Kostas Kenteris
Gold medal, September 28, 2000, Kostas Kenteris, 200m. Sydney 2000
Kostas Kenteris arrived in Sydney with an individual performance in the 200m of 20.25, which of course did not lead us to expect that he would give Greece the gold medal. But there he ran the races of his life, and in a very correctly calculated way to save energy. In the prelims he achieved a time of 20.57 and took first place, while in the quarterfinals he finished second but broke his own record with 20.14. He showed everyone that he was on his way to a medal, which of course he felt. In the semifinals, he finished first in his series with 20.20 and shortly after prepared for the first final of his career at the Olympics. Until the 100m of the race he was in 5th place, but immediately after that he launched an incredible attack with the goal of winning the gold medal.
No opponent could resist him until the end, no one could resist his frenetic pace, and so the victory came with a new record for Greece of 20.09, with a headwind of -0.6 during the race. The second winner, Darren Campbell of Great Britain, clocked 20.14, the same time as Kenteris in the quarterfinals, and the third winner, Ato Boldon of Trinidad, clocked 20.20, the same time as the Greek champion in the semifinals. His victory was considered the surprise of the Games, but it was nothing unusual for Greece. Because in this way Patoulidou won the gold medal in 1992 and Bakogianni the silver medal in 1996. Pleasant surprises in three Olympic disciplines. Kenteris’ response to the shooter’s pistol was 0.163, completely satisfactory for the 200 m and the best of all except Boldon, who achieved exactly the same. The final ranking: Kenteris (Greece) 20.09 Campbell (UK) 20.14 Boldon (Trinidad) 20.20 Thompson (Barbados) 20.20 Malcolm (UK) 20.23 Silva (Brazil) 20.28 Miller (USA) 20.35 Capel (USA) 20.49
They said..
“From the moment I set foot in Sydney, I believed that no one was better than me. Last year in Seville I had seen Maurice Greene and understood that I did not lack qualifications. Now it was my turn. I am the happiest person in the world. In the last meters I do not remember if I raised my hands, but I knew that the gold medal was mine. In the race I was not afraid of anyone, I competed and fought in all the races. That was my plan, to improve from race to race until the final.
I dedicate my victory to Greece and, if possible, my gold medal to be a little balm for the pain of those who lost their people in the wreck. Thank God”.
September 28 2000
