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AFP, BEIJING - China took an early lead in the Olympic march to sports supremacy, winning two of the first seven golds when the Beijing Games began in earnest Saturday. The remaining golds were shared among the United States, Spain, the Czech Republic, Romania and South Korea.
However, it wasn't quite the dream start the Olympic hosts wanted to follow the breathtaking opening ceremony the previous night.
Their hopes were on a golden start with the attention-commanding first medal, but their defending champion Du Li wilted under pressure as Czech shooter Katerina Emmons came through to win with a record-breaking performance.
Pang Wei made amends for China in the shooting, taking the men's 10m Pistol event and Chen Xiexia won the women's 48kg weightlifting title, while Spanish cyclist Samuel Sanchez won the gruelling road race.
Choi Min-Ho won for South Korea in the men's -60kg judo division to add to the silver won by Jin Jong-Oh who was runner-up to Pang in the pistol shoot, and Romania's Alina Dumitru claimed the women's -48kg judo gold.
Mariel Zagunis beat compatriot Sada Jackson in the women's fencing sabre final for the United States sole gold of the day, although they can expect to move up the ranks when the swimming finals begin Sunday.
In the opening session at the pool American ace Michael Phelps opened his quest for eight gold medals and Olympic immortality posting a Games record to a win in his heat of the 400m individual medley.
Phelps was under world record pace for the first half of the race, before easing off to record the fourth fastest time ever.
"I didn't think I'd swim that fast in the preliminaries. I saw the first few heats go out, and I kind of wanted to be the top seed for tomorrow, that is all I went out to do," he said.
The the honour of first on the podium in Beijing went to Emmons who overcame a splitting headache to produce a record-breaking performance in winning the women's 10m air rifle title.
"I couldn't believe it. I had a headache this morning. I felt so terrible that I didn't know how I'd shoot. So to win the first gold medal of this Olympics is pretty amazing," said Emmons who broke Du's Olympic record in the process.
Du, under pressure to produce 'aoyun shoujin' - first Olympic gold - fled the hall in tears, and later said she "wasn't fully prepared for the pressure of competing at home".
But there was no sign of nerves when Chen won her weightlifting gold and set two Olympic records, nor with Pang at the shooting range although team officials did not tell him Du had failed.
"We have to focus on our own performance and this helps me to relax and not come under pressure."
In hazy, hot and humid conditions, Sanchez prevailed in the cycling road race for the biggest win of his career after a tough 6hr 23min 49sec in the saddle and was quick to share the plaudits with his dominant Spanish team.
"My biggest fear was whether we'd be able to control the race as a team, and in such humid, and tremendous heat. But we raced to perfection."
Pre-race favourite and reigning champion Paolo Bettini of Italy was left trailing after a decisive attack on the final climb by Australian Cadel Evans.
That move also dropped co-favourite Alejandro Valverde of Spain, and ultimately led to a six-man finish with Italian Davide Rebellin a close second and Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara third.
The opening day of the Games, however, was not without controversy as Greece recalled a track athlete after testing positive for a prohibited performance drug.
Greek officials did not immediately name the competitor but Greek media revealed it was men's 200 metre runner Tassos Gousis, who denied any wrongdoing.
"I am innocent and my conscience is clear", Gousis told reporters. "It would be stupid for me to take a banned substance just before the Games."
In Hong Kong, a pro-Tibet activist was forced to leave the equestrian venue where she planned to unfurl a Tibetan flag.
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