They leave Rio with 67, including 27 gold, sitting proudly second, above China and behind only the all-powerful United States.
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With teams restricted to two entrants in the singles, down from three at London and previous Games, the badminton superpower had fewer chances to win medals.
The team entered the Maracana for Sunday night’s closing ceremony riding high on their success, the occasion infused with a relaxed party atmosphere that showed on the faces of the delighted stars.
It was also the country’s largest Olympic team with 199 contenders.
With the US men’s basketball team winning its third consecutive gold medal – and 15th overall – on the final day of competition, the Rio Games also marked the first time Team USA won both the first and last gold medal at a summer edition of the Olympics.
However, part of the Games’ appeal is that they are so rare and thus celebrated all the more, with Rio de Janeiro poised to give its bastions one last applause before closing another awe-inspiring Olympics. The handover will happen just before the extinguishing of the Olympic flame. He ran the anchor leg of the 4×100-meter relay for Jamaica, won emphatically to become the third athlete ever with nine golds in track and field, and insists that this will be the end of his Olympic career.
Richardson-Walsh and wife Helen became the first same-sex married couple to win an Olympic gold in the same final in the historic victory over the Netherlands. Brazilian fans wanted more than anything to finally win the top Olympic prize that has eluded them in their national sport. “One just hopes the lessons are learned”.
Joyce’s medal – either gold or silver – will be the 700th Great Britain have won since National Lottery reinvigorated the nation’s sporting institutions.
Security scares and logistical problems were a feature of South America s first Olympics, held against the backdrop of Brazil s political and economic crisis.
Are there any Olympics that aren’t full of memorable moments?
The British team won golds across 15 different sports, with favourites such as Mo Farah and Nicola Adams adding to the haul. But the games also were marred by the bad behavior – and concocted stories – of Ryan Lochte and his USA swimming teammates.
Oh, and Bolt, Phelps, Biles, Ledecky and US women’s teams.
He also had a special word for the 10 athletes who competed under the Olympic flag for the Refugee Olympic Team, pledging the IOC’s continued support for athletes who find themselves unable to compete under their own flag: “You have inspired us with your talent and human spirit”.
The torch in Rio will be passed onto the holders of the next games in Tokyo 2020 before the fire is finally extinguished at this year’s Summer Games. Shooter Ginny Thrasher helped the U.S.to a strong start on day one, setting an Olympic record to claim the first gold medal awarded in Rio.
“It is fair to say we have more difficulties than before but that does not mean we are going to fall behind”. The Americans won the bronze medal earlier Sunday with a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Russian Federation. The perennial powerhouse has won four gold medals and three silvers since the sport joined the event in 1964.
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And there were furious scenes when a Mongolian coach stripped down to his underwear to protest a decision against wrestler Ganzorig Mandakhnaran.
