Chinese audiences are looking forward to the Rio Games Ben Woodburn Liverpool Jersey , together with some other 3 billion people tuning in around the world as Brazil lifts the curtain on the first ever Olympic Games in South America, although Chinese have become less passionate about the event after Beijing's successful 2008 Games.
A stamp collector displays a set of special stamps issued for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games by China Post in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province on Friday. The patterns on the stamps show Women's Volleyball and Men's Relay, two Olympic events. Photo: CFP
At an evening ceremony in the famed Maracana soccer stadium, Brazil declared open the 31st Summer Olympic Games. They will run until August 21.
Organizers are hoping the start of the Games will erase months of bad publicity for Rio - from polluted water to faulty plumbing at the athletes village to worries about the Zika virus - all against the backdrop of a brutal economic downturn Andrew Robertson Liverpool Jersey , according to Reuters.
Security challenges in the sprawling beachside city are at the forefront of many people's mind, not only because of Rio's decades-old reputation for violent street crime, but also after a spate of deadly attacks at big and small celebrations from Europe to the US.
""The 2008 Olympics in Beijing was perfect and cannot be transcended,"" Sina Weibo user ""Dingding dangdang Dongdong"" commented, adding that he was full of pride looking back at the grand opening ceremony eight years ago.
Many netizens have expressed similar sentiments Alex Manninger Liverpool Jersey , comparing the successful 2008 event with the problems around the current Games, especially security issues.
Chinese are concerned over the safety of their own teams after several Chinese athletes, delegation members, media workers and tourists have fallen victim to Rio's crime woes.
Many social media users ridiculed the Games in Brazil as the worst or poorest ever.
""Coming back alive"" should be Chinese athletes' priority, one Web user commented.
Some Net users claimed that attendance at Chinese athletes attend the Rio Games was similar to the hardships undergone by Xuanzang Alberto Moreno Liverpool Jersey , a historical Tang Dynasty (618-907) monk and also a character in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Chinese classic Journey To The West, in bringing Buddhist scriptures from India to China.