"The Athens Olympics now has its own official song.

The three albums were launched in Athens this week, and include an official Greek music album, an official pop music album, with 'Harmony', the games' official classical music album.
"

Read more at NDTV.com - Croatian pianist composes Olympic song.

"Kazakhstan are pinning their hopes of Olympic boxing gold on traditional nomadic fare and will ship horse meat and mare's milk to Athens to boost their fighters' stamina.

Kazakh boxing team coach Yermakhan Ibraimov, who won gold as a light-middleweight in Sydney in 2000, confessed plain yet energizing nomadic food had been the key to his own success."

Read more at Trust in Mare's Milk.

Czech decathlete Tomas Dvorak could be forced to withdraw from the Olympics due to an Achilles tendon problem.

"It's hurting. I need time to treat it and that's something I don't have a lot of," Dvorak told Czech newspaper Sport.

Read more at Dvorak doubt for Athens.

"For the first time, the International Olympic Committee takes out a multimillion-dollar policy to hedge against cancellation at the 2004 Olympic Summer Games in Athens. The move ushers in a new era for the IOC, which intends to insure Games until 2010.

Threat of terrorist attack has boosted the security budget to almost $1.2 billion, more than three times the amount allocated for the 2000 Games in Sydney. The Athens Games represent "a spectacular concentration of global terror risk," in the words of the London-based political risk analysts and forecasters Exclusive Analysis Ltd."

Read more at Risk and Insurance : Vaulting Olympic Risk:

"The world is closing the gap on the U.S., making this year's Olympic team vulnerable.

As the American team concludes its first week of practice today with a 1 p.m. exhibition game against Puerto Rico at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, head coach Larry Brown and his staff keep reminding their players that the USA's days of invincibility are over."

Read more at America the beatable?

"Blaine Wilson, a gymnast who's about to turn 30 and is only months past a serious injury, is headed to his last chance for an Olympic medal.

While performing his still rings routine at the American Cup on Feb. 28, Wilson tore his left biceps muscle off the bone. The injury normally requires six to seven months of recovery time."

Read more at Gymnast heads to third Olympics for last shot at medal.

"With the Olympics just two weeks away, Japan has decided to send its baseball team to Athens without its manager, media reported Saturday.

But now Nagashima won't go because the long flight and the sweltering heat in Athens might wear him out, Kyodo News agency said, citing anonymous sources close to Nagashima."

Read more at Nagashima won't coach Japan's Olympic baseball squad.

"Viewers in the U.S. and the U.K. will be able to watch video highlights of the Athens Olympics on the Internet. Canadians will not. NBC will feature online video coverage of the Summer Olympic Games. The BBC will broadcast live coverage of the games by Internet on the BBC Sport Olympics website to U.K. viewers.

In prior Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) prohibited websites from displaying video of actual Olympic events in order to protect multimillion-dollar television broadcasting deals."

Read more Athens Olympics achieves balance between Internet and TV viewing.

"The Athens Olympics begin on 13 August, but thousands are gathering this weekend in an ancient Greek stadium for what they say are the true games.

It was excavated in the 1970s by a team of American archaeologists, who were disillusioned with the elitist nature of modern Olympics."

Read more at 'True Olympics' begin in Greece

"The chemist who unmasked the steroid THG last year says similar drugs might be in circulation, and the Athens Games could spur athletes to use such performance-enhancing substances.

Terry Madden, head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, said on the conference call "there are designer steroids out there.""

Read more at Sports: Chemist: New drugs may emerge in Athens.

If you see some US and British Athletes at the the Athens walking around with gloves on its not because they are cold - quite the opposite in fact - they are hot!

"A Michigan company has developed a handheld gizmo that could help soldiers, firefighters and athletes beat the heat. The so-called CoreControl device looks a bit like a large mitten.

Researchers at AVAcore Technologies say blood passing through the hand is cooled, which then cools the whole body in just three to five minutes. It's much like the way a panting, furry animal is cooled by air passing over its tongue."

British and US Olympians will be trial the CoreControl Cooling device in Athens.

Read more at Gizmo could cool soldiers' bodies in minutes.

Also read about it at ABC News

"To most, Canada is the Great White North, home of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, comedians Mike Myers, Jim Carrey, John Candy, and of course hockey.

While its major league franchises in Montreal and Toronto have been in decline, Canada has made strides in recent years in the sport. In 1995, 55 Canadians played in the minors. In 2003, that number had swelled to 114 in the minors and 92 in independent leagues. The year before, lefthanders Adam Loewen (fourth overall) and Jeff Francis (ninth) became the highest-picked Canadians in draft history."

