With 91,000 people packed into the New National Stadium, Bird Nest, China at last playing its long-sought role as Olympic host, opened the Summer Games. At 8.00pm on 8 August 2008 with 2008 drummers beat out a pulsating rhythm with their hands to start off in spectacular fashion Friday with an extravaganza of fireworks and pageantry dramatizing its ascendance as a global power.
To their eyes, the omens were good. The ceremony began at 8 p.m. on the eighth day of the eighth month of 2008 _ auspicious in a country where eight is the luckiest number.
Scores of world leaders were on hand, and the potential TV audience was 4 billion worldwide for what was certainly the costliest ( estimated $40 billion ) and probably the largest opening ceremony in Olympic history. President Bush,Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and our MM Mr Lee Kuan Yew were among the dignataries who endured heat and humidity to watch China make this bold declaration that it had arrived.
The centerpiece was the parade of athletes, climaxing with the entry of the 639-strong Chinese team. Its flag-bearer was basketball idol Yao Ming, accompanied by 9-year-old schoolboy Lin Hao, a survivor of May's devastating earthquake in Sichuan province.
A record 204 delegations paraded their athletes through the stadium Brunei is the only country did not send in any participant.
The celebration ended with former triple gymnastics gold medalist Li Ning, was hoisted by wires to the top of the stadium, circled the circumference as though he were spacewalking and then touched the torch to a thin pipe, setting off a spiral of flame to ignite the mammoth, scroll-shaped
"It was a breathtaking experience walking into the stadium," said Oganna Nnamani, a volleyball player from Bloomington, Ill. "I am thankful to be part of this moment."
"This is the biggest stage," said LeBron James, who hopes to lead the U.S. basketball team to a gold medal.
