BEIJING

An anxious but excited country, eager to open its arms in hopes others have their eyes opened, will introduce itself to the world today during the start of perhaps one of the most meaningful Olympics.

For the first time, China takes center stage for the world’s largest sporting event, welcoming 550,000 foreigners, 1 million domestic tourists and 10,500 athletes from a record 205 nations to the Beijing Games.

Today’s Opening Ceremony plans call for 15,000 performers and lots of fireworks in a 3½-hour show highlighting China’s heritage and recent modernization before the infamous parade of athletes.

As many as 90 heads of state – the most in Olympic history – are expected to attend, including President Bush. In keeping with Olympic tradition, the host nation’s president, Hu Jintao, will make a declaration, signifying the launch of the Summer Games.

A majority of the 596 U.S. athletes – 56 train in Colorado Springs – will march into 91,000-seat National Stadium. Colorado Springs middle-distance runner Lopez Lomong, one of the “Lost Boys of the Sudan,” will carry the American flag.

“China will be opening Olympism to one-fifth of mankind,” International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said Thursday in closing an IOC general assembly. “That is a unique feature that only China can offer.”

Concerns remain in the world’s most populous country of 1.3 billion, mainly because of a less-than-desirable, much-criticized human rights record, pollution that still hovers over Beijing and a slight chance of rain during the ceremony.

Olympic organizers continue to hold their breath, hoping pro-Tibet protests that caused disturbances this week at National Stadium and Tiananmen Square don’t sour an Opening Ceremony with an anticipated global TV audience of 1 billion.

They can’t do much to prevent rain. And the pollution problem might never be solved, considering a thick gray haze remains despite China shutting down factories, halting construction and banning half of the 3.3 million private cars in Beijing.

“The Chinese authorities have done everything that is feasible and humanly possible to solve the situation or to address the situation,” said Rogge, reiterating the possibility of delays in outdoor endurance events lasting more than an hour, such as cycling, marathon and triathlon.

Most have tabbed China, typically dominant in nontraditional sports and increasingly stronger in mainstream sports, the favorite to win the gold medal count and the total medal tally – honors held by the U.S. the past three Summer Games.

The U.S. already has shown some vulnerability, as its top-ranked women’s soccer team lost to Norway 2-0 in Wednesday’s opener.

On Thursday, gymnast Morgan Hamm withdrew from the Olympics because of an injured left ankle, joining his twin, Paul, the 2004 Olympic all-around champion, who is sidelined with a broken right hand.

“There’s going to be three or four countries in the race” for the most gold medals, U.S. Olympic Committee chairman Peter Ueberroth said. “It’s great competition. But that doesn’t stop us from trying to be No. 1.”

Ueberroth said the unification of 205 countries is “a good thing for the world, when people are mixed and just having a good time.” Rogge called it paramount for China.

“This will change the perception of China,” Rogge said. “The spotlight put by the Olympic Games on China will help the world understand China better and maybe for China to understand the world better. This is definitely going to be positive.”

Contact the Writer: 636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazettedev.gazette.com. Check out our Olympics blog at gazetteolympics. freedomblogging.com

Newly acquired defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson is excited to play in the Broncos’ 4-3 defense. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS