The
2004 Summer Olympic Games (, ), officially known as the
Games of the XXVIII Olympiad and commonly known as
Athens 2004, was a premier international
multi-sport event held in
Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004 with the motto
Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team officials from 201 countries. There were 301 medal events in 28 different
sports. Athens 2004 marked the first time since the
1996 Summer Olympics that all countries with a
National Olympic Committee were in attendance. 2004 marked the return of the games to the city where they began.