NIKE
(pronounced Neekay)
Ancient Greek goddess of victory.
Spirit of the Games sculptor, Pavlos Angelos Kougioumtzis

[Plaque 2]
[illustration of a discus thrower]

The Ancient Games
The Ancient Olympic Games began in 776 BC in honour of Zeus.
Nike the Goddess of Victory and a sentinel of Zeus, was believed to have been sent to earth to crown the victors in the Games.
The Olympics were staged every four years at Olympia and were taken very seriously - wars would be halted to allow the Games to take place. People from all over the Greek world came to watch and take part. The ancient Games were the inspiration for the modern Olympic Games which began in 1896.

[Plaque 3]
Ancient Olympia is the site of the original Games and remains the source of the sacred Olympic flame. It is lit by Apollo, God of the Sun, at the request of the High Priestess and is used to ignite the Olympic torch as it begins its route to the host city.

[Plaque 4]
[Illustration of the Olympic torch]

A gift from the people of Ancient Olympia to the people of London. To commemorate the hosting of the XXXth Olympiad, London 2012

[Plaque 5]
[Illustration of the face of Zeus]

Presented to the Mayor and Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Councillors David Grant and Chris Roberts, from the Mayor of Ancient Olympia, Efthymios Kjotzas

9th September 2012

[Coat of arms of the Royal Borough of Greenwich]
ROYAL Borough of GREENWICH

The statue called "Nike", the goddess of victory in Greek mythology, was made by the Greek sculptor Pavlos Angelos Kougioumtzis. The statue expresses the Olympic spirit and was given as a gift from the origin of the Olympic Games - the city of Olympia, to the city of London on the occasion of the 2012 London Olympics.
The name of the goddess is used by the sports shoe company "Nike".

The statue is 4 meters high, stands at the entrance to the Royal Arsenal and is one of a series of statues with the same name made by the same sculptor and placed in different places in the world.

The statue was photographed on the same day by the same photographer Click for a larger image Click for a larger image Click for a larger image

The plaques surrounding the base of the statue appear in the following photos taken on the same day by the same photographer:
Plate 2 - About the Olympic Games Click for a larger image

Plate 3 - Olympia and the Olympic Games Click for a larger image

Plate 4 - The gift of the city of Olympia to London on the occasion of the Olympic Games Click for a larger image

Plate 5 - Click for a larger image