Read more at Canada Hopes Olympic Success Spurs Grassroots.

"Four years after Ben Sheets raised his arms in triumph following a shutout of Cuba that brought gold to the United States, the Olympic baseball landscape has changed dramatically.

Yet it’s harder to have a successful tournament when two of the best teams in the world—two that care deeply about baseball—aren’t included."

Read more at Cuba, Japan Stand Out In Euro-Centric Athens Field.

"Drug scandals have dominated the Athens build-up, but in the background a great US team has formed. Now the new generation are tipped for a 30-medal haul

So it must have been with trepidation that US track and field athletes opened the latest issue and discovered they are about to embark on an enormously successful trip to Athens, winning a total of 30 medals, including 11 golds. "This is a strong team, with 28 members who have won world or Olympic individual titles," the magazine declared by way of explanation."

Read more at Olympic success sneaks up on America.

Hi there kids - are you doing a school project on the Athens Olympics? Do you just want to know more about the Athens Olympics that you are watching on the TV? We know a lot of kids are coming to this site looking for information so we thought we'd put some resources together that might help you find the sort of information you are after. If you find a helpful website we don't have in our list below please leave us a comment at the bottom of this page and tell us what you've found.

Have fun!

Athens Olympics Kids Resources

• Kids Domain - they have heaps of fun Olympic Activities for Children
• Kids Turn Central - this site for kids has lots of good links to useful sites to help you with your school projects
• Time Magazine for Kids - a good article on the Athens Olympics especially for Kids
• Brain Pop - Olympic Page - Another Kids Olympics Page
• Fact Monster - Fun Olympics Facts
• Fact Monster Olympic Crossword Puzzle - A Summer Olympics Crossword Puzzle
• Make your own Olympics - This is fun - make your own Olympic Torch, Medals, Pins and Tags
• Athens Olympic Screensavers - Some cool Olympic pictures for you computer
• Olympic Torch Concentration Puzzle - an Olympic puzzle to tests kids concentration.
• Athens Olympic Mascots Wallpaper - pictures of the Olympic Mascots.
• The Olympic Flag - Information about the Olympic Flag
• Olympics Primer - a good site with Olympic History and other useful information for your projects
• Greek Recipes - Make some Greek Food with these Recipes
• BBC Ancient Greece - a cartoon type page with information on Ancient Greece
• Amarandi Barrett's Greece 4 Kids - a page made by a kid for other kids about Greece
• History for Kids - Greece - A history page about Ancient Greece
• Gold Medal Olympic Activities - lesson plans for your teachers - but there is some good stuff for kids too
• Journey through the Olympic Games
• ABC Teach - Olympics - A page of resources for Teachers

"A young United States team routed New Zealand 94-68 in a pre-Olympic men's basketball scrimmage but US coach Larry Brown was concerned about lapses that could mean losses in Athens.

New Zealand, led by 17 points from Phil Jones, went on an 11-2 run late in the fourth quarter, which the Kiwis won 31-25, and settled for a 16-16 draw in the second only because US forward Lamar Odom made a tip-in at the buzzer."

Read mLapses haunt US Olympic squad despite rout of Kiwis.

"Britain's athletes offered a packed south London stadium a genuinely encouraging farewell at the Norwich Union Grand Prix here last night in the kind of sultry heat they will soon be encountering in Athens.

The most notable performers were Chris Rawlinson, Kelly Holmes, Phillips Idowu, Chris Lambert, Jade Johnson and Lee McConnell, respective winners in the 400m hurdles, 1500m, triple jump, 200m, long jump and 400m."

Read more at Rawlinson and Holmes raise medal hopes.

"JOHN Howard yesterday moved to ease diplomatic tensions with Greece over the adequacy of protection for Australia's Olympic athletes.

The spokesman also suggested that if Australia had any further concerns about Greece's security arrangements it should raise them now."

Read more at The Australian: Howard didn't mean to offend

"Australia’s Men’s Olympic Football preparations encountered a small speed bump with a 3-1 loss against Athens-bound Korean Republic in hot and humid conditions in South Korea tonight.

Australia trialled 1-0 at half time after conceding a goal in the 16th minute to Korean Republic striker Cho Jaejin and found themselves down 3-0 before Ahmad Elrich scored a late consolation goal for the visitors."

