Beijing marks 100-day countdown to Games

By Ben Blanchard

BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing on Wednesday marks the 100-day countdown to the Olympics with songs, a mass run and even prayers, hoping to put behind it the tumultuous events of the past month which have taken much gloss off its preparations.

Unlike run-ups to recent Olympics, Beijing's preparations for August have kept to plan, and some stadiums and infrastructure have even been completed ahead of schedule. All is now ready to go.

In all, the city has spent some $35-40 billion on improved infrastructure, including a new airport terminal and subway lines, as well as $2.1 billion to cover the cost of running the Games.

But the city's smooth preparations for the Olympics have been overshadowed 100 days out by the torch relay's troubled journey around the globe, with protesters targeting China's human rights record, in particular its policy on Tibet.

One of the highlights of Wednesday's festivities will be a run around the Olympic Green by 10,000 Beijing residents, part of China's promise to make the Games a "People's Olympics".

There will also be songs celebrating the Games.

And in officially atheist China, Catholic churches throughout the country will hold masses to pray "for a successful Games", according to the official Xinhua news agency.

The city will be desperate to prevent a repeat of the one-year countdown, when Free Tibet activists scaled the Great Wall, smog smothered Beijing and torrential rain brought parts of the capital to a standstill.