Chapter 2*

Athens,

Capital City of the Olympic Games 2004

GREECE, SUMMER OF 2004

Welcome to the capital of the XXVIII Olympic Games!

After 108 years, the Hellenic republic is once again the host of the most important sport games in the world. Every Athenian is very attentive on the details settled by the government to serve all the international guests.

            In the Olympic Village, the organizers are having little setbacks to finish the last details for the welcome. Some of the stadiums are about to be finished and the competitions start in a few days. There is an atmosphere full of expectations, joyful but tense feeling in all the corners of the Hellenic city, together with the superhuman efforts put in having everything ready for the inaugural day.

            There is around Athens an air of encountered feelings of glory, enthusiasm, and stress. People of all ages follow the events, mindful of the opening ceremony. Businessmen, storekeepers, restaurateurs, and sellers wait anxiously the beginning of the celebration to start their labor of providing services to the millions of tourists who are starting to crowd the city.

Banners and sing with the inscription “υποδοχή πάλι στο σπίτ” (“Welcome home again!”) are spread through Athens. Despite the summer heat, wind gusts coming through the coast refresh its inhabitants and wave briskly the flags of Greece with the welcome message on them.

In this euphoria, three days before the opening ceremony that will take place in the Olympic stadium, Athens is the most vibrant and cosmopolitan city, completely crowded. Tourist, sportsmen, millionaires, politicians, celebrities from the show business and art coincide in one activity: The Olympic Games Greece 2004.

At the airport “Eleftherios Venizelos”, a chaos of people tries to organize themselves at the customs box-offices. It can be appreciate a huge diversity of contrasts and tourist that arrive from all parts of the world to this amazing celebration with the highest level sport. The different nations, represented by their corresponding sporty delegations arrive to the welcome platform, dressed up with their different and impeccable uniforms dyed with the autochthone colors corresponding to each country. Everybody looked busy while picking their baggage along the customs anteroom.

            The triathlon team this year is formed by a great diversity of participant from all around the world. All of them where tested in elimination competitions each time more demanding, product of a rigorous training of years and even decades to see their dreams crystalized in this event.

            The American delegation in the most numerous of all; among their competitors it is John Sueseht, accompanied by his best friend, Paul Ootirip, from the Canadian delegation. Although they compete in different delegations, they are friends from childhood and both of them represent one of the most viewed disciplines nowadays, triathlon. Their only goal is winning and to have fun in the biggest competition, Vouliagmeni.

Different from the rest of their respective delegations, John and Paul decided to rent a car when they arrived at the airport, so they could drive to the Titania Hotel, in downtown of the city, where they had already booked a luxurious suite that had also been confirmed by Miss Amy, the efficient secretary of Mr. Sueseht Dukatris, John’s father.

While they were waiting to check in, Grigoriadis Poimenidis approached to them, he was a cheerful and informal Greek and touristic guide who attracted tourist with all kind of stories to impress and enroll them in one of his schedule visits.

“Good morning! I see you are Olympic champions” –said Poimenidis in a flattering tone, trying to be ice-breaker.

“Not yet,” –answered Paul, “but we’ll be soon.”

“What noble discipline do you two represent?” Poimenidis continued to empathize with them.

“Paul, don’t waste time. We need to pick the keys of the suite.” –exclaimed John, without taking into account the speaker.

Grigoriadis Poimenidis spoke first:

“You must be a great marathoner. According to the tradition, this honorable sport started in the well-known homonymous city. Its origin goes back to the story of Plutarch about Pheidippides, an Athenian soldier who ran barefoot over the plain of Marathon from the south to the city of Athens to announce the victory of the Athenians over the Persians during the Greco-Persian wars, in the year 490 B.C. He ran a distance of about 42 kilometers, although according to some authors, it was of 40.8. When this hero arrived to the city, he yelled: “Νενικήκαμεν!” (We have won), he felt exhausted and died at that very moment.”

Paul got interested in the story; John interrupted him:

 

“Dude, at any other moment we hear your story; but now, we must check in.”

Poimenidis signed the big line they have in front.

“Don’t worry, we are in Greece. The line is huge. There is always time for talking, and if you’re lucky, I could find someone who could help you.”

Paul looked at John, and agreed saying:

“In that case you may continue and do not forget your promise of avoiding us to stand this line.”

Poimenidis picked up the thread of his story with the same passion he used to put on this:

“Another version says that Pheidippides dies after running three times in a row the path between Athens and Marathon, which is probably the reason of another discipline: the triathlon. The first journey was to Athens to call for reinforcements. The second trip was to the battle field, with the message that the troops would go whenever they were ready. The third and lethal path, when he arrived to Marathon and discovered that the battle had been won, he was sent to stop the Athenian army before they departed; that was when he died. The thing is that thanks to Pheidippides, all the women and their descendants did not die, since all of these have sworn they will commit suicide before being captured by the Persians and it was thanks to Pheidippides they knew about their victory. It was not necessary they keep their word anymore. This permits their progeny reached our days.”

Paul finished the story:

“Okay! You’re hired! We’ll meet you tomorrow at the lobby for a sightseeing tour.”

*Translation SP>En. Novel Thyke by Frank Cogun.