Good arrows! Bad US TV man!

Robin at the archery
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

We've just got back from the archery at the amazing Panathinaiko Stadium - which was last used for the Olympics at the first modern one in 1896. As you'll see from the picture above, it was an amazing place to watch it - felt really special.

The actual sport was way more exciting than I expected. It was the first round of what's a seeded knock out competition, narrowing it down from 64 to 32. There were two contests at a time - with four archers. - and whoever got the highest score out of each match up went through to the last 32.

As with the basketball, they were keeping people well entertained in the gaps between competition. At one point they showed the archery contest from Disney's 'Robin Hood' on the big TV screen, at another they got everyone clapping and dancing by playing 'Zorba The Greek'. There was good, informative commentary (in English) too.

The final pairings on included a Greek against an Indian. Although the old stadium wasn't by any means packed (it was only the first round, afterall) there was great home support for the young Greek. They each get 18 arrows in sets of 3 and it ended up coming down to the Greek needing one point with his last arrow to win. You could see the pressure beating down on him, but he did it (although his score of 5 was his worst score of the 18 arrows he shot). The whole place went nuts and he was beaming like he'd won the gold.

An annoying thing happened outside the stadium though. A man from a major US TV network (not the one with the rights to the Games) stopped us and said he wanted an interview with someone who'd watched the archery. I said, yeah, no problem. But then, before we did the interview, he said, wasn't it a terrible place to have the archery, because it was quite empty? I said no, I thought it was amazing, a beautiful place and of course it wasn't a sell out, because it was only the opening round.

But he was insistent - 'Shouldn't it have been a smaller venue? Isn't it pointless having it in such a big one?'. I said I disagreed and that there was a great atmosphere when the Greek won. He said, 'She won a medal?' So he was compiling a critical report and yet he didn't even know a) that it was men's archery or b) that it was the first round of a lengthy competition so obviously no medals were being won.

By this stage it was clear they didn't want to interview me afterall - obviously they didn't want someone who thought the old stadium was a great venue. I told him I thought it was a real shame that they were taking such a negative stance and if they were looking for someone to just slate the Olympics I wasn't their man. He shrugged. We left. Isn't it sad that they'd rather go with a negative angle than interview a happy spectator who's just really enjoyed himself?

Feedback. And a new competition!

Mark from Wales has written to say that the tennis player from Djibouti is DEFINITELY a man. But all the reports say he was a woman. Maybe he got his sister to hold the flag for him cos he couldn't be bothered to stand for hours in the middle?

Meanwhile, Perry and Diegem have both written to ask if all the stadiums are empty. Well, certainly the basketball last night was packed - a total sell out. And it said on the radio a couple of days ago they'd sold 97% of their ticket sales target for the Games, and they expected to go past 100% by now. I guess with so many sports on there's no way you'll see packed stadia at all of the prelim rounds. But Athens is definitely bustling with spectators and by the time we get towards the business end of the events most of the events are expected to be pretty much full. There are certainly queues at all the ticket selling booths. In fairness, Sydney probably didn't sell out all of its early rounds, and some of the group games I went to in Euro2004 weren't sold out.

And now for the ALL-NEW COMPETITION! Yes, you, like Vix, can win a tacky Olympic souvenir sent from Athens paid for out of my own pocket!

So here's the question: Guess how much, in Euros (, it would cost you in an Olympic venue to buy the following:
2 x 400ml beer
2 x 500ml water
2 x hot dogs
2 x creme caramel
(1 Euro = 67p or $1.23)

Get those guesses in, with your name and where you're from...

Robin does the tourist thing

Robin the tourist
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Hey, it's his first time in Athens. Don't judge him.

Basketball report: Dream Team has a nightmare!

Robin with the Dream Team
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Yes, last night we went to our second Olympic event - the basketball. It took place in a hall at the extremely impressive Helliniko Olympic Complex - where baseball, softball, handball and hockey are also taking place. The place looks like a cross between Disneyworld ('ooh look, the hockey zone!') and a top class sporting venue.

