Monaco was expecting over 800 athletes and officials to take part in this 12th edition, although the exact number will be known today.

Moreover, the Organising Committee is receiving help from around 950 volunteers who, apart from running the events and the venues, will also be taking care of the needs of the athletes and the officials.

The flags of the eight participating nations were yesterday seen flying high in various places, but especially at the gardens near the Casino, near the Prince's Palace, the Cathedral and, of course, the Louis II Stadium.

This magnificent stadium - the house of French Ligue club Monaco - is on the fifth floor of a building which also houses (underneath the stadium) the swimming venues, the basketball and volleyball arenas, judo and table-tennis, conference halls, sports association offices and a four-storey car park, most of it underground.