Read more at .

"Landlocked Austria's Olympic sailing team has set its sails for gold in Athens.

"The situation in Greece is not comparable to that in Sydney, because due to the new regulations, the boats are different," Hagara told The Associated Press. "But that has not changed our aim in any way. We want to win gold again.""

Read more at SI.com - Austrian sailing team aims for gold in Athens - Friday July 30, 2004 1:42PM.

"Specially treated energy patches used by swimmers at the Olympic trials earlier this month will be sent to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for testing amid concerns the patches contain testosterone.

The patches are designed to electronically stimulate acupuncture points, inserting current into the body to help an athlete improve stamina, according to Schmidt. No substances enter the body, he said."

Read more at Treated patches on U.S. swimmers raise questions.

"For a sport that draws on the imagery of fantasy, few events match archery for its cut-throat intensity.

All competitors shoot a first round of 72 arrows to earn a ranking of one to 64. From there, a knock-out competition begins where No 1 is matched against No 64, No 2 against No 63, and so on."

Read more at Arrows aimed at Athens bullseye.

"The ugly duckling of Athens venues is about to become the beautiful swan.

The crowning glory of the stadium is already in place, in spite of IOC fears and rebukes. Stretching over the ground which will host the athletics, soccer, opening and closing ceremonies before a crowd of 72,000 spectators, is a grand roof that will not only be an architectural masterpiece but a shade from the scorching Athenian sun."

Read more at Ambitious glass roof to be crowning glory.

"It was on July 28, 1980, that Merlene Ottey settled into her starting blocks in the Lenin Stadium for her first Olympic race. It was two days after Steve Ovett had beaten Sebastian Coe in the 800m final, four days before their epic rematch in the 1500m final in Moscow.

"People always say that after a certain age you cannot do certain things, so I set my own goals," Ottey said. "I want to see how fast I can run at 44. For me the most important motive is that I can still run and that I can still run fast."

Read more at Ottey defies ageists to make it seven in a row.

"Straddling the Equator and hugged by the blue of the Pacific Ocean, the newest member of the Olympic family had a celebration last week.

"We don't have the synthetic tracks that most countries do, so we get by with what we have," said the national secretary of the Kiribati Olympic Committee, Willy Uan."

Read more at First-time Olympians beat odds.

Guardian columnist Harry Pearson doesn't really like the idea of the impending Athens Olympics Opening Ceremonies.....

"However dreadful opening ceremonies may be, no matter what the material and human cost, they are inevitable. You can no more stop them from occurring than you can prevent the swallow from flying south in winter, or the dog from licking his nuts the moment a stranger tells him what a sweet fellow he is....

Even more gut-wrenching were the words "the spectacular curtain-raiser will last over three hours". The psychological damage it will cause can only be guessed. So, as we watch on our TV screens at home we should spare a thought for our men and women who are copping it on the front line. We, after all, will at least have the BBC's Barry Davies explaining what it all means; the reporters, by contrast, will be totally in the dark, though sadly for them not literally. "

Read more at Let the games open but without the ceremony, says Harry Pearson

"Olympic 10,000 meters champion Haile Gebrselassie will run his last track race at next month's Athens Games before stepping up to the marathon permanently.

"(He) will run his last 10,000 meters championship race at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games," Gebrselassie's manager Jos Hermens said."

Read more at CNN.com - Gebrselassie switching to marathon - Jul 29, 2004.

Heading to the Athens Olympics? This article suggests that to truely experience it you need to head out into the neighborhoods at night!

"To fully appreciate and discover Athens' many charms, do as the Greeks do: Venture out into the neighborhoods, find the packed nightclubs, eat at one of the innumerable restaurants tucked in the most unlikely places, or see Hollywood stars under real stars in a romantic outdoor cinema.

'Athens by day is unlivable, but it's magical at night'
The Greek capital is named for the ancient goddess Athena, whose favourite animal was the owl. It's a fitting symbol for the city's nocturnal nature, which often culminates in summer with a bleary-eyed rush hour just before dawn.

As native Athenian Panos Demestiha observed: "Athens by day is unlivable, but it's magical at night.""

Read more at  Hidden pleasures of ancient Athens.

here is an interesting article examining the question of whether its better to run nude or not at the Olympics! Some people have too much time on their hands.

