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.



England Coach Tuchel Expects Players to Suffer in World Cup Heat 

 England - Thomas Tuchel Press Conference - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - March 14, 2025 England manager Thomas Tuchel during the press conference. (Action Images via Reuters)
England - Thomas Tuchel Press Conference - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - March 14, 2025 England manager Thomas Tuchel during the press conference. (Action Images via Reuters)
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England Coach Tuchel Expects Players to Suffer in World Cup Heat 

 England - Thomas Tuchel Press Conference - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - March 14, 2025 England manager Thomas Tuchel during the press conference. (Action Images via Reuters)
England - Thomas Tuchel Press Conference - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - March 14, 2025 England manager Thomas Tuchel during the press conference. (Action Images via Reuters)

England coach Thomas Tuchel will attend FIFA's Club World Cup starting this month to observe how players cope with the expected hot and humid weather conditions.

Next year's World Cup, taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, could be one of the hottest in the tournament's history.

"It is important to see matches now in America, and in Miami at three in the afternoon," Tuchel said as he prepared his team for their World Cup qualifier against Andorra in Barcelona.

"I will see that. How it looks, and we need to understand how to cool the players down, to drink. What our options are."

England are top of qualifying Group K and almost certain to qualify for next year's tournament where they will be among the favorites for the title.

But Tuchel says the conditions will be harsh.

"Let's see because it is after the season, so it will be very similar. The actual experience is for the players, but I have done pre-season there in Orlando and I will be very surprised if we do not suffer," he said.

"Suffering is one of the headlines for this World Cup."

England are preparing for the Andorra game in the Spanish city of Girona and are using heat tents to test the players reaction and recovery to training in heat and humidity.

Sixteen stadiums will be used at next year's World Cup with predictions of potentially extreme temperatures.

In Dallas, one of the host cities, in an average year more than 80% of June and July days exceed 28 degrees Celsius.

A study led by Brunel University found that, according to analysis of 20 years of weather data, 14 of the 16 host stadiums would top 28 degrees Celsius on a daily basis in June and July with four likely to hit 32 degrees in a hotter than summer.

FIFPRO, the world players union, recommends that if there is Wet Bulb Globe Temperature of between 28-32 degree, cooling breaks should take place around the 30th and 75th minutes.

It says that if there is a WBGT of more than 32 degrees, training and matches should be rescheduled.