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.