Li Ning's fire burns bright

The fact that legendary Chinese gymnast Li Ning was chosen to light the main cauldron at the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Games may have been a sign that China's men's gymnastics team would do well this year.

Indeed it was. China's men's team reclaimed the gold it won at Sydney 2000 - and lost four years ago in Athens - in front of an ecstatic home crowd.

"When Li lit the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony last Friday, I felt very proud of him, since he is my former teammate," said Huang Yubin, head coach of the team. "It's a great honor for China's gymnasts and it encouraged us a lot."