体坛英语新闻：Rogge hopes for "excellent" PanAm Games

GUADALAJARA, MEXICO, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Jacques Rogge on Friday said he expects an "excellent" execution of the 2011 Pan American Games held in Mexico's second largest city of Guadalajara.

"I think we will have some very successful games, the level of preparation has been very high, very professional, everything has been taken care of," Rogge told a press conference at the international press center of the Guadalajara games.

A total of 1,500 local and international journalists and press have been accredited to cover the 2011 PanAm Games, which officially are being inaugurated Friday evening.

"I am sure that we will have some great games, and, hopefully, the weather will also be good," he said, referring to the onslaught of two hurricanes, one tropical depression and two independent storm systems that in recent days have led to massive flooding, damage and caused havoc in Mexico's Pacific coast states.

After the press conference, Rogge, accompanied by the Pan American Games' executive committee president Mario Vazquez, toured the facilities for the Guadalajara games.

Almost 6,000 athletes from 42 countries in North, Central and South America plus the Caribbean will participate in the Oct. 14-30 games.