Sports Venues
Sports venues are the facilities in which various sports and disciplines will be carried out during the Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011. These venues could either be independent (e.g. Panathenaikon Stadium) or could form part of a larger complex such as the Athens Olympic Sport Complex (OAKA) in which more than one venues are included (Olympic Stadium, Olympic Aquatic Center, Olympic Indoor Hall etc.). Access in a sports complex does not necessarily imply access to all venues within.
Athens Olympic Sport Complex
The Athens Olympic Sport Complex (OAKA) is a sport facilities complex located at Maroussi, northeast Athens, Greece. The complex consists of five major venues as well as other supplementary sport facilities. During the Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011 OAKA will host six (6) sports (athletics, aquatics, basketball, powerlifting, tennis and volleyball).
Olympic Stadium (Athletics and Volleyball)
Athletics will be hosted in the Olympic Stadium of Athens. The stadium is located in Maroussi of Attica, approximately 9Km from the center of Athens. It’s the biggest stadium of Greece and belongs in the OAKA complex. Its construction started in 1978 and was finished in 1982. The Stadium takes its name from Spyros Louis, the winner of the Marathon run in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, who was a citizen in Maroussi. It has been used for the European Games (1982), the Mediterranean Games (1991), the World Championships in Athletics (1997) and for the Olympic Games of 2004, Olympic Stadium was fully renovated with the addition of the “Calatrava” roof. Olympic Stadium has 74.768 seats. It has metro access from Neratziotissa station and Irini station and bus access from several bus lines.
Volleyball will be held in the “G. Kassimatis” hall, within the Olympic Stadium, were three (3) different courts of volleyball will be available. “G. Kassimatis” hall can accommodate 700 spectators.
Olympic Aquatic Center (Aquatics)
The Olympic Aquatic Center was completed in 1991 and became an integral part of the Athens Olympic Sport Complex. Two contemporary swimming pools, one indoor and one outdoor, were constructed in area of 18 acres. The pools were utilized instantly for the staging of various aquatics events such as the Mediterranean Games, the European Championships, as well as the Olympic Games ATHENS 2004. The indoor pool, where the Aquatics Special Olympics event will take place, has a capacity of 5.500 seats and it includes a competition pool of 8 lanes (50m x 21m x 2m), a warm up pool (25m x 12,5m x 1.80m) and a diving pool (25m x 12,5m x 5m).
Olympic Tennis Center (Tennis)
The Olympic Tennis Center is part of the Athens Olympic Sport Complex located in the suburb of Maroussi, which is in the North of Athens.
The Olympic Tennis Center consists of 16 outdoor hard courts. The surface of all courts is Deco Turf II, same as the surface used at the US Open.
The Center Court of the Olympic Tennis Center has a capacity of 8.000 seats, Show Court 1 has a capacity of 3.000 seats, and there are further ten (10) match courts, as well as four (4) practice courts.
The venue and all the facilities of the Olympic Tennis Center are fully accessible.
Olympic Velodrome (Powerlifting)
The Olympic Velodrome forms part of the Athens Olympic Sport Complex (OAKA) located in Maroussi. The venue meets all requirements to accommodate the sport of Powerlifting during the Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011. The Olympic Velodrome was built in 1991, and until 2003 operated as an open Velodrome. In 2004 it was renovated by the famous architect Santiago Calatrava, when the roof was added, making it the only indoor Velodrome in Greece.
Olympic Indoor Hall (Basketball)
The Olympic Indoor Hall first opened in 1995. It has hosted many international basketball competitions: European & World Championships, the Euroleague Final-Four, as well as the Olympic Games ATHENS 2004 Basketball finals. For the Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011 four (4) competition courts will be used: the main arena plus three (3) more courts (2 existing and 1 new) located at the training halls area.
Hellinikon Olympic Complex
The Hellinikon Olympic Complex is situated at Ellinikon on the east coast of Athens. It was built on the site of the former Ellinikon International Airport for the staging of the Olympic and Paralympic Games ATHENS 2004. For the needs of the Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011, four (4) separate sports facilities will accommodate seven (7) sports (badminton, cycling, football 5x 5, football 7x7, gymnastics, handball, softball, as well as Young Athletes and MATP events).
