However, the opening day of the XXX Olympic Games began on a disappointing note for India as the mixed doubles badminton pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju lost their first group match. Gutta and Diju lost their Group C match in straight games 21-16, 21-12 to the Indonesian team of Ahmad Tontowi and Liliyan Natsir. Each team will play three games before the knockouts.
But the more disappointing news came from the archery venue at Lord's where the Indian team lost to Japan in a tense shoot-off after both teams were locked 214 after the regulation 24 arrows. The men's archery team of Tarundeep Rai, Rahul Banerjee and Jayanta Talukdar was knocked out in the pre-quarter-finals (1/8 Elimination Round).
The three men archers will now be seen in action in the individual elimination rounds that will commence on Monday.
Meanwhile, Indian challenge in women's table tennis ended in the first round itself as Ankita Das crashed out losing 1-4 to Spain's Sara Ramirez at the ExCel centre.
The 24-year-old Spaniard, though, did not allow Ankita any chance to launch an offensive as she won the first three games 11-9 11-8 11-7 in just 19 minutes. Ankita kept the Indian hopes alive winning the fourth game 11-8, but her abject surrender in the fifth and decisive game (11-2) proved fatal for her chances.
And India's day continued to go from bad to worse as Swarn Singh finished fourth in the men's singles sculls heat with a timing of 6:54.04. Swarn Singh will now have to fight it out in repechage.
Shooter Vijay Kumar's challenge in the 10m Air Pistol event failed to take off as he finished a disappointing 31st in the qualification round to bow out. In his six rounds, Vijay shot scores of 94, 95, 94, 97, 97 and 93 for a total score of 570. India's major shooting hopes, though, remain Abinav Bindra, Gagan Narang and Ronjan Sodhi.
News from the boxing ring wasn't encouraging as well, sending further gloom into the Indian camp. Young sensation Shiva Thapa was sent crashing out by Mexico's Oscar Valdez 14-9 in the Bantamweight Round of 32. India have sent their biggest ever boxing contingent to the Olympics with a total of seven boxers, including Beijing bronze medallist Vijender Singh.
A pair of Russian newcomers upset Beijing bronze medalists Zhang Xi and Xue Chen of China in a close Olympic women's beach volleyball opener on Saturday that set pulses racing.
The surprise result spiced up the first day of competition, in which the top attraction will be a clash between double gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh of the United States and Australians Natalie Cook and Tamsin Hinchley.
Low-ranked Anastasia Vasina and Anna Vozakova beat the Chinese pair, who are among the favorites to win gold in London, in three sets.
"We won't look back on this match. I wear a lucky jade necklace but it wasn't lucky for me today," said Zhang.
LONDON -- The referees were bundled up for a brisk winter night.
Aussies Nat Cook and Tamsin Hinchley went with the long sleeves and tights for their women's beach volleyball match. It is winter Down Under.
But these are the Summer Olympics in London. And the beach volleyball venue, the Horse Guards Parade Grounds, happened to be hot and muggy just three days ago.
Californians and two-time defending gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings -- going with the long sleeves -- shrugged off the chilly conditions and a start time of 11 p.m. in London to stop a spirited challenge, winning the first-round match, 21-18, 21-19.
Kazakhstan’s Alexandre Vinkourov was the surprise winner of the Olympic road race on Saturday, as Britain’s highly-rated team failed to make an impression.
Vinokourov, 38, was competing at his fifth Olympics and the win was his second Olympic medal after his silver in Sydney in 2000.
The veteran rider, who was banned from 2007 until 2009 for doping, suffered a serious crash last year that put his career in jeopardy, but announced he would race for one more season in order to compete in London.
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The Olympic flame has completed its journey on the Gloriana on the final leg of its 70-day, 8,000-mile journey around the United Kingdom ahead of tonight's opening ceremony.
The torch, which has snaked its way through the UK and been seen by millions of excited spectators, was taken down the Thames on the royal rowbarge.
Torrential rain which battered the Diamond Jubilee river pageant last month was nowhere to be seen, as thousands of spectators flocked to the river banks to catch a glimpse of the flame.
The £1 million Gloriana, powered by 16 oarsmen, transported the flame downriver in a cauldron to Tower Bridge. Later the torch will be carried into the Olympic Stadium and the flame lit by a mystery VIP.
Today's first torchbearer was Rosie Hynes, 18, from Manchester, who is part of the Great Britain under-20s basketball squad, who carried it in Bushey Park.
Nine torchbearers then ran in relay through the grounds of Hampton Court, including around its famous hedge maze.
The last land-based torchbearer was four-time Olympic gold medallist Matthew Pinsent, who carried the flame from the palace to the royal rowbarge Gloriana, last seen during the Jubilee pageant.
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The sun is rising over London and the day of the Opening Ceremony is finally here!
The Olympic Stadium isn't the only venue that will see action during Friday though, as Archery starts today at Lord's Cricket Ground. Each athlete will be shooting 72 arrows to determine their seedings in both the Team and Individual competitions before heading into the elimination rounds.
