Home>News Center>China
           
     

    Athletes hail hoisting of national flag
    By Yu Yilei (China Daily)
    Updated: 2004-08-10 00:09

    The flag-raising ceremony of the Chinese delegation to the 2004 Athens Olympics was truly a party with singing, dancing, music and a surprise visit from former International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Juan Antonio Samaranch.

    Around 200 athletes, coaches and officials headed by Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) President Yuan Weimin attended the ceremony held in the Olympic village, signalling that one of the biggest sporting nations in the games has started going for gold.


    China's national flag was hoisted yesterday at the athletes' village of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games before receiving a blessing from former International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch. Entering the village before the ceremony, Samaranch met Chinese athletes and officials. Ioannis Manos, the Olympic Village manager, delivered a welcoming speech. [Xinhua]

    The ceremony started with a traditional Greek dance accompanied by bagpipes.

    Inannis Manos, manager of the village, then announced the raising of the flag.

    "It's so thrilling to see the flag of my nation raised here because it means another Olympic campaign has started," said Le Maosheng, Chinese weightlifting world champion.

    "I feel filled with power and I think that I am now ready for the Games."

    "I felt the greatest honour to attend this ceremony because China is a big country and Beijing will be the next Olympic city," said Iraklis Grous, a Greek volunteer who raised the Chinese flag.

    "I am a little bit scared because I know how important it is," said the 20-year-old who returned from the United States where he studies.

    China is sending a 633-member delegation to the games including 407 athletes, the biggest in history. It is going for at least 20 gold medals, trying to keep its third place on the medals table.

    "Now everything is fine with the delegation and we have had a good reception here," said COC Vice-President He Huixian.

    "There will many difficulties ahead, but we are confident that we will fulfill our goal."

    The abrupt appearance of Samaranch just before the flag was raised caused a stir at the ceremony.

    The former IOC president was then applauded by the Chinese delegation.

    "I heard today is the flag-raising ceremony for China and that's why I came here," said Samaranch.

    He believed that the delegation would be very successful in Athens, saying that its brilliant show here will ensure a more successful achievements four years later on home soil during the 2008 Beijing Games.

    "Four years later you will have the Olympics and you must achieve a good result," he said.

    Asked how many golds he expects Chinese to win, he said: "I don't know, but I think it should be many, many."

    Apart from Beijing, he also gave a praise to the Athens Olympic organizers who have been criticized for their behind-schedule preparations.

    "For the Games, I think so far so good," he said. "The work is very well and if they keep doing like that, it will be a successful games."

    The Games will start on August 13. A record figure of 11,000 athletes and 5,500 team officials from 202 national Olympic committees are participating in the games, alongside more than 45,000 volunteers and 21,500 media representatives.



     
      Today's Top News     Top China News
     

    Chinese national flag raised in Athens

     

       
     

    Highest temperatures to hit China

     

       
     

    Prosecutor: Big graft cases increase

     

       
     

    At least 5 dead at Japan nuke plant

     

       
     

    Militants kidnap Iranian diplomat in Iraq

     

       
     

    Web of moral corruption under fire

     

       
      Two Chinese kidnapped in Philippines
       
      Kissinger: Deng one of greatest men of 20th century
       
      DaimlerChrysler plans sales drive in China
       
      Premier Wen vows to continue macro control
       
      Experts divided over macro control measures
       
      Shanghai: Sex bias exists in local job market
       
     
      Go to Another Section  
     
     
      Story Tools  
       
      News Talk  
      When will china have direct elections?  
    Advertisement
             
    亚洲高清有码中文字| 中文字幕无码第1页| 国产成年无码AV片在线韩国| 国产成年无码久久久久毛片| 无码av中文一二三区| 亚洲人成无码www久久久| 色爱无码AV综合区| 亚洲中文字幕无码一区| 亚洲成人中文字幕| 在线看福利中文影院| 国产亚洲AV无码AV男人的天堂| 久久亚洲AV无码精品色午夜 | 无码人妻丰满熟妇区BBBBXXXX| 亚洲.欧美.中文字幕在线观看| 国产精品无码无需播放器| 一本一道色欲综合网中文字幕| 色噜噜亚洲精品中文字幕| 少妇无码太爽了不卡视频在线看| 蜜芽亚洲av无码精品色午夜| 亚洲va无码手机在线电影| 无码播放一区二区三区| 亚洲国产中文v高清在线观看| 国产乱码精品一区二区三区中文| 五十路熟妇高熟无码视频| 狠狠精品久久久无码中文字幕| 无码欧精品亚洲日韩一区| 亚洲AV日韩AV永久无码下载| 亚洲AV永久青草无码精品| 成人无码A区在线观看视频| 久久久无码精品亚洲日韩京东传媒 | 亚洲人成无码久久电影网站| 精品久久久久久无码人妻热| 成人免费无码H在线观看不卡| 国产拍拍拍无码视频免费| 国产精品ⅴ无码大片在线看| 精品国产a∨无码一区二区三区| 久久精品国产亚洲AV无码麻豆| 久久亚洲AV成人无码国产| 成在人线av无码免费高潮水 | 国色天香中文字幕在线视频| 亚洲午夜无码片在线观看影院猛 |