Hellinikon Olympic Indoor Hall/Fencing Hall (Badminton, Gymnastics, Handball, Young Athletes and MATP)
The Olympic Indoor and Fencing Halls were previously used as the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Venues for the sports of basketball (qualifiers), handball (finals) and fencing. The buildings are located in the western part of the Hellinikon Complex, in an area of 109,000sq.m. By adapting and extending the former big hangar of Olympic Airways, an indoor stadium and a warm-up and athletes service spaces, sport and media facilities were created. Also, by adjusting the small hangar of Olympic Airways the Olympic Fencing Center was created, a compact area of 6.800 m. The two buildings are linked through a Link Building which includes a large number of ancillary rooms and offices. In the above areas concerts, exhibitions and sporting events have already successfully been organized.
For the Special Olympic World Summer Games ATHENS 2011 the halls will be used as follows:
• Olympic Indoor Hall: Gymnastics (artistic, rhythmic)
• Fencing Hall: Handball, Badminton, Young Athletes, MATP
• Link Building: Uniform distribution and accreditation center (UDAC).
Access to the facility is by tram or coastal line buses.
Hellinikon Olympic Hockey Venue (Football 5-aside)
The Olympic Hockey Venue is also part of the Hellinikon Complex and only 200m away from the Olympic Baseball Venue.
The venue was built for hockey during the Olympic Games ATHENS 2004. During the Paralympic Games ATHENS 2004, it was used for the 5 and 7 a-side Paralympic football tournaments and this year during the Special Olympics World Games ATHENS 2011 it will be used for the football 5 a-side tournament.
Spectator seating capacity: 4.630
Hellinikon Olympic Softball Venue (Softball and Cycling)
The Softball Olympic Venue is consisted of a main competition field that includes training areas as well as other supporting areas for the athletes, the administration of the sport and venue operations. The venue has the capacity of 1800 seats and was first used during the Olympic Games ATHENS 2004. The easiest way to get there, if you do not use a car, is the tram.
The Peace and Friendship Stadium is located in Piraeus, on the Faliron coastal zone (2 km to Piraeus center, 10 km to Athens and 32 km to the airport). The Stadium is known widely as "SEF", which are the initials of its name in Greek (Stadio Erinis and Filias). SEF has hosted a number of international events in various sports. It was one of the venues of the Olympic Games ATHENS 2004, hosting all the preliminaries and finals of the volleyball tournament. It can be easily accessed with various transportation means (subway, taxi, bus etc.).
During the Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011 the Peace and Friendship Stadium will host four (4) sports (Table Tennis, Roller Skating, Bocce and Beach Volleyball)
Independent Sport Venues
The American College of Greece (Judo)
The sport of Judo will be conducted at the facilities of the American College of Greece and more specifically at the indoor Gym of the DEERE College (the American College comprises two major branches: the PIERCE College and the DEREE College).
The American College is situated at the roots of mountain Hymettus, in the Agia Paraskevi suburb, Northeast to Athens. It was transferred there in 1965. It can be easily accessed from the peripheral Hymettus road and the Messogion Avenue as well.
The DEREE Gym comprises many satisfactory functional areas. The Gym has a capacity of 500 seats.
Blanos Sports Park, Spata (Bowling)
Blanos Sports Park is a new recreational center in the Municipality of Spata, Attica. The venue is extended in three floors. For the needs of the Special Olympic World Summer Games ATHENS 2011 20 up-to-date synthetic lanes will be used for the sport of bowling.
Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre (Equestrian)
The Olympic Equestrian Centre in Markopoulo was constructed during the period 2002 -2004 and was used for the Olympic Games ATHENS 2004. It covers an area of 800.000sq.m in which the cross country park is included.
The venue has been characterized as one of the most modern equestrian facilities in Europe. Every year international and national equestrian championships and world cups are hosted in which many famous riders compete.
The facilities include, stables for 280 horses, two (2) competition arenas with grass for jumping, one competition arena with sand for dressage, and six (6) arenas with sand for training and the warm up of the horses.
Glyfada Golf Course (Golf)
The Glyfada Golf Course, founded in 1962, was designed by the renowned Scottish golf architect Donald Harradine and has undergone two major improvements, one before the World Golf Championship in 1979 and one in 1991 for the purposes of the XI Mediterranean Games Golf.
Because of the architectural structure, the large number of trees and the difficulty of the routes (Fairways), the Glyfada Golf Course is considered one of the best stadiums in the world.
The Glyfada Golf Course meets the Olympic standards with 18 holes (Holes), Par 72 (Difficulty site characterization) and has all necessary facilities for organizing and conducting events of international concern. The Golf course is located at the coastal area of Glyfada. The municipality of Glyfada has kindly granted the venue for the Athens 2011 World Summer Games.
