Phelps begins record quest on day one of Games

By Andrew Cawthorne

BEIJING (Reuters) - Swimmer Michael Phelps plunges into his quest for an unprecedented eight golds on Saturday after China dazzled the world at the Olympics' opening ceremony.

With competition starting in 18 sports, seven gold medals are up for grabs on the first full sporting day of the Games after a run-up dominated by political criticism of China.

Hoping to overtake the United States after its second place finish in the 2004 Athens medal table, China had a great chance of winning the first gold with Du Li in the 10-metre air rifle.

Doping again reared its head when Greek media reported on Friday that sprinter Tassos Gousis had failed a test days before he was due to compete in Beijing. Olympic authorities have been urging international federations to stamp out cheats.

But most attention is on 23-year-old Phelps who will try out Beijing's shimmering new Water Cube aquatics centre for his heat in the 400 meters individual medley: the first of 17 starts in nine days as he tries to better Mark Spitz's seven golds in 1972.

That would make him the most titled Olympian in history.

"I'm here having fun," said Phelps, who lowered the 400 meters medley world record for the seventh time in June but had fellow American Ryan Lochte less than a second behind.

China opened the Olympics on Friday night with a glittering ceremony that celebrated its ancient history but also demonstrated its modern image and emerging superpower status.

Riding an economic boom, the Communist government of the world's most populous nation has spent $43 billion on the Games.

About 80 world leaders, including President George W. Bush whose fellow Americans are increasingly nervous of China's global clout, joined 91,000 spectators in the spectacular Bird's Nest stadium for an opening show of fireworks, drums and dance.

"Friends have come from afar, how happy we are!" the performers chanted in a Confucian saying. Euphoric crowds carried on partying through the night after the ceremony.

As well as drawing admiration, however, the Games have been a catalyst for China's critics around the world and have demonstrated the government's intolerance for dissent.

PROTESTS

Despite a 100,000-strong force of troops and police in Beijing, small groups of foreign protesters have shouted or unveiled banners in the street this week about Tibet, abortion and religious freedom.

Three demonstrators who unfurled a Tibetan flag by the Bird's Nest on Friday night were detained within seconds by police.