The National Stadium, the main venue for the Beijing Olympic Games, made its debut on Friday with its very first test event: the Good Luck Beijing Race Walking Challenge. Jared Tallent, an Australian race-walker grabbed the gold medal in the men's 20-kilometer race.
Our reporter Dan Dan has the details.

Reporter: The national stadium, widely known as the Bird's Nest, has remained a mystery to most of the public since construction began in December of 2003.

But, the race walking test event finally satisfied everyone's curiosity about what the inside of the stadium looks like.

Eighteen-year-old Wang Hao, a race-walker from Inner Monogolia who finished second in the men's 20 kilometer walk on Friday morning shared with us his first impressions of the stadium.

"The first time I walked into the stadium, I got excited right away. I was amazed. It's so well prepared for the Olympics."

Eder Sanchez from Mexico, who placed third in the event, used the word "unbelievable" to describe his impression of the stadium. He paid special attention to the condition of the tracks.

"It's a new track. It's module floor. It's good. I think I can make a faster timing in the Olympics."
It has been reported that more than 130 athletes from 10 different countries took part in the two-day race walking challenge. While getting familiar with the National Stadium, an athlete from Australia, Adams Luke Kendall said he was impressed by the passion of the spectators.

"You can hear the acoustic from the stadium, when the athletes enter the stadium, the acoustic is good. So, when there's a big crowd, it's going to be amazing."

About 25,000 tickets were made available to the public for the event and the first group of spectators to the stadium showed their great enthusiasm.

"It's really amazing. It's huge. I think you can get a great view from wherever you are sitting. It looks excellent. It's just a magnificent feat."

"The interior designs are very delicate. The ventilation is excellent so the air inside the stadium is fresh. And because the stadium is open to the sunshine the lighting is great."

"It's magnificent. It's just an example of a piece of wonderful architecture design and where the Chinese are heading into the future."

Most of the National Stadium has been decorated in red including the tracks, most of the seats, the corridors and the walls. Of course Chinese people consider red to be one of the most joyful of colors, but the athletes love it too.

Erickson Chris is a race-walker from Australia.

"Red is fast. In Australia, we know red is a very fast color. So, it's good to have something red."
At the conclusion of the race walking challenge, the Bird's Nest will host a marathon and then one last test event in late May before the start of the Olympics.

The organizing committee says it will make an effort to improve the facilities and services through the feedback they have gathered in the test events to make sure that they offer the best for the Beijing Games.

Dan Dan, CRI news.