The 30-year-old gave up his job last year to devote time - and his body - to the Olympics.

'I dropped my job, I dropped all my dreams, I dropped the chance to get a girlfriend,' he said, admiring the new 'One world, One dream' slogan etched on his stomach at a tattoo parlour in Beijing.

'I dropped everything and single-mindedly promoted the Olympic spirit. I cannot have other thoughts. I must keep one thought in mind, or I cannot reach my goal.'

His tattoo mania began in July 2001 - when China was awarded the Games - and his body is now a walking billboard depicting the symbols of different sports, China's Olympic logo and 'Beijing 2008', among others.

Not content with that, he decided to leave his job as a rickshaw rider in east China's Zhejiang province last year to pedal around several provinces with the aim of collecting thousands of signatures supporting the Games.

Mr Sun is just one of a number of Chinese Olympic fanatics. One man decided to stick 2008 needles in his head, face, hands and chest to commemorate the Games, according to media reports.

Another set off from north-west Xinjiang in August 2005 and has already walked 40,000km across China.

But unlike many others, Mr Sun's sacrifice is permanent - while his hair, cut in five Olympic rings and dyed in the colours of the Games, will grow out, his 36 tattoos are indelible.

'I want to train and test myself through hardship and diligence, and also to challenge myself. I think this is the Olympic spirit,' he said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE