But all systems were not go - despite the valiant attempts of many young volunteers to provide hard copy results for the world’s press - as the info system failed halfway through the second round of men’s 100m heats.

Once again, Delhi was willing but not able.

The comments from the Organising Committee’s chairman, Suresh Kalmadi, suggesting that ticket sales were on the rise, stimulated by a rush of Indian gold, may have been true - but only relatively.

Granted, it was a first day largely full of qualifying rounds, but the stadium was clustered, rather than filled, with spectators.

They witnessed, among other things, a suggestion that Mark Lewis-Francis might be a serious prospect for a medal in a 100 metres which has been thrown wide open in the absence of the world’s top performers.

There was no lack of class, however, in the main programme’s one final of the night – the 5,000m, which was won by Uganda’s Moses Kipsiro after an epic challenge all around the last lap from Kenya’s former world champion Eliud Kipchoge.

He twice tried to pass the long-time leader – once shortly after the bell, and again, all the way down the finishing straight, without succeeding.

Such genuine competition is exactly the kind of thing the organisers will be praying for at the Nehru stadium to help deflect the criticism that is coming their way on a daily basis over the topics of ticket sales and organisation.

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