Eleven members of the Iraq Olympic delegation arrived in Beijing on Monday night, four days before the official start of the Games.
Four Iraqi athletes and seven officials walked out of the Beijing Capital International Airport at the midnight, joining a short celebration held by about 20 local Iraqis waving their national flags.
The four athletes are two male rowers, one male discus thrower and a female sprinter. The plane (EK 308) they boarded landed at about 11:00 p.m. Beijing time.
![An Iraqi athlete walks out of the Beijing Capital International Airport at the midnight of August 4, with an iraqi national flag in her hand. [Xinhua]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20080805/000802c98ccc0a01fb7201.jpg "An Iraqi athlete walks out of the Beijing Capital International Airport at the midnight of August 4, with an iraqi national flag in her hand. [Xinhua]") |
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An Iraqi athlete walks out of the Beijing Capital International Airport at the midnight of August 4, with an iraqi national flag in her hand. [Xinhua]
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Befhar Mustasa, head of the delegation and the president of the Iraqi Olympic Committee, told Xinhua at the airport that he felt extremely proud of leading the Iraq delegation to the Beijing Olympics despite going through twists and turns.
"Our participation to the Games is a success of Iraqi people and the athletes who will gain Olympic experience," Mustasa noted.
Dana Hassen, the only female member of the delegation, said it had realized her dream of competing at the Olympics and she was extremely happy to come to Beijing.
"It does not matter how we will achieve at the Games, the important thing is we are here," the female sprinter who will run in 100 meters and 200 meters said.
Haider Nassier and Hammza Hussen will be allowed to compete in the men's double sculls since there are still places for them in the event.