Volunteers try to maintain order in the queue outside the stadium. (ATR) (ATR) Huge crowds have descended on the Bird’s Nest stadium for the opening day of the athletics program, but long queues to enter the stadium led to some spectators missing early heats.
“Some people were here at 6am,” says a BOCOG volunteer. Through a loudspeaker, one volunteer was trying to direct visitors to access the stadium complex at gate 8 some 200 meters up the road, but to no avail.
“It could have been organized better,” says one English woman, who spent 40 minutes in the line with her partner. She was annoyed at missing the first action of the day.
Her partner says he did not notice any ticket touts operating in the area.
A U.S. visitor from North Carolina queued for 30 minutes outside the gate. “I’m a bit disappointed,” he says.
But he is wowed by the Bird’s Nest stadium, which was bathed in sunshine on Day Seven of competition at the Games.
“The scale of the stadium is much bigger than you think. It’s great,” he says.
Because of the access issue, people are slow to reach their seats. But by 9.45 a.m., the 91,000-seat stadium is virtually full to capacity.
The Olympic flame is burning under blue skies and pleasant breezes blow through the stadium, in marked contrast to the stifling heat and humidity of the opening ceremony Aug. 8.
Spectators baking in the hot sunshine use makeshift fans to cool Much hoped-for blue skies finally appeared over Beijing Friday. (ATR)themselves, but most people are shaded by the partial roof covering.
Sprint stars Asafa Powell, Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay are the stars of track and field on the opening morning of the athletics program. They all qualify comfortably for the second round.
China’s Hu Kai, running in heat 6 of the men’s 100m, garners the biggest applause of the morning. His compatriot, heptathlete Liu Haili, is roared on in the high jump by a boisterous crowd.
Stadium operations appear to be running smoothly and the events run to schedule; there are no obvious glitches. Volunteers attending to the needs of athletes and media are working well too.
The athletics schedule runs through August 23 at the Bird’s Nest stadium.
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Mark Bisson in Beijing
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Mark Bisson in Beijing
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