Tens of thousands of people in Beijing flocked to public screen areas on Friday evening to watch the Olympic Opening Ceremony.
Numerous nationalities packed an open area between two giant screens.
Following an initiative begun at the 2000 Sydney Olympics the 21 public screens will displayvarioussports events and live world performances for the duration of the Games.
Hit for You and Me
China’s Olympic theme song ‘Wo he Ni’ or ‘You and Me’ got the thumbs up by the 90,000-strong audience at the Bird’ Nest.
International songstress Sarah Brightman and local favourite Liu Huan premiered the bilingual piece, composed byFrance-based Chinese songwriter Chen Qigang, atop a huge rotating globe at Friday’s massive event.
A music video was also launched that evening and is already getting multiple plays onthe Official Olympic Website.
All set sail
The Olympic sailing regatta had a smooth launch at coastal co-host city Qiangdao, in ShandongProvinceon Saturday.
Xia Geng, mayor of Qingdaoand chairman of the Olympic Sailing Committee promised togivethe world a splendid sailing regatta and hoped all teams would find the conditions favourable.
In the lead up to the Games,Qingdaohosted two test events in 2006 and 2007.
Chinahas leapt into Olympic fame winning Gold at the women's three-meter springboard synchronized diving event on Sunday
Chinese world and Olympic champion Guo Jingjing and partner Wu Minxia took the limelight at the Water Cube, leading after the second round in the final to collect 343.50 points, beating their closest rivals Julia Pakhalina and Anastasia Pozdnyakova of Russia attaining 323.61.
Guo, 26, known as the ‘diving queen’, is four-time world springboard champion, while Wu, 22, has won three golds in three world championships previously.
First gold on the list
The Czech Republic’s Katerina Emmonswonfirst gold on Saturday at the Olympic rifle range.
The24-year-old won the women's 10 metre air rifle gold with a new Olympic final record of 503.5 points.
Emmons, who won bronze inAthens, received the first gold medal of the Beijing Olympics from Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee.
Defending champion Du Liof Chinafinished fifth, nerves getting to her in the final round.