10 Facts About Athens 2004

The 2004 Games marked the first time since the 1996 Summer Olympics that all countries with a National Olympic Committee were in attendance, and marked the first time Athens hosted the Games since their first modern incarnation in 1896 as well as the return of the Olympic games to its birthplace.

The Athens 2004 Games was the first of two consecutive Olympic games to be held in Southern Europe since the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, and was followed by the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

The Athens 2004 Games were generally deemed to be a success, with the rising standard of competition amongst nations across the world.

Under the direction of Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, Athens pursued another bid, this time for the right to host the Summer Olympics in 2004.

The success of Athens in securing the 2004 Games was based largely on the bid's appeal to human values, the history of the Games from ancient age and modern age and the emphasis that Athens is placed at the pivotal role that Greece and Athens could play in promoting the Modern Olympism and the Olympic Movement.

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Unlike the 1996 bid that was seen arrogant when the city was bidding, the Athens 2004 bid was lauded for its low scale, humility, honest and earnestness, its focused message, and a more real and detailed bid concept.

Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, responsible for the preparation and organisation of the Games, concluded its operations as a company in 2005 with a surplus of €130.

Late July and early August witnessed the Athens 2004 Tram become operational, and this system provided additional connections to those already existing between Athens 2004 city centre and its waterfront communities along the Saronic Gulf.

The upgrades to the Athens 2004 Metro were completed, and the new lines became operational by mid-summer.

The Athens 2004 Olympics had two official mascots: Athena and Phevos.