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The difficulties in participation: the case of Greece
As was the case with many European countries, the Greek presence in the Olympic Games of 1904 had been limited due to the cost and long duration of the journey to the USA.  On the initiative of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, two Greek athletes made it to Saint Louis, the expenses of whom had been covered by state and private organizations. Those athletes were the discus thrower Nikolaos Georgantas and the weightlifter Periklis Kakoussis, who were members of the Panhellenic Gymnastic Society. At first, the members of the Hellenic Committee had been reluctant as to the possibility of sending even a small number of Greek athletes to Saint Louis, but were convinced after pressures by the members of the management of the Panhellenic Gymnastic Society. This reluctance was due mainly to the preparation of the Interim Olympic Games of Athens, which would take place two years later and would occasion increased expenses for the Hellenic Olympic Committee.
However, the presence of the two Greek champions had vindicated those who insisted on their participation. Kakoussis became first Olympic winner in weightlifting "with both hands", breaking the Olympic and world record, since he had lifted 116.67kg. Equally successful was the presence of Georgantas in the discus. Competing with great names of that time, such as the American champions Martin Sheridan, John Flanagan and Ralph Rose, he succeeded in winning the third place with a performance of 37.68m.
It should be noted that the Greek delegation was reinforced for the first time by Greek athletes who lived abroad, namely members of families that had immigrated to the USA. More specifically, 13 Greeks of abroad had contested representing the Greek flag, most of whom in the marathon. Back then, the marathon was perhaps the most popular track and field event in Greece, due to the triumphant victory of Spiridon Louis in the Olympic Games of Athens in 1896. In the final ranking of the event those among the Greeks of abroad who ranked well were Dimitrios Veloulis (5th), Ioannis Fourlas (13th) and Andreas Oikonomou (14th). The rest of the Greek marathon runners of abroad did not get to the finish line.
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