Centennial Olympics applauded and criticized
Centennial Olympics applauded and criticized
JAKARTA (Agencies): Tension and enthrallment filled the
trouble-plagued Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, but everybody
shared a last hurrah when the Centennial Games concluded on
Sunday.
Criticism started at the opening of the Games and continued.
Throughout the course of the Centennial Games, buses ran late or
did not run at all. And when fans eventually reached the Games
they were often met by pouring rain.
Official results were slow in being released by the media and
were, on many occasions, incorrect.
And in the middle of it all, someone planted a bomb which
exploded in the midst of hundreds of people who were simply
trying to enjoy themselves. Two people were killed and 112
injured in the sporting tragedy which reminded us all too much of
the 1972 massacre in Munich.
On the playing fields, the sports world celebrated some of the
most tremendous progress ever seen in Olympic's 100-year history.
More than 10,000 athletes from a record of 197 nations invited
by the International Olympic Committee poured into Atlanta. As a
result, more countries (79) won medals and more countries (53)
won gold medals than in any other Olympics.
Big achievements continued, with Michael Johnson leading a
pack of his namesakes to make the headlines of the Olympics. In
lowering the 200-meter world record to 19.32, Johnson established
a mark that should last well into the next century. He also
completed the double he set out to achieve with his 400m triumph.
Michelle Smith of Ireland was the only person to win three
individual gold medals -- dominating the swimming events with
victories in the 200 and 400 individual medley and 400 freestyle.
Miguel Indurain of Spain won a gold medal after losing the
Tour de France.
While 3.5 billion of the world's population hailed record-
breaking feats, sportsmanship faces new legal challenges. Two
Russian bronze medalists won their appeal against
disqualification for taking the drug Bromantan on Sunday.
Drug controversies also marred the run-up of the Games when an
Italian women's high jumper and an Australian sprinter were
allowed to compete despite the fact that they failed dope tests.