"If you ask me, the ancient Olympians were a lot smarter than we are. They had the good sense to run, jump, and throw in the nude. When you put anything between your skin and the environment--like shorts and a singlet, for example--you only decrease your body's cooling efficiency (even if you're more...comfortable in certain areas). The so-called "modern" Olympians of 1896 were smarter than us, too. They did their running, jumping, and throwing in April. Some athletes complained about the chilly, damp weather, but Spiridon Louis gave thanks to Zeus all the way to his (clothed) marathon victory in 2:58:50.

"It's a terrible disservice that the marathoners will be forced to compete in conditions where they can't perform their best, and could actually hurt themselves," says Dr. William Roberts, medical director of the Twin Cities Marathon and president of the American College of Sports Medicine. To help athletes deal with the Athens weather, the U.S. Olympic Committee has been holding educational meetings since last September, when it organized a conference called "Heat, Humidity and Air Pollution: What to Expect in Athens 2004." In May, the top U.S. marathoners gathered in Colorado Springs for the latest update. "We believe the heat actually opens the window of possibilities for our marathoners," says U.S. men's Olympic distance coach Bob Larsen. "We'll leave no stone unturned in our search for scientific approaches to running in the heat.""

Enduring Questions -- Should You Run Naked

"The big corporate sponsors at the 2004 Olympic Games pay between $40 million and $50 million for the privilege. Then they often spend two to three times that much to augment their sponsorship through marketing and advertising, said Rana Kardestuncer of Carlson Marketing Group (CMG).

Plymouth-based CMG, The GEM Group in Minnetonka and Minneapolis-based Fast Horse Inc. public relations have all been tapped by large Olympic sponsors to leverage their sponsorships through marketing, promotion or logistics -- either before or during the event."

Read more at MSNBC - Marketers seize Olympic opportunity.

'In a scrimmage called "Hoops for Troops," with the stands packed with military personnel, the USA Olympic men's basketball team routed Puerto Rico, 102-76, at the University of North Florida on Thursday afternoon.

The Cavaliers' LeBron James scored 10 points in 22 minutes on 4-of-6 from the field. James had the two most crowd-pleasing baskets, both on dunks, both on breakaways.'

Read more at USA mighty vs. Puerto Rico

"Four years ago, Inge de Bruijn set three world records and won three gold medals at the Sydney Olympics. Going into the Athens games, she is a more experienced but somewhat less dominant swimmer. 'I'm not worried about setting world records. I just want to win' she says after a training session at the Tualatin Hills Swim Center.'The field is so much stronger that winning is enough. If a record happens, it happens.'

"She hasn't had the same consistent training as she did in the four years prior to the Sydney Olympics" Bergen says. "But she's been pretty focused since October. And her times are still No. 1 in the world. If we get her best in the games, I think she can repeat. It's just going to be tougher because there are so many better swimmers these days""

Read more at Medal mettle.

"Jana Pittman, who returns to the 400 metres hurdles at a meeting in the Belgian town of Heusden-Zolder on Saturday night, is poised to step up to Olympic Games shape.

Pittman has already returned to her Paris form in one aspect. After weighing as much as 75 kilograms when she ballooned out with weight work and inappropriate diet earlier this year, she is at her world championships racing weight of 68.5kg."

Read more at Pittman's campaign taking shape: coach - Athletics - .

"The road to Athens has been a hard one for modern pentathlete Aleksandr Parygin, Paul Daffey writes.

In Athens, Parygin again will aim for gold in the modern pentathlon, but in a different uniform and after a tortuous journey to get there. At Atlanta, he competed for his native Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic. In Athens, he will compete for Australia. The intervening years have produced more hardship and uncertainty than sporting achievement."

Athlete aims to honour adopted nation - Modern Pentathlon

"South Korea is aiming at finishing within top 10 at the medals tally at the Aug. 13-29 Athens Olympic Games, said a South Korea senior sports official Thursday.

South Korea announced a 376-member squad for the Athens Games at the Olympic Hall in a ceremony which was attended by South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hai-chan, Greek Ambassador to South Korea Constantin Drakakis and Rep. Lee Mi-Kyung, chairwoman of the parliamentary culture and tourism committee."

Read more at S.Korea aims at top 10 finish in Athens.

"With her bewitching smile and alluring personality, Svetlana Khorkina has made a seamless transition from Olympic champion to Playboy centrefold.

While such a statement sounds arrogant, 13 golds in Olympic, world and European competitions prove Khorkina's superiority in her signature event."

Read more at Playboy centerfold Khorkina targets third gold.

