Despite a star performance in Florence by Olympic 200-meter gold medalist Costas Kenteris and the 4x400-meter relay team’s second place, Greece’s male track and field athletes were relegated yesterday from the top division of European athletics, just over a year before the 2004 Olympics.

The women’s team came sixth and remained in the Premier Division.

Competing on the second day of the weekend European Cup meet in Florence, Kenteris proved he remains in top shape by winning the 200-meter race in 20.37 seconds, 0.8 seconds ahead of Britain’s Christian Malcolm.

“I feel no extra anxiety due to the fact that I have yet to lose a race,” Kenteris told journalists when asked if he felt under particular stress in what was his first participation in an international season this year. “As for defeat, it will come at some point, for everything goes in cycles. Until then, however, I will allow nobody to beat me.”

Christos Meitoglou came third in the triple-jump. However, the men’s team ended eighth overall and was relegated to First Division, along with Spain.