Olympic results: China, Czech win early golds

The Czech Republic took first honours at the Olympics on Saturday, and China also won an early gold to cap a dazzling opening ceremony.

Beijing is determined to stage an awe inspiring Games that will underline its status as an emerging superpower and would love to displace the United States on top of the medals table.

The first gold of the games went to Katerina Emmons of the Czech Republic in the women's 10m air rifle, the pressure getting to Chinese favourite Du Li who finished fifth and left in tears.

"There was pressure for all of us but for her it was even harder," Emmons said afterwards. "I'm sorry, but the Chinese press is putting a lot of pressure on Chinese athletes."

Chinese disappointment was tempered when Chen Xiexia powered to gold in the women's 48kg weightlifting. Draped in the national flag, she beamed and sang the anthem with gusto on the podium.

Both gold medallists set new Olympic records.

Emmons was watched by her husband, American shooter Matt. The pair met at Athens in 2004 after he famously missed a gold medal on the last shot by firing at the wrong target and Katerina came up to offer her commiserations. "She did a fantastic job. I'm so proud of her," he said after her victory.

Seven golds were up for grabs on Saturday. The attention of many fans was on American swimmer Michael Phelps, the lanky 23-year-old with a handlebar moustache aiming for an unprecedented eight golds.

He plunges into the shimmering new Water Cube aquatics centre for his heat in the 400 metres individual medley in the evening: the first of 17 starts in nine days as he tries to better Mark Spitz's record seven golds in 1972.

A campaign to stamp out the use of performance-enhancing drugs claimed another victim, a Greek sprinter sent home for failing an earlier test, in an uncanny echo of Athens 2004.

Four years ago, two Greek sprinters, both major medals hopes, were involved in a doping scandal that overshadowed the start of the Games. This time another sprinter, Tassos Gousis, is being sent home, Greek media reported.

Olympic chief Jacques Rogge used his speech at the opening ceremony to appeal to the better nature of the 10,500 athletes from 204 teams taking part in the Games, reminding them they were "role models for the youth of the world".

In case that does not work, he has introduced tougher tests.

CHINESE POWER

China opened the Olympics on Friday night with a glittering ceremony that celebrated its ancient history but also demonstrated its modern image and economic boom.

The Communist government has spent $100 million on opening and closing ceremonies, part of a $43 billion bill for the Games.

More than 80 world leaders, including President George W. Bush, joined 91,000 spectators for an opening show of fireworks, drums and dance at the Bird's Nest stadium.

"It was spectacular, really unbelievable, we liked it a lot," First Lady Laura Bush told reporters on a Saturday morning tour of the Forbidden City, former home to China's emperors.

As she engaged in cultural tourism, her husband took in some beach volleyball, watching the American men and women practise.

After some coaxing, he even joined the women on court to volley a few balls, hitting two but missing the third.

The hosts fended off wet weather for the opening by firing 1,104 rain-dispersing rockets into the skies, the first time this technology has been used at such a high-profile event.

But the spectacle was marred for some by the sight of goose-stepping soldiers raising the Olympic flag.

"The heavy presence of Chinese (People's) Liberation Army officers throughout the proceedings left many wondering exactly what image the hosts were intending to project to the international community," the Sydney Morning Herald said.

Thundershowers were forecast later on Saturday, and the Olympic flame burnt above the stadium in very hazy skies. Smog has been a feature of the run-up to the Games despite an $18 billion campaign to clean the skies around the city.

Cyclists will be the first endurance athletes to test the success of that campaign in the men's road race, which winds from the Forbidden City to the hilly Great Wall.

"This is the toughest course I have ever seen at a tournament event," said Netherlands coach Egon Kessel.

The Games have been a lightning rod for critics of China's policies on Tibet and religious freedom. Despite a 100,000-strong security force in Beijing, small groups of foreign protesters have shouted or unveiled banners this week.

Hong Kong police threw two protesters out of the city's Olympics equestrian arena on Saturday, pouncing on them as they reached into their bag for a Tibetan flag they had smuggled in.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon appealed for the world to observe a traditional truce during the Games.

Yet the mood of global harmony in Beijing was marred by fierce fighting between Russian and Georgian troops in South Ossetia that flared as the Games started.