Rio de Janeiro - The latest on the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro
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Published: Mon 22 Aug 2016, 6:10 AM
Last updated: Wed 24 Aug 2016, 10:18 AM
A blustery storm, a touch of melancholy and a sense of pride converged at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Olympics on Sunday as Brazil breathed a collective sigh of relief at having pulled off South America's first Games. After a gruelling 17 days, Rio de Janeiro cast aside early struggles with empty venues, security scares and a mysterious green diving pool to throw a huge Carnival-like party. Brazilians came to the closing ceremony happy, many wearing the canary yellow jersey of the nation's sports teams, having won two late gold medals in their two favourite sports, men's soccer and volleyball. To the beat of traditional Brazilian music, Olympians danced and waved their countries' flags to celebrate their place on the world's premier sporting stage. In the last of 306 medal ceremonies, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach draped the gold around the neck of Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge, winner of the men's marathon earlier in the day. The city handed over the Olympic flag to Tokyo, site of the 2020 Summer Games, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appeared in the stadium dressed as popular video game character Mario, tunnelling from Tokyo to Rio. IOC President declares Rio Games closed Amid a riot of colour combining tradition with modernity, Brazil showcased its cultural variety, paying tributes to the country's music maestros, arts and dance forms, as the curtains came down on the 31st Olympic Games here on Sunday. In the presence of over 60,000 spectators and over 11,000 athletes from across the globe at the historic Maracana, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach officially declared the Games closed, urging the youths of the world to assemble in Tokyo in 2020 for the next edition of the quadrennial showpiece. "I declare the Games of the 31st Olympiad closed. In accordance with tradition, I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in Tokyo, Japan, to celebrate with us the Games of the 32nd Olympiad. Bye bye Rio," said Bach at the Closing ceremony. A little earlier, in a customary handover ritual, the flag of Greece -- the host of the ancient Olympics and the stage of the first modern games in 1896 -- went up, and the Olympic flag was lowered and handed to the Mayor of Rio, who gave it to Bach. Silence and emotion took over Maracana, with Bach presenting the flag to Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike in a symbolic gesture to the Asian city, now busy preparing for the Games -- the biggest sporting extravaganza on the globe. Olympic cauldron extinguished as Rio Games end The Olympic flame has been extinguished and the Rio Games are over. During Sunday's closing ceremony, singer Mariene de Castro was showered water that resembled rain, which put out the Olympic cauldron's flames. Samba dancers, singers, drummers and a giant plumed macaw float mixed with hundreds of athletes in the storied Maracana stadium while a final volley of fireworks lit up the night sky. Moments later, fireworks shot from the top of Rio de Janiero's Maracana Stadium and samba singers brought the crowd inside to their feet. Super Mario, Hello Kitty kick off 2020 Games How do you connect the current host of the Summer Olympics, Rio de Janeiro, and the next, Tokyo? Send in Super Mario, of course - with a little political help.
To the delight of a crowd gathered at the Maracana stadium Sunday for the closing ceremonies of the Rio Games, a video showed Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, who announces he won't make it to Rio in time. So Abe turned into the Japanese video game plumber Mario and then popped up in the flesh out of a huge green pipe in the stadium that he allegedly used as a shortcut to get from Tokyo to Rio. Mario and Abe weren't alone. Tokyo, hoping to piggyback Rio's final moment in the Olympic spotlight to introduce its vision of the next games, also packed a video with Pac-Man, Hello Kitty and other manga and video game icons. And Tokyo's new Gov. Yuriko Koike, the first woman to hold that job, accepted the Olympic flag from Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes.
During Japan's national anthem, 20 performers in illuminated dresses and aboard scooter-like devices rode in on a red field that gradually turned white until they were surrounding the red circle of the country's Rising Sun flag on a white field.
