Despite the damp weather yesterday university volunteers in Beijing did not let it affect their spirits.

The 200 volunteers clad in raincoats took part in a pop song and cheering rally in the "2008 set out with a smile" oath-taking ceremony.

They warmly greeted International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge on his arrival.

"I'm so excited today," said Yu Yang, a sophomore major in aeronautics at Beijing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics.

"But with one year to go, I have to further understand the operations of the Games and also work harder on my English," said the 20-year-old who is also a transport volunteer for the ongoing pre-Olympics test events.

Rogge, along with the President of the Organizing Committee of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Liu Qi, and other senior guests, presided at the oath-taking ceremony.

The volunteers swore to uphold the Olympic spirit.

There will be 70,000 volunteers for the Olympics and another 30,000 for the Paralympics that follows a month later.

(China Daily 08/08/2007 page4)