So, to the game. As you'll see from the pic, we managed to grab some empty seats right down by the court (think they may have been reserved for officials, but we stayed there the whole time).

The first game was Puerto Rico v USA and, as you may have heard, the USA got spanked 92-73! A 'huge shock' according to the BBC. It was amazing to see such big-name athletes as Iverson (number 4 behind Robin) so desperately trying to claw it back. They looked like they might do it too until a late burst by the amazing Puerto Ricans (who virtually the entire crowd were cheering for). Proper celebrations at the end. And, in fairness, the US players were very gracious in defeat.

During breaks in the games there was an amazing array of dancers (who were actually very good at dancing) and folks throwing out T-shirts (they had a massive catapult to fire them into the upper tier!). And at half time in the US game there was an amazing display with trampolines that combined acrobatics with basketball. The Greeks are proving they absolutely know how to put on a show.

And then the Greece game - which most of the crowd had come to see. The place was alive with singing and chanting and the Greeks didn't disappoint, easily beating Australia 76-54.

It was my first live basketball game and I must say I really enjoyed it. Greece play USA tomorrow night. Now that will be a game. We might see if this Visa programme we're on for a couple of days means we can get tickets!

For now, though, we're off to the archery in the old Panathinaiko Stadium which staged the 1896 Games...

Robin meets an Olympian!

Robin meets a Lovely Olympian
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Yes, neither the headline nor the picture lie - Robin met a real life Olympian at the baskebtall last night!

Sitting just in front of us during the USA v Puerto Rico game was Deborah Lovely - an Aussie Olympic weightlifter!

She took part in the opening ceremony, and said it really was quite hard having to wait around for hours in the middle while the other athletes filed in. Australia, of course, were one of the first teams out, so she was stood there for ages. 'It was really hot in the uniforms and I was starving hungry,' she told us. 'It took a good couple of days to get over it.'

She did, though, say it was an amazing once in a lifetime experience and that she was still glad she did it. Apparently only 30-40 percent of the OZ team did (which explains why it didn't look that big).

She was a very friendly woman (Lovely by name...) and we wish her all the best in her weightlifting on Thursday. She's hoping to finish in the Top 12. We'll keep you posted...

Comments from you lot

Your comments keep rolling in. Which is nice.

DJIBOUTI LATEST
Someone's written in to say that the Djibouti tennis player who carried the Djbouti flag in the smallest team in the Opening Ceremony isn't in the women's tennis draw because she's a man. But she was clearly a woman. And all the reports I've found about the Cermony thought she was a woman too. Oddness.

ROBIN FANS
Sarah from Derby is worried that Robin won't be allowed into our posh hotel. Don't worry, we've just got here and we smuggled him in in a bag. As for his Greek language skills - Robin went to Harvard and speaks seven different languages fluently (it would be eight, but his Swahili is a bit rusty). KJ, meanwhile, has written to say she liked Robin's diving skills and suggests he finds a parakeet to do synchronised diving with. Good plan KJ, we'll put an ad in the paper for a willing bird.

39SCR IMPRESSED WITH ATHENS 2004 BLOG
39SCR is my grandpa. For some reason all my family have started leaving comments with pseudonyms. Such modesty.

ST GEORGE'S FLAGS OK
Apparently there were loads at the GB hockey game yesterday, so we'll be okay. We walked past the big hockey arena while Pakistan were playing Germany - those Pakistan fans are LOUD! Can't wait for GBR v Pakistan, which we're off to next week.

PAUL DESERVES POSTCARD
Teddy Bear has written in to say that Paul - the original entrant of my guess-the-events competition -deserves a postcard from Athens for getting the whole thing going. Too true. Email me your details Paul and I'll get it in the post.

Keep the comments coming. And don't forget to say where you're from.

Transport system. It's great.

Robin lets the train take the strain
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

The transport system to get to and from the events we've been to so far has been extremely impressive.

The new metro system, which has been built over the last 7 or so years, is quick, clean and efficient. And for any day that you have tickets for an event, the whole transport system (trains, buses, trams) is free.

