Olympics return to antiquity at the 2004 Athens Games

When the Olympics returned to Athens in 2004, they also returned to antiquity.

The men's and women's marathon races started in the actual town of Marathon, near the ancient battlefield about 26 miles northeast of the capital on the Aegean coast. They finished in central Athens at the Panathenian Stadium, the marble venue used for the opening and closing ceremonies of the inaugural 1896 Games.

The shot put events were even farther away, taking place in Ancient Olympia, about 120 miles southwest of Athens. Irina Korzhanenko of Russia became the first woman to win a gold medal at the ancient site that birthed the Olympics. Yuri Bilonoh of Ukraine won the men's event.

FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2004, file photo, Germany's Birgit Fischer celebrates after she and her teammates won the Women's K4 500 meter final to take the gold medal, during the kayak flatwater event at the 2004 Olympic Games in Schinias near Athens, Greece. (AP PhotoMark J. Terrill, File)

Both were soon stripped of their Olympic titles for doping, but the splendor of the venue was not in doubt.

“Everybody else has to go to that big, shiny stadium in Athens. We get to do it where it all started,” American thrower John Godina said after qualifying. “I took a lot of classic classes in college. I’ve learned a lot about the whole Olympic movement in ancient Greece. I realize it’s been 1,500 years since anybody has gotten to compete in this stadium."

Back in Athens, the United States won the most medals, but they didn't win the men's basketball tournament for the first time since professional players were allowed into the games in 1992. The gold medal instead went to Argentina, a team led by Manu Ginobili.

FILE - In this Aug. 22, 2004, file photo, Japan's Mizuki Noguchi takes the final lap inside the Panathinaiko Stadium as she wins the gold medal in the women's marathon in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. (AP PhotoRichard Drew, File)

GREEK DRAMA

On the eve of the opening ceremony, the host country was delivered a blow when its two top sprinters, Kostas Kenteris and Ekaterina Thanou, were apparently injured in a motorcycle crash. Kenteris won the 200-meter gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Thanou earned silver in the 100 that same year, making them favorites to win at their home games. The pair was soon accused of faking the crash to avoid doping tests. Neither competed at the games.

PHELPS' FIRST MEDALS

FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2004, file photo, Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj celebrates after winning the gold medal in the 5000-meter final, his second gold medal of the games, at the Olympic Stadium during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. El Guerrouj also won a gold medal in the 1500-meters. (AP PhotoRusty Kennedy, File)

Michael Phelps, the American swimmer who would win a record eight gold medals in a single games four years later in Beijing, became the first athlete to win eight overall medals (six gold and two bronze) in a non-boycotted Olympics. (Soviet gymnast Alexander Dityatin won eight medals at the 1980 Moscow Games.)

NOT SO FAST

Usain Bolt competed at the Olympics for the first time, without winning any medals. The Jamaican sprinter ran in the 200 meters but didn't make it out of the first round. There was much more to come from him in the next three games, however.

FILE - In this Aug. 19, 2004, file photo, Michael Phelps, of the United States, swims to a gold medal in the 200-meter individual medley at the Olympic Aquatic Centre during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. (AP PhotoMark Baker, File)

TRACK TIME

Hicham El Guerrouj won a double on the track, while keeping Kenenisa Bekele from doing the same. The Moroccan runner became the first man to win the 1,500-5,000 double since Paavo Nurmi in 1924. Bekele won the 10,000 meters, but ended up second to El Guerrouj in the 5,000. In the women's competition, Kelly Holmes of Britain also pulled off a double, winning the 800 and 1,500. In other track events, Liu Xiang became the first Chinese man to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport when he won the 110-meter hurdles, and Felix Sanchez did the same for the Dominican Republic in the 400 hurdles.

WINNING AGAIN

FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2004, file photo, Argentina's Emanuel Ginobili, top, battles the USA's Lamar Odom for the ball late in the fourth quarter of semifinal basketball game at the Olympic Indoor Hall during the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. (AP PhotoMichael Conroy, File)

German kayaker Birgit Fischer set an incredible record of consistency in Athens, becoming the first person in any sport to win two medals in five different Olympics. Fischer started her Olympic career at the 1980 Moscow Games while competing for East Germany. After missing the boycotted 1984 Los Angeles Games, she won at least two medals in Seoul, Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney before doing the same in Athens.

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FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2004, file photo, John Godina, of the United States, makes a qualifying throw during the Athens 2004 Olympics men's shot put qualification round in Olympia, Greece. The men's and women's shot put was held in the ancient stadium where the original games were played. (AP PhotoJulie Jacobson, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2004, file photo, Argentina's Emanuel Ginobili celebrates following a 89-81 win over the United States in a semifinal basketball game at the Olympic Indoor Hall during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. (AP PhotoDusan Vranic, File)

CARY, N.C. (AP) — Clayton Kershaw isn't done pitching just yet, agreeing Thursday to join the U.S. team for this year's World Baseball Classic.

A left-hander who turns 38 two days after the March 17 championship game, Kershaw announced last September that he was retiring at the end of the season, his 18th in a stellar career for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He won his third World Series title and finished 223-96 with a 2.53 ERA and 3,052 strikeouts.

The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner wanted to pitch for the Americans in the 2023 tournament but was prevented because of insurance issues at a time he had a $20 million, one-year contract with the Dodgers.

He joins a U.S. pitching staff that includes right-handers David Bednar, Clay Holmes, Griffin Jax, Nolan McLean, Mason Miller, Joe Ryan, Paul Skenes and Logan Webb along with left-handers Tarik Skubal and Gave Speier.

The American roster also includes catchers Cal Raleigh and Will Smith; infielders Ernie Clement, Gunnar Henderson, Brice Turang and Bobby Witt Jr.; outfielders Byron Buxton, Corbin Carroll, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Aaron Judge; and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.

The U.S., which lost the 2023 championship game to Japan, opens March 6 against Brazil at Houston, part of a group that also includes Brazil, Britain, Italy and Mexico.

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FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw celebrates the end of the top of the 12th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of baseball's World Series, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)