"Thousands of trees, shrubs and flowers are being transplanted to the showpiece venues of the Olympics and along surrounding roads.

Indeed, some saplings on a terraced slope just outside the Olympic complex already are brown and withered. Others are surrounded by garbage - an empty cigarette pack, a used milk carton - or have toppled."

Read more at Late Planting May Doom Olympic Trees.

"Olympic runner Ryan Tolbert-Jackson is familiar with the effects of smog. She has asthma, which was triggered after she competed at the 1997 World Championships in Athens.

Environmental experts have cautioned that the air pollution in Athens may be a problem for some athletes at this year's games, which begin August 13. A recent report by the World Wildlife Fund paints a bleak picture of the overall environment in the ancient city -- and the U.S. Olympic Committee isn't taking any chances with its athletes."

Read more at CNN.com - Athens' smog may be hurdle for Olympic athletes.

"Seven athletes from Northern Ireland are heading off on an Olympic mission next month.

He will be joined by Coleraine-born Emma Robinson, who was the first swimmer to achieve the A time standard in the 100m breaststroke in breaking the Irish record."

Read more at Belfast Telegraph.

"Any decision to use Patriot missiles to shoot down planes or other possible airborne threats during the Olympics rests with Greece's premier and will be made within two minutes of detecting a problem, a commander of one of the air defense batteries said Friday.

Greek officials have refused to discuss specific aspects of the air defense strategy, but pre-Olympic drills have included preparations for Sept. 11-style attacks. "

Read more at Greek premier will direct missile defense during Olympics.

Serena Williams has pulled out of the 'Acura Classic' due to soreness in her knee.

This must shed a little doubt on her ability to play in the Olympic Tournament in Athens. She remains optimistic however that she will be right for the Olympics.

""I really want to go ahead and go to the Olympics," said Serena Williams, scheduled to leave for Athens with the U.S. team Aug. 10. "I don't want to take that chance and miss out on the Olympics and the U.S. Open.""

Ardmoreite.com

"Andre Dirrell has heard the talk, and knows the expectations are low.

The U.S. boxing team is too young, too inexperienced and not hungry enough. American boxers will be lucky to win a medal or two in Athens against the talented Cubans and tough Russians.

"I just sit back and laugh at that," Dirrell said. "I know we have a strong team. I see six or seven medals for us."

Dirrell could be excused for his optimism. He might be the most naturally talented member of the U.S. team, a 165-pounder with speed and power and a legitimate shot at a medal."

Read more at Sports - theworldlink.com - Serving the Great South Coast of Oregon.

"The Athens Games are essentially the last hurrah for several players who have defined virtually the entire history of the U.S. women's soccer program. Mia Hamm, Joy Fawcett, Foudy and probably Kristine Lilly and Brandi Chastain five players who debuted in the late 1980s for a team that didn't even exist before 1985 are ending a journey that turned an obscure women's sport into a major social phenomenon.

"They've paved the road for everybody to follow them," coach April Heinrichs said. "Without Foudy, Hamm, Lilly, Fawcett, Chastain, it just wouldn't have happened this way."

The final mission for these veterans comes with a twist hardly befitting a farewell tour: In Greece, they'll have to avoid being beaten by the very monster they created."

Read more of this article at End for a generation of U.S. women's soccer stars .

"Malaysia’s top sailor Kevin Lim cycled 50km to and from the Athens Olympic Games sailing venue at Agios Kosmas for three weeks; trained all alone without a coach in his last six weeks during his European stint; and was left shivering in poor quality clothing.  

Kevin, who is back in Malaysia for his final preparation for the Games, has set himself a target of a top-10 finish. "

Read more at Kevin’s labour of love – despite lack of funds.

"Hurdler Noraseela Khalid, who is now training in Germany, still has a chance of making the cut for the Athens Olympic Games from Aug 13-29. 

“Noraseela will compete in two meets in Germany and we hope she will be able to surpass the mark to win a place in the Olympic Games,” said National Sports Council (NSC) athletics liaison officer Ibni Busu yesterday. “The pressure will be on her to make it as time is running out for her.” "

Read more at Only two meets left for Noraseela to earn Olympic spot.

"Jamaican Asafa Powell handed Olympic 100 metres champion Maurice Greene his second defeat in eight days on Friday with an emphatic victory at the London grand prix.

Greene, who won the US title this month, was also beaten into second place at the Paris Golden League meeting last Friday at the start of his pre-Olympic European campaign."

Read more at  Olympic champion Greene beaten again