It's running 24 hours too for the Games. Last night the basketball we went to finished at around midnight. We went out of the venue and were directed to buses, of which there were loads, and got straight on one which took us quickly to the nearest metro station. Waited there a couple of minutes and a train took us home. Plus, there are plenty of maps, signs and tourist info people all waiting to help you out.

Must say, we've been really impressed with the organisation so far. The Greeks done good.

Olympics news round-up...

Mornin'. Time for a quickfire round-up methinks...

GREEK SPRINTERS SUSPENDED
As you've probably heard by now, Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou - the Greek sprinting heroes - were pulled out of the Olympics by Greek team bosses. Which is pretty much all any of the Greeks are talking about here - and they're not best pleased.'From hero to zero' seems to have become a popular phrase. Good follow-up piece to the one I posted earlier from the UK's Independent newspaper here.

STADIUM LOOKS AMAZING
We went past it on the Metro yesterday - you wouldn't believe the difference from March (building site) to now (stunning world class sporting venue). On the way back, we got off the train to have a look, but you can't get near the complex of venues without tickets. Which leads us to...

BRITISH TABLOID EXPOSES 'SECURITY LAPSES'.
The Sunday Mirror is reporting that an undercover reporter of theirs was able to get a job at the Olympic stadium and plant suspect packages which weren't discovered. You can read about the story
here on BBC News. I know this is investigative journalism, but if they did really put suspicious packages in the stadium before the ceremony, that was hugely irresponsible. If they'd been discovered in the minutes before the ceremony, that would have caused chaos. From what I could tell when we looked at the stadium yesterday, security was very tight - each spectator was going through X-ray machines.

YOUR OPENING CEREMONY QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
Vix (our chuffed competition winner) has written to ask if, at the Opening Ceremony, the athletes all had to stand in the middle of the stadium until everyone had paraded in. They certainly did - some of them were stood there for a couple of hours. But here's a fact for you - normally Greece are the first country in (cos they invented the Games). This time, though, they're hosts - who always come last. So they sent a weightlifter round with a Greek flag at the very start (to keep up that part of the tradition) and then sent their team round at the very end. How pleased must any Greek athlete who's been to a few Games have been not to have to come out first this time?!

ANOTHER QUESTION
Meanwhile Kyle - who's also from Philly and was very impressed with Robin's diving skills - has asked if there was a musical/theatrical spectactular AFTER the torch lighting, "i.e. Three Tenors in Barcelona, rock n blues fest in Atlanta, etc." No, don't think so Kyle. And was the Three Tenors concert really the same night as the flame lighting? Wouldn't that overshadow the ceremony a bit?

WE'RE SET TO SAMPLE THE CORPORATE LIFE
I stil don't quite understand how/why, but a friend of my fiance's dad has (very kindly) sorted us out with some places on the Visa hospitality programme. We'll be staying in a hotel in Athens for four days from tomorrow - will be interesting to see how the other half live! It also means we might get tickets to another event. I feel another competition coming on...

Brits win first medal. Robin takes dive to celebrate!

Robin takes a dive
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

We Brits have just won our first medal of the games, a silver in the men's 10m synchronised diving. We just watched it on telly and despite a worryingly off-sync fifth and final dive, Leon Taylor and Peter Waterfield deservedly held onto the silver medal. Well done fellas! Hopefully the first of many. (Postscript to the earlier flag debate - almost every tacky souvenir shop in Athens sells English St George's Flags, not one we've seen has sold British Union Jacks.)

After watching the diving, an excited Robin demanded to go straight to the bathroom, where he had his first crack at the sport. As you'll have noticed, he's something of a natural...

Cycling: our first event and how it went!

Robin watches the cycling
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Yes, as you'll guess from the picture, we're just back from watching our first ever Olympic event - which was the 224.4k cycling road race (which took about 6 hours).

We had a top time. A lap of the circuit around central Athens took the riders about 20 minutes, and we managed to find a spot where we could see all of them whizz past, then walk to the other end of a road and see them come past again about 7 minutes later. It's amazing how quickly they go and how - even though you only get those fleeting glimpses of them - you manage to get engrossed in the actual race. A Swede was out front for ages, but eventually, after several late leadership changes, it was won by Italian Paolo Bettini. We made it over to the finish in time to see him cross the line (having first wandered down past the Greek parliament building, where Robin posed for his picture).

