RIO OLYMPICS
“So powerful is the light of Unity
that it can illuminate the whole world”
The Olympic Games continue to be the flag bearer of the
World Integrity and Unity. The 2016 Summer Olympics, commonly
known as Rio 2016,
was a major international multi-sport event held
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5
August to 21 August 2016.
The event witnessed the participation of more than 11,000
athletes from 207 National
Olympic Committees. Rio 2016 rewrote the history of Olympics as it saw
the participation of new entrants namely Kosovo, South Sudan, and the Refugee Olympic Team; thereby
symbolising a change for the better.
The United States of America which has always been in the race for the
most medals in the Summer Olympics; was no different this year in Rio de
Janeiro. Breaking all records, USA topped the medal table for the fifth time in
the past six Summer Olympics. Team USA bagged the first gold medal of the games
when 19-year-old Ginny Thrasher won the women’s 10-meter air rifle. Women
athletes outshone their male counterparts for the second time in a row in
Summer Olympics by grabbing to their credit, 27 of the 46 American golds.
Keeping pace with USA, Team China too managed to grab eyeballs as it finished second with a
total of 70 medals including 26 golds, 18 silvers and 26 bronze. The country lies third in the medal table,
behind the USA and Great Britain. When
women's volleyball team won their nation's 26th and the final gold medal of the
Rio Olympics, cheers sparked, flags were raised and champagne was poured to
celebrate!
Bronze
medallist Fu Yuanhui, won people’s hearts around the world with her expressive joy and honesty
about competing during her period. China managed to retained its crown with an
unbeatable run in Table Tennis too.
An
incorrect version of the Chinese flag was hoisted high during the medal
ceremony and China came to limelight again, this time for the unfortunate
reason!
Great Britain
smashed its medal target for the 2016 Olympics, achieved a succession of
notable 'firsts' and caused a major stir by finishing third in the table, with
67 medals including 27 golds, above the global powerhouse China.
Of the 366 athletes that went to the Rio Games for Team
Great Britain, 130 of them , just over 35% returned with a medal, including
every member of the 15-strong track cycling team. Great Britain also topped the
rowing table with three golds. Adam Peaty claimed the country's
first gold of the Games, winning the 100m breaststroke in a time that created a
world record on day two.
New Zealand distance runner Nikki
Hamblin and USA’s Abbey
D’Agostino came last in their 5,000-meter race after they collided and
fell midway through their race. They may
not have won any medals on the track in Rio, but both were awarded special
Olympic medals for their unmatchable sportsmanship.
The Games proved to be a success and became one of the
greatest highlights of the year 2016.
Comments
Post a Comment