Even the significant time difference between London and Rio didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying the biggest sporting event in the world. One week on following the closing ceremony, I thought to write a list of some of my highlights of the competition as we look ahead to the next Olympics in Tokyo 2020.
1. The Superstars
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| Simone Biles |
Simone Biles
The break out star of the Olympics has to be the young dynamic U.S. gymnast Miss Simone Biles. Though she has dominated the gymnastics circuit for some time now, this is her first Olympic games, and boy did she make an impact! With her bubbly personality and 5 Olympic medals, 4 of them gold, she has taken the world by storm and is certainly one to look forward to in Tokyo 2020.
Michael Phelps
He was supposed to have retired from the sport after his success in London 2012, but I guess he changed his mind, much to the dismay of his competitors. And he wasn't just here to make up the numbers. Phelps meant business, winning 5 golds and 2 silvers. This took his overall career Olympic tally to 28 medals, 23 of them gold, making him the most decorated Olympian of all time.
Usain Bolt
The fastest man on the planet has been a fan-favourite ever since he broke onto the scene at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. In his career, he has competed in 3 Olympics in 3 events each (Men's 100m, 200m and 100m relay), winning gold every single time. This "Treble Treble" epitomises his complete dominance of athletics sprinting for the past 8 years, and since he is due to retire after the World Championships in 2017, it is unfortunately the last time we will see the Greatest Sprinter of all time grace the Olympic stage.
Mo Farah
From the Treble Treble, to the "Double Double", Mo Farah became only the second man in history to successfully retain his 5,000m and 10,000m Olympic title. His 4 gold medals at two consecutive Olympics also makes him the most successful British track athlete in history. Maybe a knighthood could be on the cards? Sir Mo has a certain ring to it...
2. The Funny Moments
Risako Kawai
21 year old Japanese wrestler Risako Kawai won her first Olympic gold medal at the Rio Games in the freestyle -63 kg class. How did she celebrate? By slamming her coach into the ground of course, twice! She then lifted him up on her shoulders and ran a lap of honour around the mat. It was all in good fun, and it's certainly a moment I'll never forget.
Bored Lifeguards at the Indoor Swimming Events
Considering that these are the best swimmers in the world, you can't really blame the lifeguards for perhaps feeling that their job was a slight waste of time!
3. The Weird Moments
Ryan Lochte and Co.
Perhaps the weirdest story I've ever heard at any Olympics ever. The robbery that wasn't a robbery. After a night out, U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte, along with some other fellow swimmers, claimed to have been robbed for their money at gunpoint. In a city eager to host a successful Olympics and very sensitive to its negative reputation regarding its high crime rate, the allegations weren't taken very lightly. A further investigation by the city's police revealed that the swimmers hadn't been robbed, but had in fact vandalised a petrol station door and made the false allegations to cover it up. It emerged that Lochte had fled the country before he was able to be charged by Brazilian authorities! But he was later criticised by the US swimming association and dropped by many of his major sponsors, including Speedo and Ralph Lauren.
4. Sports I didn't know were at the Olympics
Who knew rhythmic gymnastics, synchronised swimming and BMX were Olympic sports??
5. The Redemption
No one can forget the 7-1 drubbing the Brazil football team suffered at the hands of Germany in the 2014 World Cup. What made the defeat particularly painful was that Brazil were the hosts of the competition, and the defeat prevented this proud footballing nation from progressing to the final. The men's football team was a laughing stock, so I couldn't be happier for them when they finally got their revenge in this year's Olympics, beating Germany on penalties to restore national pride on home soil and gain the forgiveness of the nation.
6. The Future
During the closing ceremony, Brazil officially handed the Olympic baton over to the next host Tokyo. As a way to show the world what they have to offer, Tokyo put on a phenomenal light display that showcased their strengths in technology, anime and computer games. And they also introduced five new sports to the Olympic roster: Skateboarding, Karate, Surfing, Climbing and Baseball. I'm so excited!
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