Special report: 2008 Olympic Games

    BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- A Beijing Olympics official said Friday that all preparatory work is ready for Olympic competitions.

    "Five days to go, the first competition event of the Games will begin. All the staff and volunteers in charge of competitive events are well prepared to provide a fair and just platform for the athletes," said Zhang Jilong, director of Sports Department of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games (BOCOG).

    Zhang said at a press conference at the Main Press Center that more than 700 sports staff and 4,626 volunteers have reached their positions in all 37 Olympic venues. More than 1.4 million pieces of sports equipment which are needed in the Games have been installed. And 87 training venues have been opened to athletes.

    Competition schedules have been completed by day, by session and by event. During the 19 competition days from Aug. 6 to 24, the Games will have 625 competition sessions with 2,173 events, 302 of which will produce gold medals.

    By July 31, the BOCOG had received entry forms from 11,526 athletes.

    Sun Weide, a Beijing Olympic Games organizing committee official, said at the same press conference that "China experienced snow disaster and Wenchuan earthquake this year, but we have overcome the difficulties with government leadership and the people's support."

    "We believe we will host a high-standard Games with distinctive features. No difficulties can stop us successfully hosting the Games," Sun said.