Olympic Diary - Day One

Pity poor Puerto Rico, who could find themselves on the end of a United States backlash in the men’s basketball.

Their squad made up of NBA superstars, the US are looking to make amends for their disappointing sixth-placed finish at the 2002 FIBA World Championships.

Man for man, they have the edge on all their rivals, with the likes of Tim Duncan, Stephon Marbury and Allen Iverson in their likely line-up to face the Puerto Ricans tomorrow.

Flair is the key, says Marbury.

“That’s what it’s going to come down to,” he said.

“It’s going to come down to who’s going to make the plays at the end.

“That’s the difference between our game and their game. We’ve got guys individually who can single-handedly take over a game.”

Sounds ominous already.

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Athens Olympics ticket sales have now reached 2.8 million after a further 33,000 were sold yesterday.

Games organisers say they have now reached 96.4 per cent of their revenue target which was 176 million Euros.

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Britain’s Simon Burnett won the first gold medal of the Games on Friday – but sadly only in practice.

Olympic officials carried out final tests in the pool with eight stand-ins ‘contesting‘ the 200m freestyle to test the starting blocks, underwater television cameras and other equipment.

And it was Burnett’s Greek stand-in who won the race in two minutes 11 seconds, well below the standard the 21-year-old from Oxford will swim in the real thing, but good enough to beat the fake Ian Thorpe at least!

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The relief was etched on the face of Athens Olympic Committee president Gianna Angelopoulos Daskalaki as the Games which have drawn so much criticism over recent months began with one of the most glitzy and memorable opening ceremonies ever.

The concerns about Greece’s ability to stage an Olympics in the 21st century have so far been assuaged by firm but unobtrusive security, a superb transport system, and magnificent – and finished – stadia.

“I will not speak. Look at my face,” said the ATHOC chief shortly after the opening ceremony. “Look at my smile.

“What is important now is that we passed this period. We opened the door and now we’re somewhere else.”

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Journalists with sore backs from spending hours at their computer terminals are taking advantage of a free back massage service on the ground floor of the Main Press Centre.

A team of four masseurs, having based themselves at the foot of the escalators leading to the offices of various agencies from around the world, are finding plenty of takers.

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The biggest team on show during the opening ceremony parade was that of hosts Greece, while the smallest team was Djibouti with a population of 650,000 and just one athlete. The tallest flag-bearer was Yao Ming of China at seven feet two inches.

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There was a stuttering start to the badminton tournament at the Goudi Olympic Hall on day one of the Athens Olympics.

The opening match was delayed after officials got stuck in the Athens traffic this morning.

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Aussie swimming great Susie O’Neill will presents the medals to the winning 4x100metres relay squad tonight.

O’Neill won two golds, four silvers and two bronze during her Olympic career.

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Softball crowds were treated to a glimpse of former US President George Bush on Saturday morning.

The 80-year-old showed up just prior to the opening session of play and threw the first ceremonial pitch.

Bush has been staying on board the Queen Mary II cruiseliner which is anchored just off the Athens coast, and he attended last night’s opening ceremony.