We got some unexpected souvenirs too - one rider threw away his Athens 2004 water bottle and it landed at our feet, and another threw a little cloth bag used for carrying provisions (team's crews were handing them to their riders). The little bag still had his Apricot energy bar in it. I'm not sure whether to eat it or cherish it.

It was a great (and free) way to spend a day, a bit like cricket in that you can wander about, chat and enjoy the weather, only paying attention to the action every few minutes and then at the end. It all seemed very well organised too - and public transport was quick and easy.

Roll on the men's basketball tomorrow night. In our session, we're seeing Puerto Rico v USA and then Australia v Greece (who are extremely keen on basketball). Not surprisingly, it was one of the first basketball events to sell out the 8,000 capacity Helliniko Indoor Arena. Should be good.

Djibouti: the plot gets decidedly thick...

KJ from the USA (who's Robin's Number 1 fan) has written with more Djibouti info. 'There has been 1 Olympic medal won by a Djibouti athlete,' she/he says. 'In 1988, in Seoul, Ahmed Saleh from Djibouti won a bronze medal in the Men's Marathon with a time of 2:10:59.'

She/he goes on to reveal that 'nomadic animal herding is the main occupation in Djibouti, but most revenue comes from the Djibouti Port. I did find a picture of the beautiful Djibouti Sheraton, if you're interested in visiting.' Yes, I think I can safely say we all are - what's the link?

Myself, I've managed to discover that the sole Djibouti athlete is indeed a tennis player and she's called Abdo Abdallah. But here's the weird bit. According to the Official Olympic Tennis Draw on ITFTennis.com? there is no Abdallah in the first round of the women's draw. So is she not playing? And if not, why is she here? It's a weird one...

Vix thrilled with win! Robin checks Olympic merch!

Robin checks the merch
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Vix from Philly has written to say how thrilled she is to have won the guess-the-events competition. 'I know the prize is just a 'tacky souvenir' as you say, but I will treasure whatever it is,' she says.

Well, me and Robin have already been to one of the many shops selling Official Olympics merchandise to see what might be a suitable prize. The great thing about all the stuff is that it has the price printed on the packaging - so no nasty shopkeepers can rip you off - and it's all very reasonably priced (which is probably why half of Athens seems to be wearing it!). As you'll see above, Robin was a big fan of the Olympic baseballs. But I think they're probably a bit heavy to send to the US. Vix's prize will be somewhat lighter...

Djibouti update!

Mark from the UK has emailed to say that, according, to Barry Davies' TV commentary, the sole Djibouti athlete is a 20 year-old tennis player.

Meanwhile I've discovered that Djibouti is a small African country of 650,000 population whose only industry is, apparently, 2 soft drinks factories!

More details of the Djibouti tennis hero (who must be jolly sad that she can't enter the doubles) to come...

The big competition results!

Mornin'

The swimming, basketball, rowing and handball are already on the TV, but the real excitement is here with the results of my guess-which-events-i'm-going-to-competition!

And the winner is...

GOLD
Vix from Philadephia - who got 8
SILVER
Bob from Calgary - who also got 8 (but only with his second guess)
JOINT BRONZE
Perry - 7
Nulli - 7
Mark from Wales - 7 (he entered three times!)

AND THE RUNNERS UP
Paul - 6 (the original entrant!)
Japanese Captain - 5
George - 5
Darren - 5
Noelle - 4
Diegem from Belgium - 4

Wally the Wally and Teddy Bear are disqualified - not for having silly names, but because they're my best friend and brother respectively.

AND NOW FOR THE CORRECT ANSWER
1. Cycling, 2. Football, 3. Tennis, 4. Beach Volleybal, 5. Volleyball, 6. Basketball, 7. Archery, 8. Hockey, 9. Equestrian, 10. Atheletics, 11. Badminton.

Vix, email your address and you get the tacky souvenir.

