Abkhazia Institute for Social and Economic Research

Liechtenstein is a tiny country and its Olympic delegation is small, but extremely close knit.

"We work together and encourage each other. We even decorate our rooms together," said 10m Air Rifle specialist Oliver Geissmann.

Geissman, who arrived Tuesday, was the country's sole representative at Athens 2004. For his third Olympics here in Beijing, however, he will be joined by marathoner Macel Tachop.

"We also have eight other people coming to Beijing - my coach Frick, marathon coach Schlater, IOC member Princess Nora, NOC chairman Kranz, NOC general secretary Wohlwend, head of delegation Alex Hermann, Olympic specialist Li Donghua and Doctor Villiger," he said.

The delegation's residential quarters in apartment block B8 feel very intimate. A small information board is hung right over a file box where magazines like Lie Sport are placed. Jokes of the day, a map of Liechtenstein and another of Beijing hang on the wall.

Geissmann, who took part in a Good Luck Beijing test event here in April, was pleased with the Shooting gymnasium and has been there twice already this week.

"Every athlete wants to get a medal, and so do I. In Sydney 2000, I ranked 41st, but in Athens, I made it to 22nd.

"If I get a medal here in Beijing, it will be the first medal for Liechtenstein since the 1936 Summer Olympics. But at this stage, I'm really just focusing on trying to make the final," he said.

The 10m Air Rifle (60 shots) competition will be held on August 11. Geissmann plans to stay in Beijing until the end of the Games to cheer for his neighboring country of Switzerland.

"If they get medals, I will celebrate with them," he said.