The opening ceremony of Beijing Olympic Games is expected to be epic and magical as is the history and tradition of China, said Alexandros Nikolaidis, Olympic taekwondo athlete from Greece and the first torchbearer for Beijing Olympic Torch Relay.

Alexandros Nikolaidis at the Lighting Ceremony of Beijing Olympic Games Flame in March 24, 2008 in Ancient Olympia

In a recent exclusive interview, Nikolaidis told Xinhua "I will watch the opening ceremony, and in fact I am really very disappointed I will not be able to watch it live, as my team goes to China on August 11th."

The Beijing Games will be Nikolaidis' 3rd Olympic Games. "I heard some things about the environment issues. But I have deep faith in the Beijing Organizing Committee of Olympic Games that everything that could be done has been done in order to make everything perfect for us, athletes." said Nikolaidis.

He said "I don't really worry about the food, as in the Olympic villages there are all types of food, plus the fact that I am a great fan of the Chinese cuisine!"

Nikolaidis won silver medal in taekwondo in 2004 Athens Olympic Games. At the Lighting Ceremony of Beijing Olympic Games Flame in March 24, 2008 in Ancient Olympia, he received the holy flame from the High Priestess and started the torch relay for Beijing Olympic Games.

The 2-meter tall young man still feels proud to be chosen as the first torchbearer for Beijing Olympic Games.

"I was really anxious at the time of the ceremony, as I feel and I think that it was the greatest honor and a very big responsibility to be the first torchbearer. I hope I did my best and the ceremony was as perfect as it should be," said Nikolaidis.

President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee Minos Kyiakou once said choosing Nikolaidis as the first torchbearer not only because he was the silver medalist in the Olympic Games and his gifted talents in sports, but also because of his courage, modest manner and his personality. He has shown with his ethics in his sports career and respects very much the Olympic idea and the Olympic Games.

Nikolaidis said that he likes the slogan "One world, One Dream" put forward by the Beijing Olympic Committee. He holds that the whole Olympic idea goes beyond the boundaries of sportsmanship. When the Olympic Games were taking place in ancient Greece, every war act should stop and that was generally accepted by all the countries taking part in the Games.

"This was called the Olympic Truce, and it was the biggest proof how much the sportsmanship can bring people together," said the first torchbearer.

To pursue their dreams, Nikolaidis said all the athletes would make big efforts. He said when he participated in the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, which was the first Olympic Games in his sports career, he was seriously injured.

"In the first days I was so disappointed that I thought of giving up. But the love of my family and the beloved people around me made me feel so good that the thought of giving up never crossed my mind again."

"Also, taekwondo is the thing I love more than anything else in my life, and I couldn't think myself quitting," said the Olympic silver medalist.