Earlier, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon ran with the torch by Ipanema beach after receiving it from International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.
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Pele might be “the King”, but he won’t mark the Rio Olympics like “The Greatest” did 20 years ago in Atlanta. Only on the final day of the opening ceremony was it finalized how many Russian athletes would be allowed to participate.
Pele had hip surgery recently and often walks with a cane.
“Only God is more important than my health”, he wrote.
“It’s been decades and I see no improvement”, said biologist Mario Moscatelli, an activist who has led the fight to clean up Rio’s waterways for years.
He said pulling out was “my own decision”.
The 271 athletes of the Russian team who were cleared had to undergo stringent testing in order to participate in the Rio Games.
“It is impossible”, Fernando said. A light heavyweight boxer, he was set to fight Mehmet Nadir of Turkey in the preliminary rounds Saturday at 12:30 p.m. He was not predicted to be a medal contender.
Under cloudless blue skies, former Brazilian women’s volleyball player, Maria Isabel Barroso Salgado, lifted the flame beneath the giant statue of Christ that overlooks downturn Rio and the waters of Guanabara Bay.
As well as coverage of the Games, the Rio Lounge will provide tastings on specific days* of typical Brazilian food and drink, such as Amazon Beer, Guarana Antarctica (a traditional soft drink), Pão de Queijo (cheese bread), Goiabada (guava paste), Caldo de Cana (sugarcane juice), Pão de Mel (cake), Açaí and Brazilian coffee, provided by Brazilian suppliers Gaya Foods, Atlantico UK, Cake and Care, AmaVida, and Cereja Coffee.
The protest was the latest unwelcome distraction for Brazilian authorities and Olympic organizers ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony at the 78,600 capacity Maracana stadium.
The arrival of the Olympic torch in Rio on Wednesday was marred by mass demonstrations over the cost of the Games and Rio has 88,000 security personnel – military and police – deployed during the Games to ensure a safe environment.
The cauldron was designed by American sculptor Anthony Howe, who told The Associated Press he was inspired by life in the tropics. Teams from 206 nations and one refugee team are filling the Maracana Stadium in Rio for the huge event, and it’s definitely getting each and every one of them hyped to compete!
– Reuters picToday’s opening will light the touchpaper for 17 days of sporting drama played out against some of Rio’s most iconic landmarks.
There’s going to be no shortage of samba, culture or diversity in the opening ceremony for the 2016 Summer Olympics as Brazil proudly showcases its traditions and environmental wonders. The world is threatened because of global warming.
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Viewers in the United States will be able to watch the event from 7pm EST on NBC, but a tape delay means a one-hour lag for those on the east coast and a four-hour delay for viewers on the west coast for an 8pm start time in the local time zone. Grammy award winners Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, and supermodel Gisele Bundchen were expected to star.
