The Hindu : Sport : All in place

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Thursday, Aug 07, 2008
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Sport - Sports : General

All in place

Special Correspondent

BEIJING: China is geared up for the ultimate challenge in sports, on and off the field.

The clinical efficiency was on show right from the time the Singapore Airlines flight touched down at the world’s largest airport terminal, built at a cost of about $2 billion. It is a silken smooth operation, despite the big numbers involved, and flights landing almost every third minute.

Everything has been planned in detail and put in place. The Chinese are in complete command of the situation for the biggest show on earth.

The preparation for the 29th Olympics has been so elaborate and on such a vast scale that the place looked deserted with two days to go for the Opening Ceremony.

Big spending

No wonder that the Chinese are estimated to have spent about $40 billion for these Games, as compared to the estimated cost of $22.6 billion for the London Games to be staged in 2012! For sure, nothing has been spared.

In the 30-minute drive to the media village, one gets to see smooth moving vehicles on the snaking expressways.

There is no congestion, except a bit in the air, for those who have developed a new fascination for spotting the sun in these parts! In fact, the world has never had such an obsession for seeing the sun or the blue sky, as it has in the build-up to these Games.

The hazy atmosphere does not stop you from viewing the distinctly massive Games paintings or the slogan ‘One World, One Dream’. Though the distant buildings are not that clear, one can breathe easy at the ground level.

There is no better sporting event than the Olympic Games.

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