Olympic Games have always been one of the biggest sporting events viewed from all over the world. Professional athletes from all over the world participate in these games held once every four years. They are widely viewed in every country and almost every country is represented in the Olympic Games.
One of the most important parts of the Olympic Games is the closing ceremony which not only concludes the spectacle that is Olympic Games but also highlights the passing of the Olympic torch to the hosts of the next Olympic Games.
Highlights from Rio Olympics 2016
This year’s Olympic Games which were held in Rio were one of the widest viewed in years. This was the year many old records were broken and new ones made. This was also the year some of the most prominent athletes, Usain Bolt & Michael Phelps, announced retirement from the Games after their successful runs. Another highlight of the year was the awarding of an Olympic Spirit Medal to two athletes, USA’s Abbey D’Agostino and New Zealand’s Nikki Hamblin for their outstanding behavior during the women’s 5000m race.
On to Olympics 2020
The closing ceremony of the Rio Olympics 2016 was carried out in true Brazilian fashion and also featured Japanese acts – as per Olympic tradition. The Maracanã Stadium was turned into a street festival and was a tribute to Rio’s tradition, the Carnival – which is a showcase of Brazil’s exciting and vibrant music and dance culture.
The Olympic flag saw a handover – from the mayor of Rio Eduardo Paes to IOC president Thomas Bach, and then to Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike, as Tokyo will be the host for the next Olympic Games scheduled to be held in 2020.
A memorable moment of the Olympics was when, after a video clip featuring famous Japanese anime and video game characters Doraemon, Pac-Man, Captain Tsubusa and Hello Kitty was presented, Japanese Prime Minister made his entry dressed as Mario from Nintendo’s famous Mario series coming out of a Warp pipe in the middle of the arena.
The closing ceremony was indeed a showcase of true colorful Brazilian and long-standing Olympic traditions.