[1] A record high of 27 nations took part while the number of participating athletes (430) was the second highest in the competition's history after the 1992 edition.

[2] The programme featured 44 track and field events, 22 each for men and women, and 16 championship records were broken or equalled at the three-day competition.

An opening ceremony was held outside the stadium at La Rábida (the monastery where Christopher Columbus stayed and successfully proposed his voyage to the Indies, which led to the Discovery of the Americas).

Joan Lino Martínez, winner in the men's long jump, took an Olympic bronze medal.

Cuba's female throwers performed well in Athens: Yumileidi Cumbá and Osleidys Menéndez were crowned Olympic champions, while Yipsi Moreno and Yunaika Crawford both reached the podium in the hammer throw.