Feature: Iran's beaming enthusiasm for Beijing Winter Olympics

TEHRAN, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Before embarking on her first trip to China for Olympic competitions, Atefeh Ahmadi, an Iranian Alpine skier, said Monday she has achieved "the dream of every athlete."

"To be sent to the Olympics is the dream of every athlete, and I have tried for eight years and will reach it for the first time," she told Xinhua at a send-off ceremony for three Iranian athletes.

Noting that China's Spring Festival is also approaching, Ahmadi, who wore a red scarf, said "the Chinese people are known for their happiness, joy and celebrations."

Ahmadi said she hopes her Beijing trip will be "a good experience, both personally and professionally."

Seyed Sattar Seyd, who will compete in cross-country skiing, also wished the "dear Chinese people" a fruitful new year, and said he is ready to go to China and participate in competitions.

In addition to yearning for a "better result than in the previous Olympics," Hossein Saveh Shemshaki, an Iranian Alpine skier who attended the Asian Winter Games in China in 2007, said he hopes to relive his memory of the Chinese people's passion for winter sports this time.

"Early in the morning, many people exercised in the cold weather, showing that they are very focused on health, mentally and physically," he recalled.

"This was very interesting for me," Shemshaki said. "I hope I can regain this kind of experience and become more familiar with the exercise habits of the Chinese people."

On the governmental level, Tehran has expressed its solidarity with Beijing in hosting this edition of the Winter Olympics, which will open in less than 10 days.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a recent interview with Xinhua that Iran will "represent at the highest level possible" in the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Iran, he said, not only condemns the attempts to politicize "this very common sports event," but also tries to have its voice heard across the region and around the globe that "everybody should seize this very opportunity of the Winter Olympics to work together."

Reza Salehi Amiri, president of Iran's National Olympic Committee, said he and Iranian Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Hamid Sajjadi will join the athletes to go to China.

"Our presence has two messages: We consider sports as a platform for the development of relations between nations; no one can disrupt the will of nations for solidarity," he said.

Despite being located in Western Asia, Iranians love skiing thanks to the country's snowy mountains, and many now look forward to watching the games.

"As a ski enthusiast, I am counting the days until I watch the upcoming skiing competitions," said Iranian blogger Arezou Shah Mohammadi, who wishes the Beijing Winter Olympics "a complete success."

Meanwhile, a group of Iranian children have painted especially for the Beijing Winter Olympics, depicting the games in their minds.

In a painting by eight-year-old Hanieh Bayati, snowmen, colorfully-dressed skaters and skiers enjoy winter sports together on snow-capped mountains, while the Iranian and Chinese flags are flanked by five interlocking rings in different colors.

Though Bayati does not have abundant knowledge about China, she carefully picked the suitable colors of red and yellow, and drew the Chinese flag according to the pictures on a mobile phone. Such efforts were hailed by Chinese Ambassador to Iran Chang Hua as Iranian child artists' "sincere wishes for the Beijing Winter Olympics."

In the course of preparation for the upcoming games, China has received strong support and help from the international community and good wishes from its friends all over the world, including Iran, Chang said.

The games are expected to "build a bridge of friendship and a platform for cooperation between the Chinese people and people of other countries," he added.