The Beijing Olympic Games has drawn much concern of Myanmar people over the last few days ahead of the opening ceremony of the world event in Beijing, China.
Many Myanmar people were in place before the television receiver to watch a live telecast by the state-run MRTV-4 on the magnificiant opening ceremony due to take place in Beijing on Friday evening.
The Beijing Olympic Games has topped the talks of Yangon residents throughout the day and discussions over the world event were widespread covering factories, workshops, offices and public areas such as teashops especially on the roadside.
As the time of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games was drawing near, many people were hurried to go back home from work and stay with family members to watch together live broadcastr by world's popular TV stations including China's CCTV through satellite receivers.
Some stayed back in the offices and enjoyed the event with their colleagues through TV provided by their employers.
People tried to turn down their usual daily private business appointments and reserve time for themselves to be ready before the TV at local time 6:30 p.m. (Beijing time 8:00 p.m.).
Some members of social organizations gathered in their buildings to spend the historic time by so doing, take for instance, the Overseas Chinese Mutual Assistance Association took the lead in attracting local Chinese residents to jointly view the inauguration graced by world leaders.
The official daily New Light of Myanmar, both English and Myanmar language, and the Mirror, published on Friday morning, carried news stories in the front page reporting Thursday's departure of Myanmar Prime Minister General Thein Sein for Beijing to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, attached with a photo showing he was seen off by Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Senior-General Than Shwe at the Nay Pyi Taw Airport.
Along with the prime minister's flight to Beijing was a Myanmar sports delegation, led by Myanmar Olympic Committee (MOC) Chairman and Minister of Sports Brigadier-General Thura Aye Myint.
The 18-member Myanmar sports delegation includes Myanmar Foreign Minister U Nyan Win and six athletes who are to compete in five sports events -- track and field, swimming, archery, rowing and canoeing/kayat.
As an advanced team, two delegation members including the team leader, had left for Beijing on last Sunday.
Friday's English-language New Light of Myanmar also carried some Xinhua's news stories and news photos relating to the Beijing Olympic Games.
Meanwhile, the Myanmar athletes have pledged to try their utmost to attain their personal best in their respective sports events in the quadrennial games.
Soe Min Thu will compete in men's 5,000-meter event and Lae Lae Win in women's 200-meter event in the track and field, Kyaw Zin in men's 50- and 100-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke in swimming, Nay Myo Aung in men's 70-meter recurve in archery, Shwe Zin Latt in women's single sculls in rowing and Phone Myint Tay Zar in K1 500- and 1,000-meter in canoeing/Kayat in the Beijing Olympics.
Myanmar appeared in every edition of the Olympic Games since the 14th Olympic Games in London, United Kingdom, in 1948 except the 21st Montreal Olympic Games in Canada in 1976. Myanmar appeared in Olympics with its most athletes of 15 in the 18th Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964 and with its least athlete of only one in the 23rd Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984. Myanmar had not pocketed any medal in the Olympic Games.
The Myanmar Olympic sports delegation made its most achievement in the 20th Olympic Games in Munich, Germany in 1972 with its men' s soccer team received the fair play award and Aung Gyi broke the world record in the flyweight-class weight-lifting event.
(Xinhua News Agency August 8, 2008)