The Olympic countdown has cracked the 500-day mark, sparking a
renewed burst of "Games fever" among many Chinese people.
Thousands of Beijing residents convened at the signature
Tian'anmen Square on Sunday to test their endurance in the Beijing
Spring International Long Distance Running Festival.
On the same day, another 10,000 Beijingers took part in an
18-kilometer walk in the Beijing International Long-distance
Walking Carnival in Beijing's Chaoyang Park.
There are still another 40 cultural and sports events planned
for the remainder of March in Beijing.
Table tennis enthusiasts can sharpen their ping-pong skills in a
city-wide competition, which started two weeks ago.
People in Chongwen District will be given free tutoring in tai
chi, martial arts and social dance.
Qingdao, in east China's Shandong Province, the co-host city for the
sailing event, marked the historical moment with a gala event,
where people shared their stories of how they got involved with the
Games.
Hong Kong celebrated the opening of its 50th Festival of Sport
last Sunday with a special equestrian performance, geared towards
promoting Hong Kong as key host to the event in 16 months time.
The milestone countdown also gained lots of exposure on almost
every TV channel and newspapers nationally.
China's commitment to the Olympic spirit has even drawn praise
from the Games' heaviest hitters, including International Olympic
Committee President Jacques Rogge.
"When walking through the streets of Beijing, the pride and
enthusiasm of its people is palpable," Rogge said.
He applauded Beijing's "great progress in venue construction",
while stressing the need for strong focus on this summer's 26 test
events.
Many of China's Olympic hopefuls, such as star hurdler Liu Xiang
and table tennis player Wang Liqin, vowed to brush up on their
skills during the Games countdown.
(China Daily March 28, 2007)