Canada At The 2004 Summer Olympics
Canada competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The Canadian Olympic Committee sent a team of over 200 athletes, the lowest since Canada boycotted the games in 1980. This is a result of the COC changing its standards for qualifying, with the aim of sending fewer athletes but focusing its energy on those who have the best chance at winning medals. This somewhat controversial policy was pursued after a reduced medal showing at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Canada's overall medal count has been dropping, along with the totals for most developed countries as the developing nations capture comparatively more medals. Most expected Canada to win a similar number of medals as they did in 2000.
The flag bearer was Nicolas Gill, a judoka. A mild controversy developed after it was revealed that Gill had made comments in favour of Quebec separatism, and had voted yes in the 1995 Quebec referendum.
263 competitors, 130 men and 133 women, took part in 152 events in 28 sports.
Read more about Canada At The 2004 Summer Olympics: Medalists, Broadcasts, Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Baseball, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Diving, Equestrian, Fencing, Gymnastics, Judo, Modern Pentathlon, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Softball, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball, Water Polo, Weightlifting, Wrestling, Officials, Official Outfitter
Famous quotes containing the words canada and/or summer:
“Canadians look down on the United States and consider it Hell. They are right to do so. Canada is to the United States what, in Dante’s scheme, Limbo is to Hell.”
—Irving Layton (b. 1912)
“I think of no news to tell you. It is a serene summer day here, all above the snow. The hens steal their nests, and I steal their eggs still, as formerly. This is what I do with the hands. Ah, labor,—it is a divine institution, and conversation with many men and hens.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)