BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhua) -- The Olympic Village for the Beijing Games sprung to life Sunday with a grand opening ceremony to welcome its first delegation of Chinese athletes. The village was opened by its mayor Chen Zhili, also vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for 29th Olympic Games (BOCOG). Designed to accommodate 16,000 athletes, coaches and their entourage, the sprawling compound is about 20 minutes' walk northwest of the Games' two centerpiece venues - the Bird's Nest stadium and aquatic venue Water Cube.

"We now welcome athletes from around the world to come to the Games," said Chen.

"We will try to satisfy the needs of people from different cultural and religious backgrounds. We hope you will like the facilities and services, and achieve desirable results at the Games," she said.

Chen received a symbolic gold key to the village from the BOCOG president Liu Qi, also the Party chief of Beijing.

The Chinese delegation was the first to check in by raising its national flag in the village. Athens Olympics 110 meters hurdles champion Liu Xiang and NBA star Yao Ming were among about a hundred athletes who were present at the ceremony. At least two other delegations, Cuba and Poland, are scheduled to arrive at the village on Sunday.

"Welcome home," Chen told the Chinese delegation, "as athletes from the host country, I hope you will present the peaceful and open stance of China." She also had talks to the athletes and wished them good luck.

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