Athens 2004 Olympics

From 13 to 29 August 2004, Athens hosted the Summer Olympic Games, bringing the Olympics back to Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games and host of the first modern Olympics in 1896. Around 10,500 athletes from 201 national teams took part. Athens had won the right to host the Games in 1997, and preparations were led by Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki. The run-up was marked by international concerns over delays in construction, but the venues were completed in time. The Games were widely praised for their organization, security and atmosphere. Events were held at historic sites, including the marathon, which followed the classic route from Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium, and the shot put competition at ancient Olympia. The preparations transformed Athens, bringing a new international airport, an expanded metro, a tram line, new motorways and modernized public spaces. However, the Games were very expensive, with costs estimated at around 9 billion euros or more, and many of the venues were later left unused and neglected. The Olympics are remembered in Greece as a moment of national pride.