The Mexican Olympic delegation marched into the Bird's Nest National Stadium at the opening ceremony on Friday night.

Diver Paola Espinosa is the flag bearer for the 163-member Mexican team which includes 85 athletes.

In 2007 alone, Espinosa grabbed 11 gold medals in international competitions and she is tipped as a medal hopeful in Beijing.

Mexico has sent athletes to the Summer Games since 1900, with the sports of athletics and boxing producing a large number of the country's Olympic medals.

As the host nation of the 1968 Olympics, Mexico enjoyed its most successful medal tally by winning nine in total, including three golds.

(Xinhua News Agency August 8, 2008)