Opportunities Today :- August  2004 Issue

 

 

EURO 2004 GREECE HAS THE LAST LAUGH
Greece started the European Championship at Portugal as underdogs and eventually was labelled “giant killers”. On their way to the final Greece knocked out holders France and the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic were considered the best team in the tournament with their fire-power and aggressive type of play. As for host Portugal they reached the finals which was creditable on their part - compared to last Euro 2000 when they lost to France in a semi final clash and left the field in a most disgusted and arrogant manner., It was the first time that Greece won a major European title when they beat Portugal 1-0 in Lisbon. The success also provided a shot in the arm for Greek pride in hosting the Olympic Games in Athens, which have been beset by negative publicity over construction delays, security worries and budget overruns.

It was incredible stuff from the quarter final onwards. No one had anticipated that Greece would eventually lift the European football championship. Greece displayed a dogged and defensive style of football which helped them to topple hot-favourite teams. It was only the classic headers that came from their star-studded striker Angelo Charisteas that ultimately became winners and helped Greece create history in Portugal. Looking back at Euro 2004 set-pieces and headers ruled the roost. For Portugal the bench strength warmed the cockles of their supporters when Nuno Gomes and Rui Costa slammed in winners for Portugal.

The victory was a triumph for Greece's German coach Otto Rehhagel, who turned his adopted country from an international squad to the cream of the continent in less than three years, in the process becoming the first foreign coach to win either the European Championship or World Cup. The result ended the dreams of Portugal, also appearing in their first final, and underlined again that Greece's 2-1 victory over the hosts in the tournament's first game was no flash in the pan.

Greek players are suddenly Europe's hottest soccer commodities and many of the national squad at Euro 2004 are eyeing lucrative moves abroad. Takis Fyssas, already plays in Portugal having moved from Panathinaikos to Benfica. Traianos Dellas, impressive in the centre of the back four, was a fringe player at AS Roma last season and should attract transfer interest. Looking at any reasonable offers will be the squad's five players from AEK Athens which is trying to avoid financial collapse. Captain Theodoros Zagorakis, Costas Katsouranis, Michalis Kapsis, Vassilis Lakis and Vassilis Tsartas have not been paid in months, and their performances at this tournament will enhance their chances of better clubs in Europe. 

Greece's victory at Euro 2004 had promoted delirious celebrations by millions across Greece and around the world, which continued in the Greece Capital with thousands cheering, waving flags and beeping horns. What's more, European champions Greece have soared 21 places to their highest position of 14th in FIFA's latest rankings. Brazil still hold top spot, ahead of second-placed France. Czech Republic rose seven places to fourth after their semi-final finish in Portugal. Portugal have risen 10 places to equal 12th with Germany who fell four places after being knock out in the Euro 2004 first round. 

Collina Blows Out Of International Football

Pierluigi Collina refereed the last international match of his career when he took control of the Euro 2004 semi-final between the Czech Republic and Greece. The Italian widely regarded as the best referee in the world is 45 next February and so reaches the compulsory age for retirement at international level. The bald-headed Italian with the characteristic staring eyes refereed the 2002 World Cup final between Brazil and Germany.
Collina may be too old for UEFA and FIFA's liking, but he has been consistently linked with a role officiating matches in the English Premiership. He has declined to comment on the rumours of a future role in England. The closest thing to a refereeing superstar that football has ever had, Collina is remembered the way he handled the 1999 European Champions League final between Manchester United and Bayern Munich, when he consoled the weeping German players after they lost by two late goals. 

ATHENS OLYMPICS AUGUST 13 TO 29, 2004

A 78-member strong contingent, belong to 14 disciplines, will represent India in the Olympic Games to be held in Athens from August 13 to 29. The first batch of the contingent the hockey team and the athletes left for Germany and Kiev respectively for training-cum-competition programme in preparation of the games. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Suresh Kalmadi stated that Business conglomerate Sahara India will be the official sponsors in para banking, infrastructure and housing, aviation, media and entertainment, mutual funds and life insurance. It was also hoped that with this glamorous sponsor the contingent would return with a rich medal haul. 

The Indian women's relay team won the gold in the second leg of the 2004 Asian Grand Prix athletics series in Colombo setting a new national record of 3 minutes, 27.35 seconds. The quartet was Manjit Kaur, K M Beenamol, Rajwinder Kaur and Chitra K. Soman.

