"You have won," Rogge said. "You have won by brilliantly meeting the tough challenge of holding the games. These were unforgettable, dream games." [AP] Athens deserves nothing but the highest praise for a Games that can only be described as a fabulous success.

Reuters talked with Athens 2004 president Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki today:

"These were the most successful Games ever," she said, going further than IOC chief Jacques Rogge, who described them in his closing ceremony speech as an "unforgettable dream."

"Not just Zeus, but all the Gods smiled on what we have done," Angelopoulos said.

She said the Games marked the emergence of a new Greece and were worth every cent of the billions of dollars that were spent to stage the homecoming of the Olympics to both their ancient and modern birthplace.

Some economists estimate the cost of the Games have more than doubled from the original 1997 budget of $4.6 billion, setting the scene for a likely political battle in the weeks ahead.

But Angelopoulos, who even critics agree carried the Athens Olympics across the finishing line almost single-handed after several years of political infighting, said the Games were the spur for infrastructure work that was long overdue to make Athens a modern European capital.

Much of the money went into upgrading transport and other projects that have finally untied the knot of old roads that made the city one of the world's most congested.

"There is also the human legacy of the skills that our people have learned which can never be calculated," she said.

Angelopoulos said Athens had also won a battle against fear by hosting the first summer Games since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States with a "flawless" security operation.

She is exactly right: the infrastructure work needed to be done anyway and the Games simply gave the work a focus and a deadline, the positive exposure for the city and the country is priceless, as are the skills and experience gained. The Games were an investment of the highest order that will pay off for decades to come (of course they'll be paying for it for that long as well).

Heartiest congratulations to the Greeks, who profoundly displayed the glories of the "greek soul." It will be interesting to see what the Chinese come up with - I intend to be there.