2000 Summer Olympics

The Games of the XXVII Olympiad or the Millennium Olympics were held in 2000 in Sydney, Australia. Sydney was elected in 1993 above Beijing, Berlin, Istanbul and Manchester. The election took place in Monte Carlo on 23rd September, 1993.

Highlights

Prologue

Although the Opening Ceremony was not scheduled until September 15, the football competitions began with preliminary matches on September 13.

Related Topics:
September 15 - Football - September 13

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Day 1 - September 15

In a long opening ceremony, Australia presented itself and its celebrities to the world, with about three billion watching the show. They saw a record 199 nations enter the stadium, the only missing IOC member being the suspended Afghanistan. Most remarkable was the entering of North and South Korea as one team, using a specially designed flag. The two teams would compete separately, however. Four athletes from East Timor also marched in the parade of nations. Although the country-to-be had no National Olympic Committee then, they were allowed to compete under the Olympic Flag.

Related Topics:
IOC - Afghanistan - North - South Korea - East Timor - Olympic Flag

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The Governor-General, Sir William Deane, opened the games.

Related Topics:
Governor-General - Sir William Deane

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The Opening Ceremony began with a tribute to the heritage of the Australian Stock Horse, with the arrival of a lone rider, Steve Jefferys, whose Australian Stock Horse "Ammo" reared. Steve Jefferys cracked his stockwhip and a further 120 riders and their Stock Horses entered the Stadium and performed intricate steps to the music of Bruce Rowland who composed a special Olympics version of the main theme which he had composed for the 1982 film "The Man From Snowy River".

Related Topics:
Australian Stock Horse - Steve Jefferys - Stockwhip - Bruce Rowland - The Man From Snowy River

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Julie Anthony was the soprano who sang the Australian National Anthem at the Opening Ceremony

Related Topics:
Julie Anthony - Australian National Anthem

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The ceremonies concluded with the lighting of the Olympic Flame. Former Australian women Olympic champions brought the torch through the stadium, handing it over to Cathy Freeman, who lit the flame in the cauldron within a circle of fire. A hot favourite for the 400m title, Freeman is a major role model for Aborigines in Australia.

Related Topics:
Olympic Flame - Cathy Freeman - 400m - Aborigines

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Day 2 - September 16

The first medals of the Games were awarded in the women's 10 metre air rifle competition, which was won by Nancy Johnson of the United States.

Related Topics:
Air rifle - Nancy Johnson - United States

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The Triathlon made its Olympic debut with the women's race. Set in the surroundings of the Sydney Opera House, Brigitte McMahon of Switzerland swam, cycled and ran to the first gold medal in the sport, beating the favoured home athletes.

Related Topics:
Triathlon - Sydney Opera House - Brigitte McMahon - Switzerland

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The first star of the Games was Ian Thorpe. The 17-year-old Australian first set a new world record in the 400m freestyle final before competing in an exciting 4 x 100 m freestyle final. Swimming the last leg, Thorpe passed the leading Americans and arrived in a new world record time, two tenths of a second ahead of the Americans. In the same event for women, the Americans also broke the world record, finishing ahead of the Netherlands and Sweden.

Related Topics:
Ian Thorpe - Netherlands - Sweden

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IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, at his last Olympics, had to leave for home, as his wife was severely ill. Upon arrival, his wife had already died. Samaranch returned to Sydney four days later. The Olympic flag was flown at half-staff during the period as a sign of respect to Samaranch's wife.

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Day 3 - September 17

Canadian Simon Whitfield sprinted away in the last 100m of the men's triathlon, becoming the inaugural winner in the event.

Related Topics:
Canadian - Simon Whitfield

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On the cycling track, Robert Bartko beat fellow German Jens Lehmann in the individual pursuit, setting a new Olympic Record. Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel set a world record in the semi-finals the same event for women.

Related Topics:
Cycling - Robert Bartko - German - Jens Lehmann - Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel

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In the swimming pool, American Tom Dolan beat the world record in the 400m medley, successfully defending the title he won in Atlanta four years prior. Dutchwoman Inge de Bruijn also clocked a new world record, beating her own time in the 100m butterfly final to win by more than a second.

Related Topics:
Tom Dolan - Medley - Atlanta - Inge de Bruijn

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Day 4 - September 18

The main event for the Australians on the fourth day of the Games was the 200m freestyle. Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband had broken the world record in the semi-finals, taking it from the new Australian hero Ian Thorpe, who came close to the world record in his semi-final heat. As the final race finished, Van den Hoogenband's time was exactly the same as in the semi-finals, finishing ahead of Thorpe by only half a second.

Related Topics:
Dutchman - Pieter van den Hoogenband - Ian Thorpe

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China won the gold medal in the men's team all-around gymnastics competition, after being the runner-up in the previous two Olympics. The other medals were taken by Ukraine and Russia, respectively.

Related Topics:
China - Gold medal - Gymnastics - Ukraine - Russia

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Zijlaard-van Moorsel lived up to the expectations set by her world record in cycling in the semis by winning the gold medal. The title completed her return to the sport after a long break because of anorexia nervosa.

Related Topics:
Cycling - Anorexia nervosa

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Day 9 - September 23

By rowing in the winning coxed four, Steve Redgrave of Great Britain became a member of a select group who had won gold medals at five consecutive Olympics.

Related Topics:
Steve Redgrave - Great Britain

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Day 10 - September 25

Australian Cathy Freeman won the 400 metre final in front of a jubilant Sydney crowd at the Olympic Stadium. The race was tipped to be a major attraction of Sydney Games between Freeman and France's Marie-José Perec. But Perec left Sydney before the race even began, which left many International commentators and fans disappointed. Perec vowed never to return to Sydney again. Freeman finished the Race ahead of Lorraine Graham of Jamaica and Katharine Merry of Great Britain, which delighted Australian sporting fans and commentators alike.

Related Topics:
Olympic Stadium - Marie-José Perec - Jamaica - Katharine Merry - Great Britain

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Day 13 - September 28

The Canadian flag at athletes' village is lowered to half-staff as Canadian athletes pay tribute to former prime minister Pierre Trudeau after hearing of his passing in Montreal. (Because of the time difference, it was September 29 in Sydney when Trudeau passed away)

Related Topics:
Canadian flag - Canadian - Pierre Trudeau - Montreal

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Day 15 - September 30

Cameroon won a historic gold medal over Spain in the Men's Olympic Football Final at the Olympic Stadium.

Related Topics:
Cameroon - Spain - Football

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Day 16 - October 1

IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch declared at the Closing Ceremony, "I am proud and happy to proclaim that you have presented to the world the best Olympic Games ever".

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Yvonne Kenny was the soprano who sang the "Olympic Hymn" at the Closing Ceremony.

Related Topics:
Yvonne Kenny - Olympic Hymn

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The Games were then handed over to the city of their birthplace, Athens, where they would again take place in 2004. The ceremony concluded with a huge fireworks display on Sydney Harbour.

Related Topics:
Athens - 2004 - Fireworks - Sydney Harbour

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