Beijing responds warmly over Olympic songs

Thirty newly-released Olympic songs are proving to be hits among people in Beijing. The tunes can be heard wherever one strolls among Beijing's streets and hutongs.

The singers from the Beijing Festival Choir are rehearsing the new song, "Beijing Welcomes You". The song is one of those on the list of 30 Olympic songs released by the BOCOG.

The songs are hitting the airwaves as the excitement over the Games mounts. This taxi driver says he really likes the song, "I am a Star," which he heard only the day before.

Yang Ke, who wrote the lyrics for "Be Here", says his song embodies part of the Olympic Spirit - a persistence in striving to create miracles, and a determination to spread harmony everywhere.

Around a million entries were submitted after the Olympic Organizing Committee put out a call for Olympic songs. The newly released titles represent different music styles but are considered the acme of Chinese music.

Injury rules out Jana Rawlinson from Olympics

An injury is forcing 400-meter hurdles world champion Jana Rawlinson out of the Beijing Olympics. It's a huge disappointment for the 25-year-old who was favored for the title, and one of Australia's biggest hopes of track success.

Jana Rawlinson of Australia waves after winning the women's 400m hurdles during the Golden Grand Prix in Shanghai, September 2007. Rawlinson has said she had ruled herself out of next  month's Beijing Olympics because of a toe injury.(AFP/File/ Mark Ralston)

An injured toe and other related problems ruled Rawlinson out of the Beijing Olympics - on the same day that the world 400-meter hurdles champion was named to her third Australian Summer Games team. It'll be the second Olympics in a row that injury problems have ruined the 25-year-old's chances.

After winning the first of her two world titles in 2003 as Jana Pittman, she went into the Athens Olympics as one of the favourites, but finished fifth after sustaining a knee injury in training.