Pele not at closing ceremony but tweets support While athletes from around the world packed the Rio Games closing ceremony, one of the biggest stars was absent - Brazil soccer great Pele. Instead, the three-time football World Cup champion went to Twitter to celebrate Brazil's first gold medal in his sport. During Sunday night's ceremony at Maracana Stadium, Pele tweeted: "I waited for my whole life to see Brazil win gold at football and now my dream came true." About the Rio Olympics, Pele said they showed Brazil's "special way of life" both at work and fun. "There were unforgettable moments of skill and sportsmanship - as well as upsets and surprised along the way." Pele also was not at the opening ceremony after he said health problems would keep him from attending. Tokyo governor accepts flag as 2016 Games end The governor of Tokyo has formally accepted the Olympic flag, marking the end of the 2016 games. The handover occurred toward the end of the closing ceremony on Sunday night. With the Olympic anthem reverberating through Maracana Stadium, the flag was lowered. The mayor of Rio de Janeiro then gave the flag to the head of the International Olympic Committee, who handed it over to the Tokyo governor, Yuriko Koike. Tokyo will host the 2020 Summer Games. There's widespread expectation that the games in Tokyo, one of the world's richest, most recognizable, cosmopolitan cities, will run more smoothly than they have in Rio. But there's also worry in Japan over whether the Olympics will eventually further drag down an economy that has been struggling for decades. The last medals of the Rio Games have been presented. During the first Olympic games in 1896, all of the medals were handed out on the last day. Now, only one event receives its medals at the Summer Games' closing ceremonies - the men's marathon.
Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge won Sunday's marathon in the time of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 44 seconds. Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia was second, and American Galen Rupp took bronze. Earlier, the ceremony featured a video segment that highlighted the top moments of the games. Not surprisingly, Neymar received a thunderous reaction. The crowd at Maracana Stadium roared when the striker's image came on the screen. He kicked the Brazilians to gold one night earlier in the same arena - the crowning achievement of the Olympics for the host nation. Rafaela Silva also won gold for Brazil in judo, and her success was also celebrated as well as many other athletes including Americans Michael Phelps and Simone Biles. The lively music during the closing ceremony of the Rio Games is keeping spectators and athletes are their feet at Maracana Stadium.
Olympic athletes danced, smiled and took selifes as they entered the stadium Sunday night and walked around the arena's floor during the flag procession. DJs played lively music and some spectators got out of out their seats to dance - and do the "wave." The crowd also got to see performers shake it to frevo, a frenetic dance that, if it's even possible, makes samba seem like a staid ballroom affair. Holding a small umbrella, the dancers jumped up and down, seeming to march and incorporate acrobatics at the same time. They shook it to "Vassourinhas," which means "small brooms," a popular song that was also the name of a famous club in the northeastern city of Recife. Athletes dance, take selfies at closing ceremony Olympic athletes are smiling, dancing and taking selfies as they proceed into Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium for the closing ceremony of the Rio Games. Greece was the first country to enter the stadium, followed by the other 206 delegations, including for the first time a delegation of refugees.
Gold medalists are among the flag bearers including gymnast Simone Biles of the United States and South Africa's Caster Semenya. Isaquias Queirez dos Santos, who won two silver medals and bronze in men's canoe, is the flag bearer for Brazil. As they entered the stadium on Sunday, DJs played music as some in the arena danced in their seats. Samba, reflections and pride in final Rio Olympics party The Rio Games closing ceremony opened with original footage of Alberto Santos Dumont, the man who Brazilians recognize as the inventor of the airplane. Brazilians also believe he is the first to ever wear a wristwatch, an invention made by a friend so he could see the time in flight. Dressed in colorful feathers, dozens of dancers formed in the shape of the arches of Lapa, a popular area of Rio akin to Roman ruins, then morphed to make the shape of iconic Sugarloaf before quickly changing again, this time to the official 2016 symbol. Martinho da Vila, a popular singer whose tunes make their way into many popular telenovelas, sang "Carinhoso," or "Affectionate." Following the national anthem, athletes carried their countries' flags into the arena during Sunday's ceremony. Rio Olympics come to end with closing ceremony The closing ceremony of the 2016 Olympics has started in the iconic Maracana Stadium with a festive celebration featuring dancers dressed in colorful costumes. 