Princeton University Athletics
Where It All Began - Track & Field Travels to Greece
June 14, 2011 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
PRINCETON, N.J. (6/14/11) - The Princeton men's and women's track & field teams leave Tuesday for a nine-day tour of Greece, from June 15-24, that will feature two competitions in Athens and Patras as well as visiting the home of the Olympic Games, Olympia.
Priot to their flight at Newark, the team posed for a photo (right) with its pilot Roger Probert, who officiates the long jump at Princeton track meets.
The Tigers depart on Tuesday and arrive on June 15 in Athens where they will spend the next four days. The team will take part in some sightseeing in Athens, which includs a visit to the Acropolis.
On Friday, Princeton will compete in the Athens Invitational held at the Athens Olympic Stadium (OAKA). Named after Spyros Louis, it was built in 1982 and underwent renovations from 2002-04. OAKA was the site of the Opening Ceremony of the 2004 Olympic Games.
On Saturday, the team will take a one-day cruise to visit three of the Saronic Gulf islands.
The Princeton contingent departs Athens on Sunday for Patras, visiting Delphi, Europe's largest bridge along the way before arriving at Achaia Beach.
On Monday the team will make the short trip to Olympia for a full day tour of the original site of the Olympic Games. The site is a mass of marble inscriptions, civic buildings and restored temples, including the Temple of Zeus. They will also visit The Museum of the Olympic Games is situated in the modern town Olympia.
The team competes in its second meet on Wednesday, the Patrice International Competition in Patras.
On Thursday Princeton departs on its return journey, via train, to Athens aboard the Odontontos and will visit Kalavrita.
The Tigers say yassas to Greece on Friday to return home to Princeton.