Athletes Village opens in Beijing

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It’s getting closer. Twelve days before the Beijing Games begin, the Athletes Village held its own opening ceremony Sunday, an all-Chinese event with NBA star Yao Ming heading a delegation of hundreds of athletes and officials.

Most foreign delegations have not arrived at the village, which will house 16,000 athletes and team officials.

‘We now welcome athletes from around the world to come to the Games,’ said Chen Zhili, speaking from a stage draped in red. Chen is the so-called mayor of the village and a vice president of the organizing committee.

According to the Associated Press report from Beijing, the ceremony ‘came on a hot, muggy morning made more uncomfortable by the thick haze of pollution hanging over the village.’

-- Debbie Goffa