This was Rio 2016

(Rio de Janeiro, brpress) - Record-breaking Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps, 11,303 athletes competing and a huge viewing audience were all expected. But Rio 2016 rejoices the event unexpected success. 

(Rio de Janeiro, brpress) – Rio has awaken sad and grey on the first day after the Olympic Games. The first ever Olympiad held in South America has been already missing but, needless to say, a kind of relief feeling is all around among organisers and the Brazilians. And despite the event ended in samba – like almost  everything in Brazil, even the most serious issues (“ending in samba” is a popular expression that means lack of effective conclusions in any matter, generally used as a criticism) – a proud feeling could also be seen printed in local faces.  

On the contrary of the national and  international media mood, Brazil just did it. And did it very well, differently, or, to take the words from the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach: “These were marvellous Olympic Games in the marvellous city!”. It sounded like a redemption since the same Bath did not hesitate in demonstrating worries publicly before the Rio Games took off. He thanked Brazil’s role in making the event a success or “iconic Games’. 

Friends

Bath continued,  at the Rio 2016 Olympics closing ceremony: “We arrived in Brazil as guests. Today we depart as your friends,” he said, completing with some nice words in Portuguese. By the end of the day, everything went fine and visitors loved the warm way of hosting the Brazilians have demonstrated. Bath said that despite the fears with security and infrastructure problems he “would do it all again”. It is also true that foreign athletes were a bit irritated with the constant boos coming from the crowd. 

But upsets and lows seemed to be vanished in Maracanã on the closing party night.  The tensions suddenly disappeared like magic through the sound of Brazilian music and the Carnival of colours that lighted the stadium and apparently everyone’s souls. Pelé, who  lamented his absence on August the 5th, has missed an amazing party again.  On the contrary of the opening ceremony, the closing on was made for the athletes – the true stars of the event. 

Better place

The last 19 competition days have seen some incredible performances, with records broken and new sporting stars born, like US gymnast Simone Biles. The illustration within this article shows some numbers to ponder from what has been a marvellous few weeks in Brazil. “Rio has became a better place due to the Olympics positive vibe”, the Rio mayor Eduardo Paes has stated. There were loud boos for him, when handing over the Olympic flag to the governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike. The fact is that cariocas (Rio’s natives)  and Brazilians do hope to see a better everything from now on. 

Apparently the Rio 2016 legacy will be confidence, above all. Hopefully the sports practice in the developing host country will be more prestigious and supported. Brazil did not reached the objective to be amor the 10 first nation medalists, but the host country had the best Olympic result so far, winning 19 medals.   

Sport social club

Six representatives of educational and social programs supported by the International Olympic Committee were honoured at the closing ceremony, representing Rio’s population – one the should also receive a golden medal for its hospitality. One of them was Renato Sorriso, a Brazilian street cleaner who helped introduce Rio to the world at the transition section of the London 2012 Olympics closing ceremony.

Twenty-four hours after Neymar’s spot-kick secured the yearned-for men’s football gold, spirits inside the cultured Maracanã soared once again. Closing ceremony felt like a rock concert due to  the high-energy, the mix of music, dance and physical art neatly summed up the sense of joyful that the city prides itself on. A section in which Brazilian artist and landscaper Burle Marx’s instantly recognisable swirls rippled across the stage accompanied by one of Tom Jobim’s classic tunes was a particular crowd-pleaser.