BRUSSELS, 31 August 2004 — The European Union claimed yesterday it was the true champion of the Athens Olympics, taking far more gold medals than the United States, the official winner of the most first places at the Games.
The 25 EU member states compete as individual nations in Olympics, but that did not stop the EU’s executive European Commission from adding up their scores.
“With 82 gold medals and all together 286 medals, the European Union swept the floor in the Olympic Games,” chief spokesman Reijo Kemppinen told a daily news briefing.
“For the sake of comparison, the United States of America won 35 gold medals and 103 medals in total, with China and Russia behind them (the United States),” Kemppinen added.
He also told Reuters that European Commission President Romano Prodi hoped that the blue EU flag with its 12 gold stars would be featured for the first time at the 2008 Beijing Games.
“The President hopes that in the next Olympic Games EU member states will carry the EU flag alongside their national flags as a sign of unity,” Kemppinen said.
The EU’s “magnificent performance”, he said, was led by Germany, which took 14 gold medals and 48 medals in total at the Athens Games, with France, Italy and Britain close behind.
However, the Commission did concede there were sports where the EU had failed to impress such as baseball, boxing and weightlifting, winning only four of 45 medals available.
Kemppinen predicted that the European Union would improve its medal taking at the 2008 Beijing Olympics by which time Bulgaria and Romania are due to have joined the bloc, enabling the EU to take on China and Japan in sports such as gymnastics.
Women Break Men-Only Games Tradition
In Athens, the breaking of a men-only Olympic tradition, a poignant farewell by an all-American hero and a bright prospect from Egypt were the highlights of the wrestling events in Athens.
Women made their historic grand entry on to the Olympic mat for the first time, the only innovation of the 2004 Games, where the men conceded two sets of medals to accommodate them in two days of competition.
The four women’s weight classes were dominated by the Japanese, who won two golds, a silver and a bronze in each of the four weight classes contested and the exciting conclusion dispelled a lackluster start in the preliminary rounds.
Ukraine’s Irini Merleni wrote her name into the Olympic history books by becoming the first woman wrestler ever to win a medal in the sport. She spoiled the party for the Japanese when she beat favorite Chiharu Icho in the under 48 kg category.
The most poignant picture during the eight days of competition was of Sydney gold medalist Rulon Gardner taking off his shoes in the middle of the mat after winning the bronze medal in the 120 kg category.
It was a traditional act to signal to the world that he was retiring and even he could not hold back the tears as he bade farewell.
