But one century later, the Games has become the grandest international sports gathering. With the Beijing Games two days away, it is once again for people worldwide to share their dream and joy of participation.

For all athletes, amateur or professional, to compete at the Games is their lifelong dream. To some athletes, like the four Iraqis who almost lost their chance to take part in the Beijing Games, realizing the dream needs more than hard training and good records.

The Iraqi delegation finally made their way to Beijing after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) lifted its ban on the Iraqi athletes' participation on July 29.

"It does not matter what we will achieve at the Games, the important thing is that we are here," said Iraqi sprinter Dana Hussein on Monday night at the Beijing airport.

"I have realized my dream of competing at the Olympics, and I am extremely happy to come to Beijing," said the 21-year-old sprinter who will compete in 100 meters and 200 meters races. She burst into tears after the IOC banned the participation of the Iraqi athletes.

The Argentine football star Lionel Messi had also overcome extra difficulty on his way to Beijing since the Spanish club FC Barcelona refused to let him go.

FIFA finally ruled on July 30 that Barcelona must release Messi for the Beijing Games, saying, "Taking part in the Olympic Games is a unique opportunity for all athletes of any sporting discipline."

Messi said on his way to China that his dream of attending the Games came true.

As Messi and others overcame difficulties and made their dreams come true, the Beijing Games is set to see a record number of 205 participating delegations, IOC President Jacques Rogge said on Aug. 4.

With some 10,708 athletes worldwide competing for some 1,000 medals in 302 events, many would of course go home without one. But, "the most important thing is not to win, but to participate," as Coubertin said.

Chantelle Newbery, the 31-year-old Australian diver who was winner of the women's 10m platform in Athens, said the Beijing Games would definitely be the last Olympics for her and her husband as athletes.

"We don't think about what result it would be. We only want to enjoy the happiness of diving. After the Olympic Games, we want to spend more time with our children," she told Xinhua.

Brazilian women beach volleyball player Talita Antunes also said she and her partner would fight for gold medals by enjoying the matches at the Beijing Olympics.

"We'll get the gold medal in Beijing. But it's more important to enjoy the matches. We'll play in a relax fashion." Antunes told Xinhua in Beijing.

The Beijing Olympics, however, is by no means just for athletes to participate and enjoy. Volunteers and torchbearers, among others, have also been participating in the Games and enjoying it.

At the Istanbul leg of a global torch relay of the Olympic flame, Tekin Okan, a blind goalball player and torchbear, said he was tremendously happy and excited to be part of the Beijing Olympic torch relay.

"The Olympic torch relay is something which brings brightness and peace.... I am not able to see the flame, but when I hold the torch, I feel it," he told Xinhua then.

On Wednesday, two days before the Games' opening, the Olympic torch relay began its final leg in Beijing after returning from a journey of 129 days and 137,000 km through six continents.

Yang Liwei, who became a national hero overnight after succeeding in China's first manned space mission in October 2003, said he was very glad to be the first torchbearer in Beijing. "The torch relay has displayed the spirit of the Chinese," he said.

As athletes are making their last-ditch preparations, spectators are eager to watch exciting competitions. In Beijing and six co-host cities, spectators with tickets will be thrilled to watch the games in the venue, while a lot more will be sitting in front of TV sets and enjoying the Games.

The Beijing Games is expected to attract 4 billion viewers with TV relay around the globe, 100 million more than that of the 2004 Athens Games, said Ma Guoli, a senior official with Beijing Olympics Dissemination Corporation Ltd.