(ATR) Visiting the first Olympic Stadium created a strong connection for me with previous Games.
With memories of Sochi still relatively fresh, it was fascinating to see how the Olympics exploded from far more modest beginnings to the behemoth they are today.
History is palpable in Greece and there’s certainly an atmospheric vibe walking through the stadium.
Let’s be clear, Panathenaic Stadium - tucked into a hillside in central Athens - is no small venue. For the 1896 Olympics, it could seat 80,000 spectators. Photos of the Games show a full house, with an untold number milling around outside. Now, about half as many people can fit inside.
There isn’t much that could be done to make the stadium a truly modern venue—not that you would want to. It’s allure comes partly from its archaic nature.
Five lanes, as opposed to the traditional eight, ring the infield. The infield is so narrow, throwing events for athletics could not feasibly take place and the jumping events that can be contested are crammed in together. It is so narrow, only archery could be held there during the 2004 Games. The heads of four Greek gods stand sentinel at one end of the track.
Stairs to climb up to the all-marble bleachers are so steep they are essentially ladders. Walkways, concourses, luxury boxes, even concession stands - all amenities required of contemporary arenas - are nowhere to be found.
Walking toward the entrance, on the left are five marble slabs. Two are dedicated to the Summer Olympic host cities, one reserved to honor all the presidents of the IOC, and two commemorate the 1896 Olympics. That link between the past and the present, to me, proved to be most important.
It was an indication that the Olympics truly are about more than just a quadrennial multi-sport event. There is some link to the past; to lofty ideals held about athleticism, unity, and sportsmanship. Standing there, thinking about how passionately the world still feels about the 120-year-old dreams of a slightly-eccentric French aristocrat, and recognizing I am part of that movement, was something truly powerful.
Click here to see a photodesk of the Panathenaic Stadium.
Written by Ed Hula III
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