The New Nation - Internet Edition

THE curtain of the 29th Olympic Games has been raised at the Bird's Nest, the majestic national stadium in Beijing with the theme "One World, One Dream". This is the culmination of an intensive preparation for several years at a cost of over US$43 billion, which is almost three times the amount spent to host the previous games. More than ten thousand athlets from 204 countries from around the globe are displaying sports excellence in an atmosphere of peace and friendship. Eighty world leaders and 91,000 spectators witnessed the grand opening that depicted the glorious history of Chinese civilisation.

Olympic Games are the oldest and the greatest sports event held in the globe. The ancient Olympic Games began on 776 BC in Greece. This annal of the sports events lasted for 1170 years until they were banned in 393 AD. The history of modern Olympic Games began with revival of the games in 1896 to foster the ideal of a 'sound mind in a sound body'. Following the Greek tradition, they were held every four years except cancellation and boycott of some of them.

Sports, especially the Olympic Games, are human endeavours to achieve excellence in physical performances. They are sources of unmixed pleasure for all human beings. The victors bring glory to their nations without hurting others. The first event of Olympic Games was held on the occasion of an agreement signed between the Greek city-states of Elis and Pisa marking the end of wars and establishment of peace. But this spirit was, at times, tarnished by politics, boycott and wars. Olympic Games could not be held in 1916, 1940 and 1944 due to world wars. The Beijing Olympics was also threatened but at last the games won.