Global InformationGreece at the 2004 Summer Olympics information
| Greece at the 2004 Summer Olympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IOC code | GRE |
| NOC | Hellenic Olympic Committee |
| Website | www |
| in Athens | |
| Competitors | 426 in 27 sports |
| Flag bearer | Pyrros Dimas[1] |
| Medals Ranked 15th |
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| Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |
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| Other related appearances | |
| 1906 Intercalated Games | |
Greece was the host country for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, from 13 to 29 August 2004. As the progenitor nation and in keeping with tradition, Greek athletes have competed at every Summer Olympics in the modern era, alongside Australia, Great Britain, and Switzerland. The Hellenic Olympic Committee sent a total of 426 athletes to the Games, 215 men and 211 women, and had achieved automatic qualification places in all sports, with the exception of men's and women's field hockey. It was also the nation's largest team ever in Summer Olympic history since the first modern Games were held in 1896.
Unlike most of the Olympic opening ceremonies, where the country enters first as a tribute to its history as the birthplace of the ancient Olympics and the host of the first modern Olympics in 1896, the country entered the last in the opening ceremony as the host nation. However, the Greek flag-bearer entered first, honoring the traditional role of Greece in opening the Parade of Nations, and the whole Greek delegation entered at the end, the traditional place for the host nation.[2]
Greece left the Summer Olympic Games with a total of sixteen medals (six gold, six silver, and four bronze), finishing within the top fifteen position in the overall medal rankings.[3] At least a single medal was awarded to the Greek team in ten sports; five of them came from the track and field, including two prestigious golds. Greece also topped the medal tally in diving, gymnastics, judo, and sailing. Three Greek athletes added Olympic medals to their career hardware from the previous editions.
Among the nation's medalists were track hurdler Fani Halkia, race walker Athanasia Tsoumeleka, teenage judoka Ilias Iliadis, and diving duo Thomas Bimis and Nikolaos Siranidis, who won Greece's first ever Olympic gold medals in their respective disciplines.[4][5] Emerging as one of the greatest Olympic weightlifters of all time with three Olympic titles, Pyrros Dimas ended his illustrious sporting career with a bronze medal effort in the men's light heavyweight category on his fourth and final Olympic appearance.[6][7] Meanwhile, Nikolaos Kaklamanakis, who won the gold in Atlanta eight years earlier, and lit the Olympic flame at the conclusion of the opening ceremony, picked up his second medal with a silver in men's Mistral windsurfing.[8]
- ^ Bondy, Filip (11 August 2004). "Dimas carries weight of host nation". New York Daily News. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
- ^ "Here's Why Greece Always Goes First in the Olympic Parade of Nations". Archived from the original on 23 July 2021.
- ^ "2004 Athens: Medal Tally". USA Today. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
- ^ "Greece wins walk gold". BBC Sport. 23 August 2004. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
- ^ Fraser, Andrew (16 August 2004). "Greek duo revel in golden delight". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
- ^ "Greeks stand behind champion weightlifter Dimas". USA Today. 22 August 2004. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
- ^ Sheridan, Phil (22 August 2004). "Greeks lift a battered weightlifter Dimas' bronze was golden to his nation". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
- ^ "Dempsey earns sailing bronze". BBC Sport. 25 August 2004. Retrieved 18 May 2014.