Athletics World Championships open at Beijing’s Bird’s Next – in pictures

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremonies of the 2015 Athletics World Championships on Saturday at the Bird's Nest in Beijing. Jeon Heon-kyun / EPA

Flag bearers enter the stadium during the opening ceremonies of the 2015 Athletics World Championships in Beijing on Saturday. Jeon Heon-kyun / EPA

Chinese honour guards prepare for the the opening ceremonies of the 2015 IAAF World Championships in athletics on Saturday at Beijing's Bird's Nest. Johannes Eisele / AFP

Spectators watch the opening ceremonies of the 2015 Athletics World Championships on Saturday inside the Bird's Nest in Beijing. Olivier Morin / AFP

Performers take part in the opening ceremonies of the 2015 Athletics World Championships in Beijing on Saturday. Antonin Thuillier / AFP

A participant carries the Chinese flag during the opening ceremonies of the 2015 Athletics World Championships on Saturday in Beijing. Antonin Thuillier / AFP

Performers participate in the opening ceremony of the 2015 IAAF World Championships in athletics at the Bird's Nest National Stadium in Beijing, China on Saturday. Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters

Performers take part in the opening ceremonies of the 2015 IAAF World Championships in athletics on Saturday at Beijing's Bird's Nest. Antonin Thuillier / AFP

A general view inside the Bird's Nest on Saturday of the opening ceremonies to the 2015 Athletics World Championships in Beijing. Ian Walton / Getty Images

Images from the opening ceremonies of the 2015 IAAF World Championships on Saturday in Beijing, China, where the elite biennial tornament in athletics will take place from Saturday to August 30. Click the arrows below to scroll through the photos.

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