The countdown to the Olympics has ended, and the Games have at last returned to their nation of origin The Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, which will open in Athens in six days, will bring together about 10,500 athletes, who will be competing in 301 events in 28 sports. Some changes relating to athlete quotas and sporting events on the Olympic Summer Games programme following the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games have taken place: Aquatics Introduction of a maximum quota of athletes in diving (136). Water polo Increase in the number of women's team from six to eight; and increase in the athlete quota from 234 to 260. Boxing Total number of events reduced from 12 to 11; and athlete quota reduced from 312 to 286. Canoe-kayak Athlete quota reduced from 350 to 330. Equestrian Athlete quota reduced from 225 to 200. Fencing Addition of women's sabre individual event; and removal of women's foil teams event. Football Increase in the number of women's teams from eight to 10; and increase in athlete quota from 432 to 468. Gymnastics Increase in the athlete quota from 12 to 16 for both trampoline events (making the total increase in the athlete quota for gymnastics from 304 to 312). Judo Athlete quota reduced from 400 to 386. Modern pentathlon Increase in the athlete quota in individual events from 24 to 32 for both men and women (making the total increase in the athlete quota for modern pentathlon from 48 to 64). Sailing Replacement of mixed fleet match/race keelboat (Soling) events and the two- person keelboat open (Star) by a men's keelboat (Star) event and a women's keelboat (Yngling) event. Shooting Athlete quota reduced from 410 to 390. Taekwondo Athlete quota increased from 100 to 124. Weightlifting Athlete quota increased from 250 to 260. Wrestling Addition of four women's wrestling events; removal of one men's Greco-Roman wrestling event and one men's freestyle wrestling event; and increase in the athlete quota from 320 to 344. Tickets rush THOUSANDS of Greeks queued for hours on Sunday to buy tickets for the Olympics after organisers called for a boost in sales which initially had lagged. Since then, a record in daily sales has been broken every day in the past week, resulting in organisers voicing both satisfied and surprise at the turnout. "We certainly did not expect this. The response is just magnificent," a senior Games official told Reuters. "We are optimistic but we have to wait for the end of this coming week." Until early last week organisers had sold less than half of the 5.2 million tickets for the 13-29 August games, but with over 150,000 sold in three days, they were confident they would meet their target of 3.4 million before the Olympics start. Concerns over previously slow ticket sales were also dismissed by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge. "The sales are going up day by day. I am not concerned. All my Greek friends tell me that there is a tradition in this country to buy tickets at the last minute." All in the hair MANY of Australia's swim team took to the pool for their first training session sporting newly shaved heads. Travis Nederpelt and Eamon, who are in Australia's relay squads, have revived the look of the famed 'Mean Machine'. With a fresh baldness, Sullivan swam laps beside the experienced Ian Thorpe who sports the fullest head of hair in the Australian team. "Eamon and Travis have really taken the inspiring message of the Mean Machine to heart," Australian Swim team spokesman Ian Hanson said. Hanson, in 1982 at the Brisbane Commonwealth Games, coined the title "Mean Machine" after Australia's 4x100m Freestyle team shaved their heads in a demonstration of solidarity and absolute dedication to winning. Falling apart GREEK athlete Eleni Ioannou fell from the third floor of her house in Nea Ionia, an Athens suburb, this week, and is currently in intensive care at the Red Cross Hospital. According to Kostas Mandrago, consultant of the ICU, Ioannou's condition is stable, but will remain under observation for a week. "The condition of the athlete is stable. It's still early, so we'll need a week to be sure about her health," said Mandrago. The athlete will undergo complete body scans so that damages sustained can be determined. While it appears that none of the key internal organs of her body have been harmed, the athlete may lose her vision. During the coming few days she will undergo toxicological examinations in order for doctors to identify traces of alcohol or other substances. It is alleged that the fall was a suicide attempt. A mother to three USA WOMEN'S Olympic football team captain Julie Foudy has described her veteran teammate Joy Fawcett as a "superwoman", pointing to the 36-year-old's continued command of her role despite being a mother of three. "I've never seen her complaining after she's been up with kids all night. I've never seen her say 'God, I'm so tired, I can't do it anymore'," said Foudy ahead of the USA's opening Group G match against Greece, which took place yesterday. "It takes tremendous energy. She seems to be endless in that regard." Considered one of the world's best defenders, Fawcett was a mainstay of the USA teams that won the 1995 World Cup and claimed the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games. She was there again for the 1999 World Cup and at the Sydney Olympic Games, where the USA won silver. For the past three years Fawcett has provided the defensive steel for the San Diego Spirit in the American pro soccer league, a job she combines with coaching the UCLA women's soccer team. Last year she came back from ankle surgery -- she was expected to miss a month, but returned to action after just 11 days -- to be named the best defensive player in the league. And each week she goes to practice with daughters Madelyn Rae, 4, Carli, 8, and Katelyn Rose, 11, in close attendance. One team mate has nicknamed her 'Mama Joy'. Former national team coach Tony Diciccoi once said of Fawcett: "She doesn't rock you with hard, crushing tackles. She's more graceful than that. She just picks your pocket as you go by." In Athens, Fawcett is hoping to pick up another gold medal as well. Pioneer performer CANADA'S Susan Nattrass is ready for her sixth Olympic Games appearance, aiming for gold in the Women's Trap discipline. Nattrass came 9th at the Sydney 2000 Games, but believes Athens will be her lucky city. The 54-year-old Canadian started shooting when she was 13-years-old and has been a member of the Canadian national team since 1969. At the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Nattrass broke the gender barrier as the first woman to compete with the men. After women were barred from trap shooting in 1992, Nattrass, who has a Ph.D in philosophy, began a campaign to start a separate women's event. She was also the first woman who competes in a shotgun event at 1990 Commonwealth Games, and is the world record holder in the trap from 1974 to 1989. Named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1981, she received the Great Canadian Award in 1990 and the Premier's Award as 'Alberta Athlete of the Year' in 1982. Munteanu missing ROMANIAN gymnast Andreea Munteanu has withdrawn from her nation's Olympic squad because of a leg injury, Romanian sports newspapers reported Sunday. Coaches replaced the 15-year-old with Silvia Stroescu, 19, just before the team left for Athens. Ticket sales have been sluggish, but there's at least one sellout for the Athens Games -- Greece versus Mexico on 17 August in men's soccer. The Greeks won the Euro 2004 tournament, though this won't be the same squad because Olympic rules restrict teams to players under 23, with three exemptions. By Abeer Anwar
