It was a Games where Brazil finally won gold in men’s football before handing over the flag to Tokyo, the host of the next Olympics in 2020. NBC offered a Games recap, “Rio Gold”, and the Closing Ceremony with dancing vegetables.
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On Sunday, there was an ode to the white-clad lacemaking ladies and the forro music of the northeast that sparked waves of pride among Brazilians.
The colourful ceremony, lasting nearly three hours, celebrated Brazil’s arts and was held in a wet Maracana. Brazilians also believe he is the first to ever wear a wristwatch, an invention made by a friend so he could see the time in flight.
Rio de Janeiro returned to the cold reality of Brazil’s political crisis and recession Monday after bringing a carnivalesque curtain down on its Olympics festival and passing the torch to Tokyo.
“This experience has been the dream of a lifetime for me”, said US gymnast and closing ceremony flag-bearer Simone Biles, who won five medals, four of them gold, in her first Olympics. “I’m the first Simone Biles”, she said. It is also very much present in the legacy that the Games will leave for the residents of the host city. I am proud of my country, my city and my people.
For the crowds that poured into the streets to celebrate the soccer win, or shouted from windows and in bars throughout a rainy Rio during the volleyball final on Sunday, the victories were another sign that a Games many once thought destined for disaster had far exceeded local expectations.
But even as Olympics highlight reels continued to loop on Brazilian television, the nation’s attention began to shift back to the capital, Brasilia, where Rousseff will go on trial before the Senate Thursday on charges of fudging the national budget to make the numbers look better.
Interim head of state Michel Temer, booed at the opening ceremony and harangued wherever he went, kept a low profile during Sunday’s closing celebrations.
Fireworks at Maracana Stadium kick off the closing ceremony of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on August 21, 2016.
A record 87 countries won at least a medal in Rio, including a number of first timers – Fiji (gold in Rugby Sevens), Kosovo (silver in women’s judo), Puerto Rico (gold in women’s tennis) and Jordan (gold in taekwondo).
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The United States topped the medal standings, matching their 46 golds from London four years ago ahead of Britain, who sealed a surprise second place ahead of China with 27 golds to 26. China was in third place with 26 gold, 18 silver and 26 bronze medals, while Russian Federation finished in fourth place after securing 19 gold, 18 silver and 19 bronze medals.
