For the ninth straight Olympics, the Rio Games were most popular with TV viewers in Salt Lake City, where they averaged a 20.4 rating, according to Nielsen data. America seemed particularly enchanted with the achievements of the female gymnasts, swimmers and runners, who captured countless headlines and tons of airtime.
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Great Britain’s triumphant Olympic team returned home from the Rio Games in a gold-nosed plane Tuesday, as officials trumpeted their success as the “best sporting achievement” in the country’s history.
“Rio 2016 will be remembered as a history-making Olympics for Britain, one where we took more medals than we have ever done at an overseas Games”.
The “most talented” Team GB squad ever took selfies on board the BA2016 flight, with double gold-medallist Max Whitlock trying out some of his gymnastics routine on the first-class seats.
For the fourth consecutive games, US swimmer Michael Phelps left with more medals than anyone else. Then comes Ethiopia in the third place. The US went on to win gold.
“Got ’em”, Felix said, smiling.
The race began in an early morning drizzle while the host nation was still basking in Neymar’s kiss and impossible-to-forget penalty kick that secured the gold medal in soccer. Back then, the 2012 games were touted as the most watched TV event in US history.
“Title IX paved the way and created so many opportunities for women in sport”, nine-time Olympic medalist Allyson Felix told the United States Olympic Committee.
But Blackmun was thrilled by the results, and he wasn’t the only one leaving Rio happy.
So was the drop in TV viewership between the final seven nights of the Rio Olympics compared to four years ago at the London Games. They finished second in the medal table.
“The atmosphere at the GB house has been awesome in the village”, said Mo Farah, who won gold for Britain in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter races to match the feat he pulled off at London in 2012. She is followed by South Africa with 10 medals: 2 gold, 6 silver and 2 bronze.
“I can’t wait to get back home”.
The Russians and the Chinese probably didn’t feel the same. And Brazil even won some gold in the bargain, crowned as best in the world at two of country’s most important sports: men’s soccer and men’s volleyball.
USA swimmer Lilly King beat Russia’s Yulia Efimova for the 100-meter breaststroke gold, doing so after saying the games should have no room for dopers.
He said: “It’s great to be back on British soil again and I can’t wait to inspire the next generation of British athletes”. “It was like war”.
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After a 16-day extravaganza of sporting heroics from the likes of Olympics legends Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps, Brazil woke up to the hangover of suspended president Dilma Rousseff’s looming impeachment trial and its worst recession in more than eight decades.
