Athens got job done, and done well
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-08-30 03:56

Athens delivered a splendid Olympic Games despite the concerns over construction delays, security threats and over-spending.

Jacques Rogge stays away from a comparison of Athens with Sydney, not because the Greek capital is less successful, because the Olympic chief has promised never to make comparisons among the Olympic hosts, unlike his predecessor Juan Antonio Samaranch who called the bomb-marred 1996 Games "well-done" and the 2000 Olympics "best ever".

The IOC president gave thumbs-up to Athens on Sunday, saying the host has achieved major success in many areas like transport, security, broadcasting rating and competition organization.

"I'm an extremely happy president of the IOC," Rogge said. "We always expressed our confidence in our Greek friends. I've always said I believed there was enough time to finish the preparations in due time.

"Many did not believe me. Many did not believe the IOC, saying, 'Oh, but you're nice to the Greeks.' We knew they could do it amid a very strong skepticism and criticism internationally. I think our friends have delivered in Athens in a very splendid way."

The Olympic hosts claimed they won more medals than any other country or region in the Games - measured against the nation's population of 11 million.

Greece, who averaged one gold medal in their previous 23 Olympic appearances, delivered six gold medals, with the most unlikely one from diving, a sport dominated by Chinese.

"Considering the ratio of medals to our population we rank first, together with Hungary," said the Greek team's chief Yiannis Papadoyiannakis.

The United States topped the gold tally for the third straight time, sweeping 35 gold medals as its teenage swimmer Michael Phelps emerged the most-medaled in the Games on eight including six in gold.

China followed on 32 golds, its best ever finish since the country ended an Olympic gold drought in 1984.

Liu Xiang turned out the brightest star on the Chinese team as the 21-year-old from Shanghai equaled a world record to claim the men's 110m hurdles.

The Chinese women's volleyball team staged a heroic comeback to beat Russia 3-2 in the final, winning their first gold since 1984.

Luo Xuejuan took a precious swimming gold for China, which also struck its first ever golds in wrestling, tennis and canoeing.

With four more years of hard work and a bit home-turf edge, China will very likely top the United States when Beijing hosts the 2008 Games, although the Chinese sports chief brushed aside the notion that China has joined the United States in sporting super heavyweights.

"We are not a sports power as great as the United States or Russia," said Chinese sports minister Yuan Weimin.

After a poor start, Russia surged ahead in the last week of the Olympics to finish third on gold count with 27 and second on the medal table with 92.

With stunning performances in cycling and swimming, Australia repeated its fourth finish with 17 golds, one more than its haul four years ago at home.

Japan came out of decades-long slump to bag 16 golds, double that of its regional rival South Korea, and one short of leveling its record collection of 16 in the 1964 Olympics.

Thailand, with three golds, was celebrating its best ever Olympic finish, along with Chinese Taipei, who won their first ever gold medals with two titles in taekwondo.

"This is the games where Asia was truly awakened. This is a strong sign that Asians will be at full strength in Beijing in four years time," Rogge said.

As the Athens Games went down to history as the one of the most competitive, it also registered a record doping busts.

Twenty-plus athletes have been thrown out of the Athens Games for doping violations so far. Dozens more athletes were weeded out before the games even started; others stayed home for fear of humiliation.

Hungary's Adrian Annus lost his hammer throw gold for doping on the last day, the third disgraced champion after Russian shot put winner Irina Korzhanenko and men's discus champion Robert Fazekas of Hungary snared in the anti-doping net.

The Athens Games was lauded as a watershed in the anti-doping war, brought on by the IOC's "zero tolerance" resolve.

"In terms of drawing a line in the sand, we've done that here in Athens," world anti-doping czar Dick Pound said. "If we catch you, you're gone. If we can't catch you now, we'll get you later and you're gone."