The EOC tipped its hat to the home of the Ancient Olympic Games and the country’s storied Olympic history on 25 March, as Greece celebrated the 199^th anniversary of its independence.

The first Olympic Games took place in Olympia in the 8th century B.C.. The Greeks invented athletic contests and held them in honour of their gods. At the time, no women were allowed to watch the Games and only Greek nationals could participate.

The Games were held every four years for 12 centuries. Then, in the 4th century A.D., all pagan festivals were banned by Emperor Theodosius I and the Olympics ceased to be organised.

It was only 1500 years later, thanks to the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin, that the Olympics were resurrected and once again held in the Mediterranean country.

Greece has hosted the modern Games twice, in 1896 and 2004, both times in Athens.

In honour of its status as the birthplace of the Olympics, Greece always enters the stadium first during the Parade of Nations at the Opening Ceremony, with the notable exception of 2004 when it entered last as the host nation.

Before the Games, the Olympic Flame is traditionally lit in Olympia in a ceremony that reflects ancient Greek rituals and initiates the Olympic torch relay.

This year on 12 March, Greek shooting world champion and European Games gold medallist Anna Korakaki made history by becoming the first woman ever to launch an Olympic Torch Relay. Korakaki attended the traditional flame-lighting ceremony for Tokyo 2020 in Ancient Olympia and served as its first torchbearer.

The flag of Greece is always hoisted during the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games, along with the flags of the current and the next host country.

Greek athletes have won a total of 116 medals in 15 different sports and the country currently ranks 33rd in the all-time Summer Olympics medal count.

Athletics and weightlifting have been the top medal-producing sports for the nation and in the latter Greece is placed among the top 10 countries overall. Gymnastics, shooting and wrestling are the other sports that have produced ten or more medals for Greece.

Spyros Capralos, President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, is a Member of the International Olympic Committee and of the EOC Executive Committee. Last year, Capralos successfully led the Coordination Commission of the 2^nd European Games Minsk 2019.