Agios Kosmas Sport Center (Football 7-aside)
The Football Training Center of the National Football Federation in Agios Kosmas forms part of a large Sports Complex by the sea-side which is open to public for jogging, walks, biking and team sports. The Training Centers that were constructed for the Olympic Games ATHENS 2004 in Agios Kosmas today are used by the Greek National Teams Athletes of several sports.
The Agios Kosmas football fields will be used for the Special Olympics World Games ATHENS 2011 football 7-aside tournament.
Spectator seating capacity: 270
Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre (Kayaking)
The Schinias Olympic Rowing & Canoeing Centre is part of the National Park of Schinias Marathon. The venue is located in a distance of 43km from the Athens center and 3.9 Km from the Temple of Marathon. The venue constructions began in 2000 at the same area where the former Marathon airport had operated.
The main competition lake is 2.250m in length and joined with a second warm-up lake for training. The total water surface in the venue is 150 acres, additionally it has a capacity of 1.000 seats on permanent grandstands.
The Schinias Olympic Rowing & Canoeing Centre was built especially for the Olympic Games ATHENS 2004 in order to accommodate both the Canoe-Kayak and Rowing events. The venue is internationally recognized for its modern and advanced facilities that conform to the international standards not only for the Canoe-Kayak sport but also for the Rowing. Furthermore, since its construction, it has been operated as a course that offers high standard training opportunities as well as a national and international competition venue for both sports.
Especially for the kayaking events, during the Special Olympics Summer World Games ATHENS 2011, only the 1.000m length of the competition course will be used as a warm-up and competition course.
Sailing Academy, Schinias (Sailing and Open Water Swimming)
Sailing and Open Water Swimming will take place at an ideal athletic and cultural center at Schinias Bay at Marathon, Attica. The name of the center is Sailing Academy and has been created at 2007 by two former and established athlete and sailing instructors, Mr. George Giavouroglou and Mr. George Kefallonitis. The Nautical Club of Hellenic Sea is been accommodated at the Sailing Academy which is a training center not only for children and adults, but also for advanced athletes.
In the past they have organized sailing schools for beginners and also for champion class athletes in coordination with various sailing clubs, in shore and off shore regattas, training camps, educational seminars e.g. They have led many of their child athletes to achieve recognition in World, European and Greek championships in the categories of optimist, Laser, 4.70 and trainers for the Special Olympics, they have won many distinctions, more recently the achievement of Gold and Silver medals in the Special Olympics which were held in Shanghai in 2007. At May 2010 the Sailing Tests Event of the Special Olympics Summer World Games ATHENS 2011 has been organized with big success.
At the same time in cooperation with “Marathon Horizons” accommodates programs in creative activities in sports and leisure for people with disabilities. Apart from athletics, the Sailing Academy venue offers an 18 sq. m area next to the beach, 600 sq. m indoor areas, 200 sq. m beach bar, secure boat parking, changing rooms, a mini football ground, swimming pool, a children’s playground, indoor gym, a basketball court, free child care, pool –bar restaurant and an area with chairs and deck chairs for almost 1000 spectators. All Areas are accessible for people with disabilities. The Sailing Academy is 10 km approx. from Agios Andreas which will be the area that will host Special Athletes for the Special Olympics Word Summer Games ATHENS 2011.
Panathenaikon Stadium (Marathon)
Panathenaikon Stadium (stadium for all the Athenians), well known as Kallimarmaro because of its marbles from Penteli, the same marble that was used for Parthenon in the Athens Acropolis, is the first Stadium used for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
The Stadium is historically mentioned from 330 B.C. In ancient Greece, the area that the Stadium is even now located, and the Stadium in itself was used for Panathenea a worship festival in honor of the goddess Athena.
The Panathenaikon Stadium is located in the center of Athens, in Ardittos cliff and was renovated in 1895, for the first modern Olympics Games in 1896.
Panathenaikon Stadium has held many cultural and sport activities. In 1997, the opening ceremony of the 7th IAAF World Championships in Athletics took place in this stadium, while during the Olympic Games ATHENS 2004, Archery and Marathon finish were hosted there.
The Stadium has a capacity of 68.000 seats.
“Apilion” Panionios Training Center (Football 11-aside)
The “Apilion” Panionios Training Center was built in the area of Koropi in 2010 and forms a complete and modern training center with three 11-aside and two 5-aside Football Fields, three tennis courts and a swimming pool. The “Apilion” Panionios Training Center is the place where the professional Football Team of Panionios FC trains.
Spectators seating capacity: 200 |
