Olympics Return to Antiquity at the 2004 Athens Games

Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj reacts after winning the gold medal in the 5000-meters at the Olympic Stadium during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004. (AP)
Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj reacts after winning the gold medal in the 5000-meters at the Olympic Stadium during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004. (AP)
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Olympics Return to Antiquity at the 2004 Athens Games

Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj reacts after winning the gold medal in the 5000-meters at the Olympic Stadium during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004. (AP)
Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj reacts after winning the gold medal in the 5000-meters at the Olympic Stadium during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004. (AP)

With the Tokyo Olympics postponed for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Associated Press is looking back at the history of Summer Games. Here are some of the highlights of the 2004 Athens Games.

When the Olympics returned to Athens in 2004, they also returned to antiquity.

The men's and women's marathon races started in the actual town of Marathon, near the ancient battlefield about 26 miles northeast of the capital on the Aegean coast. They finished in central Athens at the Panathenian Stadium, the marble venue used for the opening and closing ceremonies of the inaugural 1896 Games.

The shot-put events were even farther away, taking place in Ancient Olympia, about 120 miles southwest of Athens. Irina Korzhanenko of Russia became the first woman to win a gold medal at the ancient site that birthed the Olympics. Yuri Bilonoh of Ukraine won the men's event.

Both were soon stripped of their Olympic titles for doping, but the splendor of the venue was not in doubt.

“Everybody else has to go to that big, shiny stadium in Athens. We get to do it where it all started,” American thrower John Godina said after qualifying. “I took a lot of classic classes in college. I’ve learned a lot about the whole Olympic movement in ancient Greece. I realize it’s been 1,500 years since anybody has gotten to compete in this stadium."

Back in Athens, the United States won the most medals, but they didn't win the men's basketball tournament for the first time since professional players were allowed into the games in 1992. The gold medal instead went to Argentina, a team led by Manu Ginobili.

Greek drama
On the eve of the opening ceremony, the host country was delivered a blow when its two top sprinters, Kostas Kenteris and Ekaterina Thanou, were apparently injured in a motorcycle crash. Kenteris won the 200-meter gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Thanou earned silver in the 100 that same year, making them favorites to win at their home games. The pair was soon accused of faking the crash to avoid doping tests. Neither competed at the games.

Phelps' first medals
Michael Phelps, the American swimmer who would win a record eight gold medals in a single games four years later in Beijing, became the first athlete to win eight overall medals (six gold and two bronze) in a non-boycotted Olympics. (Soviet gymnast Alexander Dityatin won eight medals at the 1980 Moscow Games.)

Not so fast
Usain Bolt competed at the Olympics for the first time, without winning any medals. The Jamaican sprinter ran in the 200 meters but didn't make it out of the first round. There was much more to come from him in the next three games, however.

Track time
Hicham El Guerrouj won a double on the track, while keeping Kenenisa Bekele from doing the same. The Moroccan runner became the first man to win the 1,500-5,000 double since Paavo Nurmi in 1924. Bekele won the 10,000 meters, but ended up second to El Guerrouj in the 5,000.

In the women's competition, Kelly Holmes of Britain also pulled off a double, winning the 800 and 1,500. In other track events, Liu Xiang became the first Chinese man to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport when he won the 110-meter hurdles, and Felix Sanchez did the same for the Dominican Republic in the 400 hurdles.

Winning again
German kayaker Birgit Fischer set an incredible record of consistency in Athens, becoming the first person in any sport to win two medals in five different Olympics. Fischer started her Olympic career at the 1980 Moscow Games while competing for East Germany. After missing the boycotted 1984 Los Angeles Games, she won at least two medals in Seoul, Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney before doing the same in Athens.



Verstappen Wins Japanese Grand Prix for His First Victory of F1 Season

Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 6, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium after winning the Japanese Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 6, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium after winning the Japanese Grand Prix. (Reuters)
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Verstappen Wins Japanese Grand Prix for His First Victory of F1 Season

Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 6, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium after winning the Japanese Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 6, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium after winning the Japanese Grand Prix. (Reuters)

Max Verstappen of Red Bull won Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix and broke a "mini-slump" of only two wins in his previous 16 races.

It was the Dutch driver's fourth straight victory on the Suzuka circuit in central Japan and breaks the momentum of the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who won the season’s first two races in Melbourne, Australia, and Shanghai, China.

The four-time defending Formula 1 champion, Verstappen started from pole position after setting a course-record time in qualifying, which he called "insane." Norris placed second and Piastri was third. The track was dry despite rain earlier in the day to produce an incident-free race.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished fourth followed by George Russell of Mercedes and teammate Kimi Antonelli in sixth. Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda finished 12th in his first drive with Red Bull's top team.

"We keep pushing," Verstappen said. "Unbelievable. A great weekend for us."

Norris leads the driver’s standings after three races with 62 points to 61 for Verstappen.

The weekend turned when Verstappen took the pole on his record last lap Saturday in qualifying.

"If was fun, just pushing very hard at the end," Verstappen said. "The two McLarens were pushing very hard. We didn’t give up improving the car and today it was in its best form."

"Of course, starting on the pole — that's what make it possible to win this race."

Winning in Japan again with Red Bull and engine supplier Honda was important for Verstappen.

"It means a lot to me. It was in the back of my mind those last few laps, I was like ‘Wow, I need to try and stay ahead. It would be a great story, you know, our final like kind of farewell race together with Honda here in Japan.’

"I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved, of course, over all those years together, and I think it’s just like a perfect send off."

Sunday's start was clean with Verstappen taking the lead with the top starters on the grid falling into line behind him. Verstappen slowly stretched his lead and was two seconds ahead of Norris after 10 of 53 laps and kept the same advantage after 15.

Most of the leaders pitted around the 20-lap mark. Verstappen and Norris exited the pits at almost exactly the same time with Norris driving over the grass, unable to get by Verstappen.

"He drove himself into the grass," Verstappen said on the radio.

Stewards said almost immediately the incident did not merit further investigation.

Antonelli led briefly in the middle of the race. At 18 he is the youngest to ever lead in F1 race.

Verstappen was back in the lead after 32 laps, only 1.3 seconds ahead of Norris and 3.4 up on Piastri. On the 36th lap the radio told him: "Push from here."

He did just that, pushing all the way to his 64th career win.