Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-08-14

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] A GREEK MIRACLE

[02] JUDO: KARAGIANNOPOULOU GETS THE 5TH PLACE

[03] OLYMPIC GAMES OPENING WITH GREEK SUCCESSES

[01] A GREEK MIRACLE

The whole of humanity speaks with enthusiasm, and will continue to do so for a long time, about the spectacular opening ceremony of the 28th Olympic Games that stunned billions of television viewers around the world.

The foreign leaders who watched the games from the Olympic Stadium were very impressed, while the major US newspapers write the Olympic Games returned home.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair stated that Athens is an example of what the Olympic Games stand for.

A beautiful Athenian sunset greeted the world to the Opening Ceremony of the 28th Olympiad last night.

A capacity crowd of 72,000 came together in the Athens Olympic Stadium to welcome the Olympics home.

The center of the stadium was transformed into a lake, which became the centerpiece of the ceremony.

A team of 400 drummers played on its edge, the Olympic rings - lit by a ball of fire - burned on its surface and a young boy sailed across it bearing a Greek flag.   

Following the theme of a unique Games on a human scale the ceremony incorporated elements of Greek culture, in the poetry of George Seferis, and Greek Legend, in the shape of a Centaur, as it told the story of the growth of Greek civilization and human consciousness.

The story ended with a pregnant woman walking through the water followed by a cast of hundreds towards a giant water fountain which had a double helix projected upon it - representing new life and hope for the future.

It was then the turn of the athletes to take center stage.

As they entered, DJ Tiesto transformed the stadium into a dance party. The Dutch disc jockey playing upbeat party music.

The athletes were led out by the Greek Flag, which received a standing ovation. The Greek alphabet gave the five-person Santa Lucia team the unlikely honor of leading the parade of nations.

Santa Lucia was the first team to break rank, dancing and playing up for an appreciative crowd.

Switzerland's tennis star Roger Federer and China's NBA star Yao Ming, both chosen as flag bearers for their respective countries, received the most attention from their fellow competitors, with seemingly the whole Italian team at one stage lining up to snap a picture of the giant Chinese basketballer.

The USA, Australia, France, Cyprus, Iraq, Italy, Canada and Palestine received the warmest welcome, while the symbolism of both North and South Korea marching as one team was appreciated by the spectators.

However, none of the cheers for the visiting teams compared to those which greeted the Greek team. The crowd rose as one screaming "Hellas".

When all the athletes had entered, Icelandic singer Bjork sang Oceania and the organizers paid tribute to past Olympic cities.

In the shade of a olive tree, the President of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki and IOC President Jacques Rogge welcomed the athletes to the Games.

The President of the Hellenic Republic, Kostic Stephanopoulos, then declared the Games open. 

The much anticipated lighting of the Olympic Flame was made by Nikos Kaklamanakis. The gold medallist in the Mistral class at Atlanta in 1996 made the run from one end of the stadium to the other climbed the steps and, as the giant torch lowered to greet him, he offered his torch to the crowd one last time and then lit the flame.

It rose back in to the night sky among overwhelming cheering, clapping and screaming and the Athens 2004 Olympic Games were underway.

The moment was celebrated with a spectacular pyrotechnics display that circled the roof beams of the stadium and echoed around the seating bowl.

[02] JUDO: KARAGIANNOPOULOU GETS THE 5TH PLACE

Greece's Maria Karagiannopoulou was defeated in the small final of the Olympic Judo Tournament in the women's 48 kg category.

She was defeated by Germany's Julia Matijass and therefore, she remained at the fifth place.

[03] OLYMPIC GAMES OPENING WITH GREEK SUCCESSES

The Greek swimmers men and women got on an impressive start on the first day of the qualifications in the Athens Olympic Games as Yiannis Kokkodis and Vasiliki Angelopoulou qualified for the finals in the 400 m individual medley (men's and women's respectively) and Spiros Yianniotis in the 400 m freestyle category.

Vlasis Maras and Dimosthenis Tampakos qualified for the finals in the Horizontal Bar and the Rings.

Emilios Papathanasiou finished 1st in the first Finn category sailing race following the steps of Sophia Bekatorou and Emilia Tsoulfa who finished 2nd in the second women's sailing race at the 470 category.

Macedonian Press Agency: Brief News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article