(We will bring you the highlights and results of the main events at Athens in our next issue)

 

TENNIS:


RUSSIAN TEEN MARIA SHARAPOVA STUNS SERENA WILLIAMS FOR WIMBLEDON CROWN

Maria Sharapova has stunned champion Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4 in the Wimbledon final to become the first Russian to win a singles title at the championships. The 17-year-old also became only the second Russian woman to win a grand slam title, less than a month after Anastasia Myskina became the first at Roland Garros. In the Open era, only Martina Hingis was younger than Sharapova when she won the women's singles title. The Swiss was 16 when she beat Jana Novotna in 1997. Serena, 22, was seeking her third successive Wimbledon singles crown but was unable to cope with the brute force of the 17-year-old's ground strokes. Sharapova's victory is the first for a non-American in the women's final since Czech Novotna in 1998.

ROGER FEDERER KEEPS WIMBLEDON CROWN

Switzerland's Roger Federer confirmed his place as the greatest player of his generation when he battled back to subdue the awesome power of second seeded American Andy Roddick 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 and successfully defended his Wimbledon title. The 22-year old world number one wrapped up his victory in two and a half hours to clinch his third career Grand Slam crown to add to the Australian Open he won in January. The victory, his sixth in seven career meetings with the world number two and US Open winner, also gave Federer a 24th successive win on grass and his 17th career title. It was the first final featuring the top two seeds here in 22 years. 

COMMONWEALTH MEET :


KAMAL, ROY MAKE INDIAN TT HISTORY

In the years gone by we have heard and seen Chetan Baboor, Kamlesh Mehta and Indu Puri making a niche for themselves. It has been a while since table tennis shot into prominence. The game had been lying low for quite some time and very rarely did we learn about Indian players making a mark except for the Chinese who made a splash in just about every major tournament.

This time, however, India's table tennis revival took a sharp upward curve over the weekend when Achanta Sharath Kamal defeated Soumyadeep Roy to claim the men's singles gold in the 16th Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship in Kuala Lumpur. This was India's best-ever performance in the sport's individual category and the first time two Indians had clashed in the title round in this championship. It followed the gold in the men's team event over nine-time winners England. Its pinnacle of success for the two rising stars. While Tamil Nadu's Kamal is the reigning national champion, Soumyadeep, a former champion, had his skills honed at the Table Tennis Federation of India's Academy in Ajmer, training under Chinese coach Yen Wei.
The women's team did not lag, winning the bronze in team events and one each for Mouma Das and Poulami Ghatak in the individual event.


RICH HAUL FOR WEIGHTLIFERS & A BRONZE FOR SQUASH

Indian lifters reaped a haul of 37 medals, including 22 gold in the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship in Malta. Women's lifters led the way with 17 gold and 4 silver medals while their counterparts account for 5 gold and equal number of bronzes in the championship.

After 14 years, the India men's team won the bronze medal in Asian Senior Squash Championships held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Indian team defeated Kuwait 2-0 ensuring the bronze medal. The last time the men's team won a bronze medal was in Kolkata in 1990.

MOTOR RACING:


SCHUMACHER TRIUMPHS AGAIN

Michael Schumacher's stranglehold on the 2004 world championship continued as he claimed his ninth victory of the season in the French Grand Prix. Ferrari's Schumacher, whose only defeat this year came in Monaco, scored his seventh win in the event and the 79th of his career after a decision to change to a four-stop strategy paid dividends.

Even with the renewal of a former rivalry, Michael Schumacher still came out on top. Now he looks to return to his native Germany with a chance to equal a season record. After his 10th victory of 2004 at the British Grand Prix, Schumacher can equal the record of 11 wins in a season at the German GP on July 25. When he set the record of 11 in 2002 he needed 17 races to do it. This year he can do it in just 12. Schumacher finished 2.1 seconds ahead of McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, who now seems to be ready to challenge Schumacher again with the new model McLaren-Mercedes.


HOCKEY:

Indian hockey plunged to its lowest depth. Losing narrowly is forgiving but losing by huge margins is an unforgiving factor. In the recent Holland 4-nation tournament the Indian hockey team in preparation for the Athens Olympic conceded 17 goals and ended at the bottom. There is something radically wrong and unless things are put in their proper perspective it will be difficult for the Indian team to even reach the semi final stage. The team will be confronted against Holland, Australia, Argentina and not forgetting New Zealand former champions who could spring a surprise.


GERMANY PIP HOLLAND FOR HOCKEY TITLE

Mathias Witthaus emerged Germany's saviour with a 66th minute goal as his side came from behind for a 5-4 win against Olympic champions Holland in the final of the four-nation Rabobank hockey tournament. Despite an early onslaught from the Dutch, Germany reduced the margin and went on to equalize 4-4 just 90 seconds after the break. They upped the tempo considerably testing the Dutch defence time and again with some purposeful moves. The final minutes of the title clash saw some drama as Germany played with ten players after Michael Green was sent off for a foul. But Germany held their nerve till the last minute to emerge victorious at the Wagener Stadium in Amsterdam.

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