Wednesday,
August 4, 2004
Firsts
are one of the wonderful aspects of the Olympic Games - there is the introduction
of so many firsts, not only over the decades but at each Olympic Games
themselves. These 2004 Summer Games are no different...
Sara
McMann. Patricia Miranda. Toccara Montgomery. What might these three have
in common, other than being female? They share a passion for the very
same Olympic sport; a sport that will be making its debut at these 2004
Olympic Summer Games. The event is women's freestyle wrestling. And although
women's wrestling has grown in popularity worldwide, it is in this Olympics
the women wrestlers will have their chance at the gold.
Another
thing these women share in common is that they are some of the members
of the United States women's freestyle wrestling team. Sara, hailing from
Pennsylvania, is a four-time US champion (2000-2003) and is the 2003 World
silver medalist. Patricia is the daughter of political refugees from Brazil
and is the Silver Medalist at the 2000 World Championships. Toccara, hailing
from Kentucky, is a four-time US champion (2001-2004) and was two-time
World silver medalist (2001, 2003). She is considered the US favorite
to medal at the 2004 Olympics.
In
addition to this "first" at the 2004 Olympic Summer Games, here
are a few other interesting "first" tidbits:
-
Women’s
Sabre is included for the first time in the Olympic Fencing competition
schedule.
-
Two hundred and two National Olympic Committees are going to participate
in the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games.
-
For
the first time in modern history, during the ATHENS 2004 Olympic
Games a sporting event is going to be held in the Ancient Olympia
Stadium.
-
For
the first time in the history of Ancient Olympia Stadium women will
compete in it during the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games.
-
For
the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, the entire official
website is trilingual (Greek, English and French) two and a half
years before the Games.
-
For
the first time in Tennis, points accumulated during Olympic matches
will contribute to athlete’s world ranking positions.
-
For
the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, all the Aquatics
events will be held in one venue, at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex
– OAKA Olympic Aquatic Centre.
-
The
Olympic flame will visit for the first time all 54 Prefectures in
Greece.
-
For
the first time in the history of Boxing, camera equipment will be
used for the verification of results.
-
For
the first time, the Olympic and Paralympic summer Games will be
organised by a single Organising Committee after the signing of
the IOC – IPC Cooperation Agreement.
-
For
the first time, stadiums built in three different centuries will
host Olympic sports: Ancient Olympia Stadium (5th century B.C),
Panathinaiko Stadium (19th century A.C.) and Olympic Stadium (20th
century A.C.).
-
The
Olympic flame has traveled to Africa and Latin America for the first
time. A total of 260 million people have seen the Flame in their
city.
-
The
ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay is the first to travel the globe
and return to the country that gave birth to the Games.
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