World Media on Greece - Sports and Sporting Events in 2008
Kenyan runners sweep Athens Classic Marathon (IHT, 09.11.08)
The Athens Classic Marathon is one of the toughest courses in the world. The challenging course follows the route said to have been taken by an Athenian military courier in 490 BC to announce the city's victory over Persian invaders at the Battle. Mai Tagami of Japan was the fastest woman in 2:36:58. The Greek titles were won by Georgios Karavidas, in 2:22:18, and by Georgia Ampatzidou, who finished third overall, in 2.40.53. Read more... See also: |
Paul Lekuraa, a Kenyan from the Masai Mara is the new record holder of the Athens Classic Marathon. Lekuraa broke the record of the race by nearly two minutes.
Greek Tourism ministry to help promote 2011 Athens Special Olympics (Xinhua, 30.09.08)
The 13th World Summer Special Olympic Games will be held in Athens from June 25 until July 4 in 2011, which will bring more than 70,000 athletes, coaches, volunteers, family members and reporters to Greece during that time. The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) has undertaken to promote the Games through an advertising campaign, promotional events and the tion of printed material. Read more… distribu |
Greek Tourism Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos has signed a memorandum of cooperation between the ministry and the organizing committee for the
Greece at the Beijing Olympics (HOC, 28.07.2008)
Events where Greeks will definitely compete include weightlifting, women's tennis, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, table tennis, sailing, Canoe-Kayak, diving, swimming, rowing, beach volley, wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling, cycling, boxing, shooting, synchronized swimming, taekwondo, judo, archery, triathlon and water polo.
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Greece will be sending its largest ever team of competitors to the Beijing Olympics, participating with 156 athletes, 84 men and 72 women. Ilias Iliadis (pictured left), the 22-year-old gold medal winner in the 2004 Olympic Games judoka will be the flag bearer of the Hellenic delegation during the Opening Ceremony, in the Olympic Stadium. 
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Devetzi got Greece jumping at the European Athletics Premium Meeting (EuropeanAthletics.com, 10.07.08)
Devetzi went out to a World-leading mark of 15.22m in the Women's Triple Jump. Read more… |
Greece's 2004 Olympic Games silver medallist Hrysopiyi Devetzi brought her home crowd to its feet at the Thessaloniki 2008 European Athletics Premium Meeting.
World rally returns to ancient Greece
Drivers and teams face one of the most endurance-sapping challenges, as The Acropolis Rally is famed for its arduous road conditions and climate extremes: The rally is held on very dusty, rough and rocky mountain roads around the city of Athens during the hot Greek summer period. This year´s Acropolis Rally will be hosted for the first time ever on the grounds of the military airport of Tatoi. For the older friends and followers of rallying, the area of Tatoi will remind them of the local events of the 1970´s, as well as the qualifying stage of the ´75 Acropolis Rally! Also, the newly desinged 4km gravel Super Special Stage will not include a cross-over bridge, but cars will compete facing the same direction and "chasing" each other, hence making the spectacle even more thrilling. The rally kicked off with a ceremonial start taking place next to the Parthenon, on Thursday, May 29.
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The Beijing welcomes Olympic torch (BBC News, 31.03.2008)
The Beijing Olympic flame was ignited in a traditional sun-ray ceremony on Monday, March 25 at the Temple of Hera in Ancient Olympia. Thousands of spectators were there to witness the start of what will be the longest torch relay in Olympic history. More on the torch relay:
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A lavish ceremony has been held to welcome the Olympic torch to Beijing, which is due to host the Olympic Games in August. President Hu Jintao took part in the televised event at Tiananmen Square, holding the torch aloft before passing it to Chinese sporting icon Liu Xiang.
Greece promises 'immaculate' flame-lighting ceremony
From March 24-29, the Torch Relay will travel across Greece (view map). After a reception in Beijing on March 31, the Olympic flame will begin its global tour of 135 cities around the world, covering 137,000 km in 130 days before arriving at the National Stadium in Beijing on Aug 8, 2008 for the opening ceremony. Read more on the story: |
The Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch will be lit on 24 March in Olympia, signalling the beginning of the torch relay. The first torch bearer, Alexandros Nikolaidis will receive the scared flame from the High Priestess in front of the 2,600-year-old Temple of Hera.
Artemis Ignatiou to be Choreographer of Lighting Ceremony (Xinhua, 27.02.2008)
Ignatiou has been assistant choreographer of Maria Horss, who retired a few months ago after a very long and successful career. Read more...
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Athens host of the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games (Asia Pulse, 18.02.2008)
The World Games, which promise to be one of the world's largest multi-sport and humanitarian events that year, will unite 7,500 athletes from more than 170 countries. "Major factors in selecting Athens as the site of the 2011 World Games were the magnificent city and its people, the spectacular Olympic venues and their proven track record in hosting international events" said Lee Todd, Special Olympics’ Chief of World Games and Competition. Read more... |
On February 14, at an event held at the Athens Concert Hall, it was made official that Athens will host the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, which will take place 25 June through 4 July.
Chinese elements in Olympic Flame lighting ceremony (Xinhua/China Daily, 05.02.2008)
Horss has been the choreographer of the lighting ceremony of the Olympic Flame since 1964. She also beats the drum under which the Priestesses proceed during the ceremony. Read more... |
Maria Horss, the famous Greek choreographer of the lighting ceremony of the Olympic Flame, has said that she is very happy to choreograph for Beijing Olympic Games and is thinking about how to make the choreography best suitable to Chinese characters.
Olympic Games boost Sino-Hellenic relations (China Daily, 01.01.2008)
The Ambassador says: "In the years ahead we would like to witness the expansion of our bilateral relations in new fields and on a more permanent basis. It is my understanding that modern Greece and China are very much alike in the sense that they are the heirs of ancient civilizations." Read more... |
