Greeks Show Up In Force At World Championships

Finally, they came.

Stung by criticism of the large number of no-shows at the year’s premier track and field event, thousands of Greeks finally packed the stadium Tuesday night, on the fourth day of the World Championships.

“We were upset about all they were saying, and wanted to give a good picture for Athens,” said Evgenia Tambaki, as she rushed into the stadium with her 10-year-old daughter.

Nearly all the seats in the 85,000 capacity stadium were full, a stark contrast to some of the previous days, where low attendance led to an acrimonious exchange between IAAF president Primo Nebiolo and local organizers.

“For us it was not a surprise that the fans came, and of course they all came with tickets. We didn’t open any gates or bring any soldiers,” said Sports Minister Andreas Fouras in a jab at Nebiolo.

Greek organizers have claimed that their Italian counterparts filled Rome’s stadium with soldiers during the 1987 world championship to make the event appear a success.

“Greek fans love athletics and they responded to our call,” Fouras said.

One fan held up a sign reading “we’re here Primo.”

The stadium was only two-thirds filled for the marquee event of the championships on Sunday, the men’s 100.

Low attendance led Nebiolo to blame local organizers for poor promotion.