Applicants have been so passionate that, within a month, the organization committee of the 2008 Beijing Olympics has received triple the amount needed, according to a report on the Games official site.

"By 5:00 p.m. on September 28, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) had received 210,915 applications," the report said.

The BOCOG launched a volunteer recruitment program on August 28, starting the enrollment within Beijing area for the Games' 70,000 volunteer vacancies. Beijing also needs another 30,000 for the Paralympics.

According to the report, college students who applied through schools account for 74.7 per cent, or 157,486, of all applicants. Among the rest 25.3 per cent, or 53,429, submitted applications via the Internet or local neighborhood offices, 76 per cent are aged below 25.

Although critics have expressed concerns over the Games' lack of senior volunteer applicants whose life experience is important in assuring the Games' service quality, BOCOG officials said they would try to make up the difference by strengthening education.

Besides the ongoing enrollment in the capital, BOCOG is also scheduled to open recruiting to applicants living outside Beijing this December and overseas applicants next March.

In addition to Olympic volunteers, Beijing needs around 100,000 city volunteers during the summer of 2008, to help in the fields of communication, environment and tourism.