BIRD'S NEST BEING READIED FOR SECOND ACT
By David Monti
(c) 2008 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with Permission.

BEIJING (13-Aug) -- After last Friday's spectacular Opening Ceremoney, the iconic Bird's Nest stadium must be completely transformed in order to host the athletics competition which begins on Friday.

Crews are busily rebuilding the floor of the stadium, adding earth and planting sheets of sod.  Games organizers estimate that it will take over 500 trips with heavy machines to move all of the equipment and debris left behind after the opening ceremony out of the building, officially known as the National Stadium.

Organizers said that it will take about 24 hours to install all of the turf.  There are over 5000 pieces of turf to lay down, covering 7811 square meters (see photo).  Each square is 1.159 meters square, and all of the grass was grown in Liaguangying, about 11 km from the stadium.

"It is highly technical work and takes more than simple logistic transportation," said Wang Ning, the director of the Opening Ceremony, in a statement released by Games organizers.  "There are algebra and physics involved here."

Crews are also busy washing the track which, although covered with fabric for the Opening Ceremony, had plenty of dirt on it.  They are using machines but also mops and pails (see photo).

The national stadium will also be used for the football final one week from Sunday.

Photos by David Monti