lomong0809The Olympic Games, which opened yesterday in Beijing, are filled with inspirational athletes and great stories. But what many hoped would be the best Olympic story of all, the liberalizing of host nation China, hasn’t happened yet. WORLD reporter Mark Bergin offers a comprehensive look at the Games’ politics and its people, including Sudanese-born runner Lopez Lomong (right), who carried the stars and stripes for the U.S. team at yesterday’s opening ceremonies. Mark writes:

In 1991, a government-backed militia abducted Lomong and other children in the south Sudanese village of Kimotong. Just 6 years old, he remained in custody for three weeks, watching others dying around him of dehydration and disease. Three teenagers who knew Lomong’s family helped him escape to a Kenyan refugee camp, where he spent the next 10 years among the “Lost Boys” of Sudan. … “I came a long way, for sure,” he said, “from running through the wilderness to save my life, and now I am doing this for fun.”

Be sure to read all of Mark’s excellent Olympic report, which includes articles on the hoped-for effect the Games could have on China, Joey Cheek’s Team Darfur, and Christian marathoner Ryan Hall, as well as a schedule of can’t-miss events.

For the latest medal count, click here.