27 children sing the national anthem in Maracana to represent Brazil's 26 states/Federal District. Photo : Rio 2016/Twitter The ceremony took place on a rainy and windy Sunday night in the same arena as the site of Brazil's greatest accomplishment of the Olympics - a gold medal in men's soccer. The start of the ceremony featured fireworks shot off from the top of the arena and a tribute to Alberto Santos Dumont, an aviation innovator who many Brazilians believe invented the first airplane. Rio 2016: Day 16 Recap US men's basketball team wins final gold The US Olympic men's basketball team won its third straight gold medal and did it easily, beating Serbia 96-66. With the win, the Americans claim the final medal of the Rio Games. After a few close calls earlier in the tournament, this was no contest. Kevin Durant scored 30 points and helped the US jump out to a huge lead by halftime. Image via USA Basketball/ Twitter It was the final game for Mike Krzyzewski, who took the Americans back to the top and leaves with them there after becoming the first coach to win three Olympic gold medals. Carmelo Anthony also picked up his third gold to go with a bronze, becoming the most decorated male in Olympic basketball history. Serbia lost only 94-91 to the U.S. during pool play but was barely in the game again after a close first quarter. US men's basketball team beats Serbia 96-66 for final gold medal of Rio Olympics. Kate Richardson-Walsh to carry GB flag for closing ceremony British field hockey player Kate Richardson-Walsh will carry her country's flag at the closing ceremony of the Olympics. The 36-year-old Richardson-Walsh, a four-time Olympian, was the captain of Britain's gold-medal winning field hockey team. Richardson-Walsh says "there are so many fantastic multi-Olympians and multi-medalists here I feel it's such a huge honor for me and for hockey as a sport." Shields wins boxing; Hockey star gets honour Claressa Shields is taking home even more than a second gold medal from Rio. Shields became the first woman to win the Val Barker Trophy as the outstanding boxer in an Olympics on Sunday. The American middleweight got the award shortly after beating the Netherlands' Nouchka Fontijn to defend her London title. Four years after women were added to the Olympic boxing competition, AIBA changed its rules to award two Val Barker Trophies for the first time in Rio. Shields was joined by Uzbek light flyweight Hasanboy Dusmatov, who won the men's Val Barker one week after completing his impressive run to gold. Shields is the sixth American to win a Val Barker Trophy, but the first since Roy Jones Jr. in the 1988 Seoul Games. Jones was named the top boxer despite losing the gold-medal bout in scandalous fashion. Frenchman Yoka joins fiancée with boxing gold Make it double gold for the first couple of the Olympic boxing tournament. French fighter Tony Yoka joined fiancee Estelle Mossely as gold medal winners, defeating Britain's Joe Joyce in a super heavyweight bout. Mossely won lightweight gold on her 24th birthday on Friday and was in the stands shouting encouragement for Yoka. She left her seat and rushed toward the stairs before pausing on the steps to hear the decision announced to the crowd. Mossely took off and made a golden leap into Yoka's massive arms, just as she did after her victory. Only this time, it was Yoka in the boxing vest and trunks and off to the medal stand for a matching gold of his own. Kyle Snyder of US wins freestyle wrestling gold American wrestler Kyle Snyder won gold on Sunday, becoming the youngest Olympic wrestling champion in US history. The 20-year-old Snyder beat Khetag Goziumov of Azerbaijan 2-1 for gold at 97 kilograms during the men's freestyle tournament on Sunday. Snyder is the second straight American wrestler to win Olympic gold in his weight class. Jake Varner, who Snyder beat at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April, won in London four years ago. Fazliddin Gaibnazarov defeated Azerbaijan Lorenzo Sotomayor in the light welterweight final to become the third Uzbekistan boxer to win gold in the games. Uzbekistan had just one gold ever in the Olympics. Gaibnazarov's split decision victory on Sunday made it gold in two straight bouts for Uzbekistan following Shakhobidin Zoirov's win in the flyweight division. Sotomayor was crushed in defeat and needed help out of the arena by his coach and other members of his corner. Denmark surprised two-time reigning champion France 28-26 to win the men's handball gold medal. The Danes took the lead in the first half on Sunday, stretched it to a five-goal lead with 10 minutes remaining and held off a late French comeback to take a win that prompted wild celebrations