Ceremony of XXIX Summer Olympic Games opened in Beijing

Almaty. August 11. Kazakhstan Today - The opening ceremony of XXIX Summer Olympic Games is taking place in the national stadium Bird's Nest in Beijing, the agency reports.

The President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, and his spouse took part in the solemn ceremony. According to the president's press service, more than 80 leaders of states and governments arrived in Beijing.

As it was informed earlier, N. Nazarbayev handed over the national flag to the captain and the standard-bearer of the Kazakhstan Olympic team, double world boxing champion, Serik Sapiyev.

"For the first time in history the Olympic Torch has been on our land, Almaty, in Kazakhstan Medeu," the leader of the state said.

He reminded that the Kazakhstan sportsmen won 132 licenses to participate in Olympic Games in Beijing in 22 kinds of sports.

XXIX Summer Olympic Games in Beijing will last till August 24, 2008. 302 complete sets of medals in 41 sports will be awarded. More than 10.5 thousand sportsmen from 203 countries of the world are participating in the Games.

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