega split the difference on which iconic superstar would cover Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. For the Wii and DS games, both Nintendo's mustachioed plumber and the publisher's own blue hedgehog were featured front and center. For the game based on the real deal, however, Sega has been faced with an Olympic-size pool of world-class athletes to pick up from.

Rather than risk a gold-medal debacle to rival Marion Jones, Sega has opted for four promising athletes to cover the US edition of Beijing 2008 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games: Amanda Beard, Tyson Gay, Nastia Liukin, and Reese Hoffa. Beijing 2008 is expected to release for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC sometime this summer. Opening ceremonies for the official 2008 Summer Olympics are scheduled to commence August 8.

Each athlete represents the best the US has to offer in different events. Four-time Olympian Amanda Beard has ascended the podium seven times in the swimming competitions, having won her first gold medal during the Atlanta Games in 1996 at the age of 14. Sprinter Tyson Gay was selected as the IAAF's male World Athlete of the Year in 2007. Nastia Liukin is a two-time world champion gymnast, and is tied for winning the most medals at the World Championships with nine. Lastly, Reese Hoffa represents the US's field competition and is the current shot put world champion.

Beijing 2008 looks to re-create more than 35 different events from this year's summer games. Adding an extra touch of realism, several of the official venues from Beijing will be featured in the game, including Beijing National Stadium and the National Aquatics Centre. Sega promises a variety of game modes will come packed in with Beijing 2008, including online competitive play.