ATHENS Aug 7 Athens threw a big party on Tuesday with marching bands and fire works, to welcome its eight Allanta Olympic medalists who were cheered by thousands In a triumphant tour of the city reports Reuter

A flag-waving crowd lined the streets from the airport to central Athens to honour the athletes who were driven In military jeeps, proudly display Ing their four gold and four all ver medals.

Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos awarded the athletes the city's gold medal al Hadrian s Aren. Athens main ancient gate. Bands and military honours replaced the ancient tradition of bringing down city walls to welcome Olympic champions.

Today Athena, the cradle of civilisation opens Its gates for you It honours you and it is be ing honoured." Avramopoulos said

Holding a huge blue and white Greek flag the medalists then walked to the packed 80 000 seat Panathenean

Stadium, site of the first mod ern Olympics a century ago. for ,i night-long celebration.

Fireworks lit up the Athens sky as the athletes entered the marble stadium to be greeted by Greek President Costis Stephanopoulos. Prime Minister Costas Simitis and all his ministers.

"We did it for Greece weightlifter Pyrros Dimas, who won his second gold medal in Atlanta, told reporters. We thank everybody for this warm welcome.'

Greece's six main television channels joined forces with common live coverage of the celebration and the acropolis was lit up to honour the win tiers.

Greece had its best ever Olympic showtnll in the Atlanta Games Dimas and fellow weightlifter Kaki Kahiasvllt won gold medals along with Yannis Meiisanidis In gymnas tics and Nikos Kaklamanakls In the mens >achtlng mistral event.

Three more weightlifters won silver medals along with

Niki Bakoyanni in the women's high jump. Five other Greek athletes won fourth places and the basketball team came fifth on their Olympics debut.

The gold medalists will get a 280.000 dollar state bonus each. Silver medalists will each get 195.000 dollars.

Greece fought hard to stage this year's centennial Olym pics, saying it had a special right as the country where the ancient Games originated and where they were revived in 1896

But the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted down the bid because of Greece s poor Infrastructure and a lack ol confidence that Athens could meet the demands of the giant sports festival.

Greece had vowed never to bld for the Games again and to shun the Atlanta celebraUons but its anger has eased and Athens has bld to stage the 2004 Olympics.