Sydney's acclaimed success as hosts of the Olympic Games has made the task of organising the 2004 Athens Games all the more daunting for Greek officials.

Plagued by bureaucratic infighting and delays, and under close scrutiny from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Greece has vowed that hosting the Olympics will top the country's priorities for the next four years.

But many believe the task may yet prove too big.

Gianna Angelopoulou, recently appointed president of the Athens Organising Committee (ATHOC), has said Greece must run a marathon at sprinting speed to be ready in time.

Yesterday a record 100,000 passengers were expected to fly out of Sydney, but, in keeping with the tenor of the best-run Games, an airport official said: "We've had no significant delays. It's going very well."

However Sydney's success in areas that Greece is still struggling with, such as transport, venues and hospitality, have starkly highlighted Athens' shortcomings.

Delays in building new sports facilities prompted the IOC to warn in April that a new host country could be chosen. The IOC told Greece it was risking the success of the Games.

Greek prime minister Costas Simitis took personal charge of overseeing preparations and an IOC review in August praised efforts to beat the clock. A few weeks later, however, the Greek press alleged that Angelopoulou's organising team were overpaid, earning salaries several times larger than the prime minister's, and charged them with reckless spending at the Sydney Olympics.

Officials said being in Sydney was a valuable experience and had given them an indication of the magnitude of their task, warning them of possible pitfalls.

Deputy sports minister George Florides said he was aware of the perils of trying to imitate Sydney's style. "If Athens does what Sydney did, it will fail. The world sports movement . . . expects Athens to organise the Games to reflect its own history and culture," he said.

Angelopoulos has urged all involved to allow ATHOC the independence to perform a difficult task. "Let the experts do their job, without harrassment, misery and petty daily friction," she said.