Right, I've gotta go - I'm off to see event Number 1, the cycling around Athens City Centre. Report (and pic of Robin the Robin - who's already had his first fanmail from KJ, USA) later...

Flame lit! Athens 2004 Blog supports Djibouti!

So the lengthy ceremony is done, Bjork can go back to singing with a microphone (why the miming?) and the Moldovan women can put away their pink suits. It all dragged on a bit (perhaps next time they can make each country jog), but it was a good show. We watched the finale fireworks from the roof of the apartment block. Superb.

Having seen the ceremony, we've decided to throw our support behind the entire Djibouti team - which, if you were watching, you'll know is just one, shy looking young woman. We're going to find out what she's called, what she's competing in and how she does oh and where Djibouti is. We may even go along to watch their only athlete compete.

Talking of which, the which-11-events-am-I-going-to-see competition is now closed. Thanks for all the entries. The medal ceremony will be in the morning...

Opening ceremony goes on a bit...

Robin watches opening ceremony
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

We liked blue Eros. We liked the woman with the glowing pregnancy. We liked the DNA lasers. And Robin liked when the little boy arrived in a boat.

But this business of the athletes parading isn't exactly riveting TV. Soundtracked by what the Greek commentator called DJ Tiesto's 'modern disco music', the only real highlight has been the Bermuda team's natty red shorts. As we write Denmark are arriving. They look happy. Even though their outfits make them look like McDonald's staff.

Best get back to it. At least the use of the Greek alphabet to order the teams is providing a fun guess-who's-next game. Oh look, here come Switzerland..!

It's started!

The Olympics have begun! Hope everyone has a top, top Games.

This is Robin. He will be your guide.

robin1
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

This Robin, lying on all my tickets for the Olympics. Robin will be coming to all the events with me and starring in the pictures from all of them.

Let's it hear it for Robin! Go Robin!

Greek stars in crash!

Aparently the reason Greek duo Kostas Kenteris (Greek 200m gold medalist in Sydney) and Katerina Thanou (silver medalist in the women's 100m in Sydney) missed their drug test last night was because they left the Olympic village to pick up some belongings and then were involved in a car crash with a motorbike. This is all BIG NEWS here in Athens, where the showing of 'The Talented Mr Ripley' last night was interupted by constant newsflashes that all said exactly the same thing.

The TV is currently showing lots of VIPs arriving to the President's place for a big garden party. Tony Blair looks jolly excited.

In other news, after asking comment posters to say where they're from, my mum wrote to say she was from England. Funnily enough, I knew this. It was more the rest of you (who've turned up in massive record numbers today) that I was interested in.

Lots of other comments to post, but demands on the fiance's family's computer are high so I'll have to write more later. And remember, the guess-which-11-events-I'm-going-to competition ends when the Opening Ceremony starts. That means you've got six hours, 56 minutes and 24 seconds to get those guesses in and win yourself a tacky Olympic souvenir sent direct from Athens...

Poster asks for news about weather. Athens 2004 Blog obliges.

An anonymous poster (hey folks, please put a name and a location at the bottom of your comment - then we can be one big global family!) has asked for 'News about the weather please.'

No worries. It's hot. Jolly hot. A heatwave is expected for the weekend (according to my fiance's 12 year-old sister Eleni, who knows about such things).

'STUFF 'EM'
Menawhile Kevin has written in about the flag debate (see below) to say, 'The aussies usually have an aboriginal flag somewhere, and there would be a nationl outcry if it got confiscated. So I am sure the english thing is ok. stuff 'em.'

IT'S ALL GREEK TO ME
I've just been watching the TV channel with the rights to the Games. They managed to have a black out in Greece for the first 25 mins of the Greek football match last night, for which several of their staff have lost their jobs. Now they're talking about Kenteris, the Greek 200m gold medalist/hero in Sydney, who has, apparently, missed a drug test in the Olympic village. Big news. I can't understand a word they're saying but they all look very grave. Makes the following article about him, from The Independent on Aug 3, look rather pertinent...
Independent.co.uk: The Olympics may be coming home but are Greek athletes running away?

WEATHER UPDATE!
It's still hot.