Olympics have been around for many years and so have their traditions. The Olympic Games are an athletic spectacle viewed the world over. Almost all the countries are represented in the Olympic Games by their professional athletes.
A First Time for Everything
This year’s Olympic Games in Rio saw a number of new records made and number of firsts for a lot countries and athletes. This year was the first time athletes from Fiji, Jordan and Kosovo went home with Olympic medal – and they made this start with nothing less than gold. This was also the first year for athletes from Bahrain, Vietnam, Tajikistan, Puerto Rico, and Singapore – who also took home the first Olympic medals for their countries.
Olympic Goodbyes
After their respective successful Olympic runs, two of the most prominent faces of recent Olympics bid adieu to the Games. Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and USA’s swimmer Michael Phelps have decided to retire. Usain Bolt is the fastest human ever timed and won three gold medals this year. Michael Phelps is an American competitive swimmer and one of most decorated Olympians of all times, he won five golds and one silver medal this year. Both these amazing Olympians are retiring from the Olympic Games.
Final Points Table
In the final tally of medals won, USA topped by winning a total of one hundred and twenty one medals, almost double the amount of medals taken home by Great Britain, which is number two on rankings of the final tally.
| Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| United Stated of America | 46 | 37 | 38 | 121 |
| Great Britain | 27 | 23 | 17 | 67 |
| China | 26 | 18 | 26 | 70 |
| Russia | 19 | 18 | 19 | 56 |
| Germany | 17 | 10 | 15 | 42 |
| Japan | 12 | 8 | 21 | 41 |
| France | 10 | 18 | 14 | 42 |
| South Korea | 9 | 3 | 9 | 21 |
| Italy | 8 | 12 | 8 | 28 |
| Australia | 8 | 11 | 10 | 29 |
As the points table shows the United States of America is leading the medal tally by almost double the amount of their runner-up. This can be attributed to Olympians like Michael Phelps and the latest faces of USA Olympics Simone Biles and Katie Ladecky.
Olympics 2016 Closing Ceremony
The closing ceremony of Rio Olympics 2016 held at the Maracanã Stadium was indeed a spectacle in the true Brazilian fashion. As per Olympic traditional protocol, the closing ceremony showcased cultural presentations from the current hosts, Brazil, and the hosts of the upcoming Olympics in 2020, Japan. The Olympic flag was handed over to the governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike. The ceremony featured musical performances by Kygo, Lenine and others.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/37150572
There was a presentation of some of the most famous Japanese anime and game characters which ended with Japanese Prime Minister appearing out of a Warp pipe dressed as Mario from Nintendo’s Mario series. The finale was spectacular and colorful with Maracanã being turned into a street festival as tribute to Rio’s very Carnival and the Olympic flame being extinguished by piped rain.
