Athens – 2004

The Olympic Games finally return to the land of their birth.  After an abysmal attempt to secure the rights to the Centennial Games in 1996, and the threat of never bidding again, the Athens organizing committee re-thought their position and submitted a much less arrogant proposal to host the Games in 2004.

Unfortunately for them, and due to events completely out of their control, they were following the best and most successful Summer Games ever and they were the first Summer Olympics to be held since the terrorist attacks on the United States of Sept. 11, 2001.

Situated geographically so close to the Middle East in the aftermath of America’s darkest day, did little to help Athens from a standpoint of enthusiasm for potential tourists/spectators.  When you also add domestic, political infighting that put the construction of Olympic venues way behind schedule to the mix, you can see that Athens was starting from a very deep hole.  On several occasions the IOC seriously contemplated re-assigning the 2004 Games to an alternate site.

Due to the lowered expectations of Athens’ hosting duties, the Games came off beautifully.  Although oftentimes brutally hot, the competition was spirited across the board and many new, young faces emerged under the most pressure-packed circumstances.

Coming as it did in the wake of the BALCO scandal in the U.S., it was great for the future of American track & field that college aged newcomers like Jeremy Wariner, Justin Gatlin, Lauryn Williams, and Allyson Felix found their way onto the podium.

The expected security threats never materialized and the decrease in the amount of people attending made moving from place to place much easier than it was in Sydney.  The organizing committee must have had very low ticket sales goals because even the most popular venues were often half empty.

Being able to sample the sights, culture, and cuisine of this ancient city without the huge crowds that normally accompany any Olympic Games was a welcome respite and allowed me to experience things that I had missed out on during my competitive days when I had previously visited.

The volunteers and other support personnel created an atmosphere very much akin to the Olympics in Barcelona so that Athens easily ranks up there in my top three Summer Games experiences.