Athens Olympic organisers have started a fightback to favour with a long weekend of successful test events that has partly made up for a disastrous start to the Games trials.

While criticism and post-mortems on setbacks earlier this month in the test programme still went on, hard-pressed organisers of next year's Games won breathing space on Sunday.

"We know we made mistakes at the start but we think we have started to come back," an Athens Games official said.

In the first week of the test events, meant to show the state of preparedness for the Games with just one year left, the German rowing team came down with food poisoning and questions were raised about the site of the rowing venue when two days were lost because of strong winds.

However, after the last three days of events, there was nothing but praise from foreign competitors as cycling, show jumping, archery and canoeing all appeared to go off with only minor hitches.

The only disgruntled onlookers were some Athenians who saw roads to nearby beaches and other holidays locations during the long weekend cut off for periods to accommodate the events.

The country's former King Constantine, an unpopular figure with many in socialist Greece, found out at first hand that Olympic-style security was enforced at some events.

The semi-official Athens News Agency (ANA) said the king, who has lived in exile abroad since he was deposed in 1968, was refused entry to the equestrian venue even though he is an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

ANA said the ex-king's accreditation was not issued in time but he was eventually allowed in as a spectator.

ANCIENT SETTING

The big winner of the past three days was the ancient city of Athens with all contestants floored by the setting in which many events will take place.

"Athens is exquisite," a Danish archer said as he competed in the marble stadium where the Olympic Games were revived in 1896 with its view of the famed Acropolis.

US ambassador to Greece Thomas Miller, who visited the stunning archery setting, even added his vote of confidence.

"During the last two years I have been in Greece, I have seen significant progress being made in all issues regarding the 2004 Olympic Games," Miller told reporters.

With Greece looking for as much aid as possible from the United States to ensure the security of the Games amid the present fears about global terrorism, Miller vowed Washington would do all it could.

Belgium's Marc Vandervyvere, a four-time Tour de France competitor and for the last two Olympic Games - Atlanta and Sydney - an official observer for international cycling's ruling body UCI, had high praise for the road race course through the centre of Athens.

"The course is truly wonderful and I would even say entertaining," he said of its route past the many historical monuments and archaeological sites that dot Athens.

International show jumper Andrew Hoy, who has competed in five Olympics, said facilities at the riding course, including the crucial veterinary clinic, were "marvellous."

While the long weekend's successes were a morale booster for Athens organisers, Greek media said the test events had been a wake up call that not all was right and much needed to be done before the Games start next August 13.

They said Prime Minister Costas Simitis, concerned at the negative publicity for the country from the early setbacks, planned to become more personally involved in preparations to end complaints that games and government officials were not cooperating as well as they should.

Close

Today's Top News		Top Sports News
+Commentary: Don't meddle with yuan ( 2003-09-02) +200,000 troops to be cut by 2005 ( 2003-09-02) +Beijing Games marketing plan launched ( 2003-09-02) +Flood forces 10,0000 to evacuate ( 2003-09-02) +Beijing courts announce 50 major changes ( 2003-09-02)		+ China beat South Africa 2-0 in soccer friendly ( 2003-09-02) +Sun Jihai-Seaman mix up sends Arsenal top ( 2003-09-01) +China retains top place at world games ( 2003-09-01) +Real's Makelele completes Chelsea move ( 2003-09-01) +48-year-old Olympic champion is making a comeback ( 2003-09-01)