XXVIII Olympics Games in Athens, Greece-Seychelles walks proudly among elites |17 August 2004

A worldwide television audience saw a grand opening ceremony lift the curtain on the biggest sports show on earth. Seychelles flag bearer was Laser sailor Allen Julie.

International Olympic Committee President (IOC) Jacques Rogge and Greek leaders said everything humanly possible had been done to ensure the safety and success of the Olympics.

After three hours of pageantry, Rogge urged the athletes to set an example for world peace – and to forswear the drugs that have tarnished the image of sport – before Greek President Costis Stephanopoulos declared the 28th Olympiad open.

Russian and American astronauts sent video greetings from their space station far above the earth.

A heartbeat of drums had counted down to the opening moment and, amid torchlight and fireworks, a boy aboard a paper boat drifted across the flooded arena waving a Greek flag.

Combining symbolism of the ancient Greece that created the Olympic Games nearly 3,000 years ago with 21st technology, giant sculptures appeared above the waters. A living frieze of Greek history paraded by, the voice of opera diva Maria Callas echoed across the stadium and lasers created a DNA helix.

Led by the Greek flag, athletes from the 202 competing nations then streamed in, with tiny Saint Lucia – Agia Loukia in Greek – taking alphabetical pride of place at their head.

Where competition is concerned, while the great sporting nations have started winning medals during the first three days of competition, almost half of the Seychelles' athletes are already out .

At the time of going to press swimmers Bertrand Bristol, Shrone Austin, boxer Kitson Julie and Judoka Francis Labrosse were all out, but Bristol achieved a new Seychelles record in the process.

Sailor Allen Julie was still holding on in the sailing competition which goes on for several days while athletes Celine Laporte and Evans Marie, weightlifter Richard Scheer and conoeist Tony Lespoir are yet to compete.