A runner carries the Olympic flame as the torch relay continues on its journey to the opening ceremony of Rio’s 2016 Summer Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2016.
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A four-hour bright, loud, energetic and, at times, dazzling ceremony held at the Maracana Stadium and beneath one of the city numerous hillside favelas, trumpeted Brazil and Rio de Janeiro’s history and culture, but in doing so also served up several reminders of Brazil’s social and economic problems and the broken promises of the most troubled bid in Olympic history.
Eyewitnesses said early Saturday that blood poured from the body onto the road as medics tended to the man next to an ambulance.
The Brazilian women play South Africa at 11 p.m. and the host nation’s fans have become enamored of their team as the men disappoint.
Football legend Pele was invited to light the cauldron but was forced to bow out just hours before the festivities began due to poor health following hip surgery.
More than 45 Presidents, Prime Ministers from around the world attended the Games that were opened by interim Brazilian President Michel Temer.
“Whether it was the music, or the colours, or the atmosphere here it had very much a feel of Rio de Janeiro and of Brazil”.
The peace symbol, tweaked into the shape of a tree, was projected on the floor of the stadium where Germany won the World Cup in 2014. We are calling for action,”said Fernando Meirelles, one of the directors of the opening ceremony”.
That is a fate that befell athletes from Brazil’s traditional rival Argentina, although those boos were of the pantomime variety and the selfie-snapping Argentinians did not appear to be remotely fazed.
“People seem to think it’s a football match, ” says Guilherme Toldo, a Brazilian fencer who on Sunday was surprised by local booing, air horns and stomping directed at foreign rivals in what is traditionally a more somber sport.
The biggest cheer, after the roar when the home team entered, was for Team Refugee of ten athletes from Syria, Sudan and other countries who sought refuge after fleeing civil wars at home.
In one last flourish, the Olympic flame was brought into Maracana Stadium by Brazilian tennis champion Gustavo Kuerten, handed off to retired basketball star Hortencia Marcari to Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima, the marathoner who lost gold when he was attacked during the 2004 Summer Games. He lit the cauldron.
Phelps was 15 when he made his first Olympic team in 2000, and he has competed in every Games since. “The best place in the world is here and now”, said organising committee chief Carlos Nuzman, to rapturous applause. Like Rio itself, they reliably provoke wonder.
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On behalf of all 11,288 competitors (6,182 men; 5,106 women), a Brazilian athlete will pledge an oath that they won’t take banned drugs – a promise likely to ring false to many fans after the scandal of government-orchestrated cheating in Russian Federation. “They showed our true diversity”.
