Melbourne, one of the youngest and modernest cities in the world, put a new face to the 76-year history of the Commonwealth Games which started its 18th version here on Wednesday.

Queen Elizabeth II officially open the Commonwealth Games, which is tagged as the second biggest international competition to the Olympic Games.

Great respects were paid to the previous 17 hosting cities of the event as it set off its opening ceremony at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

During a 18-beat countdown to the beginning of the opening ceremony, 17 "hero" images from the 17 previous Commonwealth Games were flashed up in sequence onto the main surface in the middle of the stadium.

The 17th image of the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games completed a circle on the surface, while the entire projection surface were replaced by Melbourne 2006 logos with the audience shouting out "MELBOURNE" on the 18th beat.

A flotilla of 18 surboats, each flying a flag to represent the 17 previous hosting cities plus Melbourne, was sailing along the Yarra River in the foreground and the MCG in the background in the following session of the ceremony.

The big screens in the MCG showed up the footage of the sailing crafts. When the audience turned their eyes back to the main stage of the stadium, a W-Class tram, completed with wings, flied over the roof and into the MCG.

The tram landed in the center of the stadium and citizens of Melbourne exit the tram. As they traveled, the citizens removed their overcoats to reveal the colourful and varied characters beneath to start the short performance of the opening ceremony.

About 5,000 athletes from a total of 71 nations and territories are to compete in the 11-day event, which features 16 sports -- track and field, swimming, gymnastic, basketball, shooting, cricket, badminton, boxing, cycling, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, rugby, squash, table tennis, weightlifting.

Australia topped the medal count with 1,684 medals, including 646 gold medals, at the Commonwealth Games from 1930-2002, with England at second with 1,584 in total and 542 gold medals.

Source: Xinhua