The overwrought emotions came to a powerful conclusion Sunday with Kenyan star Eliud Kipchoge winning the marathon, the US men dominating Serbia for the gold medal in basketball and Ohio State wrestler Kyle Snyder winning the final event of the Rio Games.
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Yes, Michael Phelps and Ashton Eaton were impressive. This journey towards winning the elusive gold medal for many countries has been a insane one where countries have won a first gold medal in their 72 years history of participation.
The secretary-general, in a statement read to the press here by his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, voiced deep appreciation “for the hospitality, diversity and capabilities of the Brazilian people and the world of sport, displayed” at the first-ever Olympic Games in South America.
There were moments which saw history getting made by some of the most iconic individual athletes, and there were also moments where lesser known athletes led their nation to glory for the very first time.
Other American women dominated the pool as well, as Simone Manuel and Maya DiRado were fantastic in their first Olympic showings. In second place was Great Britain with 27 gold, 23 silver and 17 bronze medals.
While the swimmers were great, the girl who stole the show in Rio was gymnast Simone Biles.
Brazil beat Germany in a penalty shoot-out to end their long wait for an Olympic Games football gold medal.
Nor, for whatever reasons, was it even the same sort of TV event it had been the week before.
USA track star Allyson Felix, now a six-time gold medalist and a victor of nine medals in all, was particularly delighted to learn that women are bringing more medals home to American than the men.
In the preparations for Rio 2016, British expertise played a role in various areas – from the intense collaboration between our police and security forces with regard to public safety to the significant influence of British architects in the design of the Olympic Park. Meanwhile, the US women’s eight rowing team extended its unbeaten streak to 11 years by winning its third straight Olympic gold.
And 10 teams – including the independent team – won their first golds, including Monica Puig in women’s tennis for Puerto Rico. Dalilah Muhammad’s inspirational 400-meter hurdle win was also a scene-stealer, and the US dominated the 4×100 relay and 4×400 relay.
“My mind went completely blank and the next thing I was on the floor”, she said.
The American women outscored their opponents by 41 goals in the six games they ran through, trailing for a total of 44 seconds in the entire games. Lights flashed translations for the word in many languages, and a group of women sang “Mulher Rendeira”, or “Lace-making Woman”, a nod to the country’s African heritage. Seriously, take time to appreciate what they just accomplished. He and his wife used to make their living by sending produce to local wet markets, but they were forced to quit four years ago after he underwent surgery.
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Women’s issues continue to come to the fore in the United States, and a major party has a female atop its presidential ticket for the first time. In the process, the world was put on notice: American women kick ass.
