Griffin carries Irish flagThe Irish Olympic team's flag bearer at tomorrow's opening ceremony will be the young three-day eventing star Niall Griffin.
A member of the well known Wexford GAA family - his father is the former hurling manager Liam Griffin - Niall will celebrate his 27th birthday today.
"Niall's selection is in recognition of the growing importance of eventing in Irish equestrian sport." said William O'Brien, the chef de mission of the Irish Olympic team.
Griffin's colleagues on the three-day eventing team are Edmond Gibney (Louth), Susan Shortt (Kilkenny), Sasha Harrison (Armagh) and Mark Kyle (Dublin).
The last Irish equestrian rider to carry the flag at the opening ceremony was Capt Gerry Mullins, at Los Angeles in 1984.
Athlete does a runner
The whereabouts of Greece's top athlete Costas Kenteris is still a mystery. The Olympic 200 metres champion whose shock win in Sydney four years ago prompted the headline, "Who the Hellas is Costas Kenteris?" is now raising the question across Greece, "Where the Hellas is Costas Kenteris?"
Greece's Olympic team manager Yiannis Papadoyiannakis said on Monday the athlete was training in Chicago and would not return for tomorrow's opening ceremony.
Team officials later said they had their dates mixed up. "The dates referred to (Kenteris') entrance into the Olympic village, not his return to Greece," said a Greek team spokesman.
Greek radio station Spor FM reported yesterday Kenteris would light the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony and could already be on his way back to Greece.
But senior Greek coaches said they could not confirmn nor deny he had left Chicago or when he would arrive home.
Serena opts out
Reigning Olympic doubles champion Serena Williams pulled out of the women's tennis tournament in Athens yesterday, four days before the event starts.
The former world number one scratched because of an injured left knee. The same injury forced her to withdraw from recent tournaments in San Diego and Montreal.
Venus Williams, the defending women's singles champion who also partnered younger sister Serena to doubles gold in Sydney four years ago, will now team up with Chanda Rubin in the doubles. Rubin was originally scheduled only to contest the singles.
Serena's withdrawal comes just a day after Jennifer Capriati, gold medallist in the singles in Barcelona 12 years ago, said she would not compete in Athens because of a hamstring injury. Capriati was replaced by Lisa Raymond. Australian Samantha Stosur replaces Serena in the singles.
Justine Henin-Hardenne will be the top seed in the women's singles, followed by Amelie Mauresmo and Anastasia Myskina. Defending champion Venus is seeded sixth.
