Alisa at the Olympics

by ChessBase
9/11/2004 – A chess grandmaster at the Olympic Games? Not the Olympiad, mind you, but the big one in Athens, where WGM Alisa Maric represented her country, Serbia & Montenegro. And while she was there she proved that size actually doesn't matter – by trouncing Yugoslav basketball stars, each a foot and a half taller than her. At chess. Here are impressions of Alisa in Athens...

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WGM Alisa Maric at the Olympic Games

Yugoslav WGM Alisa Maric was born in New York during her father's service at the UN headquarters there. Alisa holds the chess titles of International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM). She also graduated from Belgrade University and got BS and MS degrees in Economics. She is now a Ph.D. candidate and works as a teaching assistant. Alisa also anchors a chess program called "Alisa in the Chess World". It is aired every second week on TV Politika. We received the following report from Josip Asik, who is a FIDE Master (FM) and sports editor of Television Politika in Belgrade, as well as chess columnist of newspaper Vecernje Novosti.

A chess grandmaster at the Olympic Games? Not the Chess Olympiad, mind you, where there are scores of them walking around. At the Olympic Games in Athens 2004. WGM Alisa Maric was officially accredited to represent her country, Serbia & Montenegro, as a member of national Olympic Committee Presidential Board. “Oh, you are chess player! Why chess is not a part of Olympic program?” Well, those were typical reactions in Athens, but answer should be sought at a higher level. We are looking here on bright side of story...


A properly accredited Alisa in the Olympic Village, with all the national flags


With colleagues from the National Olympic Committee during the openings ceremony at the Maroussi Stadium in Athens.


Oh what a feeling! This is something to remember for the rest of your life.


The swimming competitions were among the most exciting


Athens is history ... visiting a church in Piraeus


The famous Syntagma Square with a Parliament guard in the background


What else is Greece famous for? Gyros, souvlaki, dzadziki, greek salad. Alisa in a coastal tavern in Varkiza.


At a party given for former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch (middle)


Two Serbian sport stars! Alisa with Jasna Sekaric, silver medalist in shooting.


With US tennis star Jennifer Cappriati


With a member of the disrespectful Puerto Rico basketball team (which defeated the "Dream Team" of the USA)


Alisa and the author of this report (left) meet one of the best basketball players in Europe, Dejan Bodiroga. Note the difference in height between the ball artist and the WGM.


Showing them that size doesn't matter: Alisa plays Djuro Ostojic, while Igor Rakocevic and Vladimir Radmanovic watch her every move.


Bouzouki night! The atmosphere is hot, and we are not talking Centigrade or Fahrenheit.


The world's largest passenger ship, the Queen Mary ll, was attraction of Piraeus.


They don't come bigger – or more expensive: the Queen Mary 2 sails from port


Alisa and Josip with a few of the six thousand Dutch supporters in the Holland Heineken house


With a Greek chess friend, GM Stelios Chalkias from Thessalonica


See you again, Athens!

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