So far, so good for Athens
By Sun News
Tuesday, August 24, 2004

The Athens Olympics have now reached their midway point, and the half-term report card reads: 'So far, so good".
Pretty impressive, given the horror stories that organisers had to put up with in the build-up to the Games as they raced to get the venues ready on time.

Visitors were warned that traffic jams, a dodgy transport network, pollution, suffocating security, stifling temperatures, sky-high prices and even stray dogs were waiting to ruin their Olympic experience.
Well, it is certainly hot and there is an occasionally vocal family of canines living beneath the underpass opposite our BBC hotel.

But apart from that, everything seems to be going just fine.
A spectacular and surprisingly tasteful opening ceremony set the tone for a first week of action which was anything but boring.

Swimming superstars, Michael Phelps and Ian Thorpe, gave their fans plenty to shout about as the duel in the pool between the Americans and Australians lit up the Aquatic Centre.
And Greek celebrations at winning a first gold of the Games were mind-blowing after a dramatic synchro diving competition which featured a belly-flopping prankster in fancy dress.

The nations of the world have all made their presence felt, with a rainbow of colours on display.
One reporter described the atmosphere at the US v Greece basketball match as the best he had ever witnessed at any sporting event.

At the pool, banks of orange-clad Dutch willed on freestyle star Pieter van den Hoogenband, while a sea of red, white and blue raised the roof for Briton Chris Hoy's gold in the velodrome.
Japanese fans tried to drown out their vocal Korean rivals in the judo hall, and the Germans noisily celebrated double gold in the three-day event only to see the result overturned a few days later.
As for the venues, they may have only received their last lick of paint a few days before the Games, but they are superb.

The super-fast velodrome track produced one world record and two new Olympic bests in three events on the opening night.
It is a pity, though, that there have been so many empty seats, even for major events like swimming finals.
The drugs test scandal involving sprinter Kostas Kenteris has been a major embarrassment for the Greeks.

And although the judging controversies in eventing and swimming have not reflected well on the various ruling bodies, they have certainly created high drama.
American fans, for example, went through 20 minutes of frustration when backstroke star, Aaron Peirsol, was disqualified, only to celebrate gold all over again when his appeal succeeded.
With most Athenians apparently using the Games as a chance to escape, the city has been a playground for its many visitors.

The notorious traffic jams have melted away along with the pollution, and scores of traffic police discourage drivers from entering the special Olympic lanes.
The metro system is modern and clean and the direct buses for spectators and the media make the considerable distances between some of the venues easier to bear.

The Acropolis shines brightly above the city every evening, and the central Syntagma and Omonia squares are still buzzing well after midnight.
Although prices are not cheap, they are not too bad either.
A bottle of water costs about 35p, which is just as well when you are sweating it out faster than you can drink it.