from the whole team. Star left-back Mikkel Hansen powered the Danes to gold with eight goals and four assists. Denmark, traditionally a power in the women's game with three Olympic golds, was playing in its first men's final. France had been chasing a record third successive gold medal. The result means two silvers for France after its women's team lost to Russia in their final Saturday. Earlier Sunday, Germany beat Poland 31-25 to win the men's bronze medal. Lee Hee-beom, the president of the Pyeongchang organizing committee, is calling his 2018 Winter Games the "Peace Olympics." Lee said Sunday that South Korea's hostile neighbor North Korea is welcome. He says we "will open the door to all participants, not only North Korea but to the rest of the world." Lee says "we are open to all countries, so there is no reason why anyone who likes peace has the right to participate in the Pyeongchang Olympics." North Korea did not participate in the last Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, because it failed to qualify athletes. Yelena Isinbayeva: Russia's former Olympic and World pole vault champion retires Two-time Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva has won election to the International Olympic Committee despite a strong voting bloc that opposed her membership. Isinbayeva, who was banned from competing in Rio de Janeiro because of the Russian doping scandal, was one of five athletes representatives voted onto the IOC on Sunday on the final day of the games. She received 45 votes in favor, but also 23 votes against and two abstentions. The vote reflected unease with Isinabayeva's outspoken opposition to the ban on Russia's track and field team for the games. The IAAF imposed the sanction following a World Anti-Doping Agency report that detailed systematic, state-sponsored doping in Russia. Isinbayeva, who holds the world record in the pole vault, will serve an eight-year term on the IOC. She and the other new members were elected by their peers to the IOC athletes' commission during the games.
The other athlete members were elected Sunday by overwhelming majorities: Germany's Britta Heidemann (68-3), South Korea's Ryu Seug-min (69-3), Hungary's Daniel Gyurta (70-1) and New Zealand's Sarah Walker (67-3). Brazil sweeps Italy to win men's volleyball gold With soccer star Neymar in attendance, the Brazilian men's volleyball team swept Italy for the gold medal. Brazil won 25-22, 28-26, 26-24 on Sunday for its third gold medal in volleyball, which became an Olympic sport in 1964. Captain Bruno went into the stands to embrace Neymar after the victory. The Brazilians were playing in their fourth consecutive gold-medal match. The team finished with the silver in London and Beijing after winning Gold in Athens. Italy was seeking its first-ever gold medal in the sport. The team also won the silver medal in Atlanta and Athens. The Brazilians advanced to the final in a sweep of defending champion Russia in the semifinals, extracting a bit of revenge for London where Brazil had settled for the silver.
Neymar celebrates after Brazil won the men's Gold Medal volleyball match against Italy at the Maracanazinho stadium pic.twitter.com/Lvg4tI9huK - Barçaaaa? (@forca_fcb) August 21, 2016
The Italians defeated the United States in a five-set semifinal. The Americans won the bronze medal earlier Sunday with a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Russia. Mongolian wrestling coaches strip in protest of loss Two Mongolian wrestling coaches have taken off their clothing, one all the way down his underwear, to protest the result of a bronze medal match. Uzbekisatn's Ikhtiyor Navruzov appeared to have lost to Mandakhnaran Ganzorig 7-6 at 65 kilograms on Sunday.
Mongolia's wrestling coaches weren't happy with judges' decision.so they protested by stripping off their clothes ?? pic.twitter.com/K6Hre4u5uG - Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 21, 2016
Uzbekistan challenged the scoring, likely because the Mongolian began running around in celebration with less than 10 seconds left rather than engaging with Navruzov. Navruzov won his challenge and the match on criteria as the last wrestler to score. Ganzorig, who had already started celebrating, fell to his knees in disappointment. The Mongolian coaches went much further than that. Byambarenchin Bayoraa took his shoes and shirt off and threw them to the mat in disgust in front of the officials. Tsenrenbataar Tsostbayar stripped all the way down to his blue briefs. The Brazilian crowd started chanting "Mongolia! Mongolia!"
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27 children sing the national anthem in Maracana to represent Brazil's 26 states/Federal District. Photo : Rio 2016/Twitter
Snyder is the second straight American wrestler to win Olympic gold in his weight class. Jake Varner, who Snyder beat at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April, won in London four years ago.
