Just because you can't see the magical creatures of the world doesn't mean there aren't there. They have always' been.That's where the magic is! Right in front of your Eyes...
XXXI Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Ended- Sunday August 21, 2016
Good afternoon my dear friends and followers. I though since the Olympics ended Sunday I would do a post on the highlights. And figure a few of the Athletics too! I didn't get to see much of the Olympics but I must say when doing the research for this post it was fabulous. All the beautiful colors that are known for Rio de Janeiro amazing. And the final closing ceremony for the 16 days at the Rio games was simply amazing. Of course every Olympics has their numerous highlights with the bizarre; the ugly; overshadowed; bravery of really bad weather & other interesting issues but over all the Olympics is a happy time in our world when nations meet together at peace. I just wish it could be like that all the time. It would seem that this is South America's very first Summer Olympics and they definitely showed the world how to party and give a grand show of colors...Even with the many problems that remain in their great country, They are a proud people. They worked well, with the International Olympic Committee President 'Thomas Bach. The President Mr. Bach was so very please how they Incorporated their beautiful coastline and year-round sunshine/lush tropical vegetation in the closing Games. It would seem that the next Summer Olympics in 2020 is to be in Japan.. Wish I could go.
As for the Closing ceremony I have both photo's and a few video's for you all.
The closing ceremony featured many beautiful acts. There were dozens of dancers dressed in colorful
feathers, others to formed in the shapes of the arches of Lapa which is a popular area of Rio akin to Roman ruins. They then morphed to make their bodies the shape of an iconic Sugarloaf before quickly changing once again. This time to the Official 2016 symbol. On the floor Olympians poured into the stadium under the light rain, waving their flags while many shook their bodies to the samba-infused pop that made the stadium feel like a huge Rio party/parade. Britain's athletes wore special shoes where the soles would lit up when they walked by changing - the colors or red, white and blue, while the Tongan taekwondo athlete
'Pita Taufatofua danced onstage in a grass skirt, reprising a moment that captured the attention when he carried the flag for his country during the opening ceremonies. As the ceremony continued, it gave tribute to the cave paintings, of the first inhabitants of the Americas, in Serra da Capivara in North Eastern Brazil. Sadly today it happens to be Brazil's poorest regions. There were so many other creative performers to watch as the dancers that would hold small umbrellas while doing acrobatics. Then they would shake small vassourinhas-means 'small brooms' to a popular song that was also the name of a famous club in the northeastern city of Recife. The people of Rio built their performance around the theme of 'Saudade' which means anything from longing for someone to sadness to remembering good times. I discovered that 'Saudade' is one of the most important words in Brazilian Portuguese language. It was an amazing light show with beautiful dancers -COLOURS...
THIS IS WHAT I SEEN IN THE VIDEOS THAT I WATCH MY FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS...
A bit of history for you all... Brazil was the last country in the Americas to outlaw slavery in 1888.
As far asMemorable moments/problems within the Games
As I said there were many wonderful memories, its just hard to pick which ones to put on my post. So I will try to put a little bit of everyone the best that I can.
1-This was for Brazilian athletes and competitors around the world. First I should talk a little about the world of Soccer- Yes, Brazilians love their Soccer. In the case between Germany & Brazil well, Brazil got partial payback with Germany by winning Gold two
years. Yet I believe they will always be competing against each other for the full win...
2- In Rio there was so many different athletes. My favorite Michael Phelps but there were so many others.. American gymnast Simone Biles asserted her dominance with four gold medals, Usain Bolt, put on his usual show with his three Gold medals just before his 30th birthday and finally Michael Phelps adds five more to his
staggering total of 23 Gold and the worlds fastest man in the pool.
3-Sadly there was some nasty parts of the Olympics, for which I guess I should mention. It was an American swimmer Ryan Lochte's who fabricated a story about a harrowing robbery that was actually an intoxicated-fueled vandalism of a gas station bathroom. Me personally I didn't know much about till I did this post. It is truly sad that a athlete would do something like this after all the hard work to just to get to the Olympics to compete.
4-Another bizarre issue came-up, when the diving pools going from a crystal blue to a gunky, algae green- at a time when Rio's water quality in open waters is one of the biggest local environmental issues. Even with that the games went on....
5-I believe that the people of Brazil are strong and can overcome anything.. Even with the Zika virus scare that was looming over their summer Olympic games. I am sure there was some competitors, tourists, that just wouldn't even come because of this virus. Then of course the rampant street crime that their law enforcement had to endure because of the recent world fears about safety in Brazil. But watch these good people they are resilient and they can overcome anything. Every country has problems and we shouldn't single out one just because will might see their flaws more closely because we were all under their thumb nails at the Rio Games... It could have been your country.. We should be helping them with the Zika virus because these thing came move anywhere they want. So now that I have about the good/not so good about the games.. I have pick out a few Athletes that have made a impression at the Games...
Rafaela Silva wins Brazil's first gold
Rafael Siva-
She grew up in a favela just a few miles from the arena where the women's
judo finals were held, she won Brazil's first gold in the Rio Games setting off one
of the nicest moments of the Olympic Games. The hometown crowd went wild as the
24-year old cried and celebrated with the crowed while Brazil's flag was draped around
her. This comes four years after she was disqualified for an illegal grab and came home
to racial taunts. She would go on to say after winning the Gold.
'Today I'm not an embarrassment for my Family'
Usain Bolt-
There have been plenty of athletes that have become stars after their
exploits in track and field, but Usain Bolt is on another level. By blowing
by the competition to win the 100m again, the 'Worlds Fastest Man' puts us
in awe as the only man to have done that in three consecutive Olympics.
The photo of Bolt finishing his 100m semifinal heat may go down as one of
the most iconic sports photos ever. Bolt also impressed by having his
slowest time in a 200m final yet still blowing away the competition. His
nine Gold medals trails only Phelps.
Michael Phelps-
He sounds like he is really retiring this time, and as he does he walks off the Olympic
Stage the most decorated Olympian ever. And it isn't even close. He owns 23 gold medals
[second place all-time is nine] and 28 overall medals and staked his claim to the
greatest athlete ever. But two other reasons that Phelps may be remembered from Rio.
One was his gracious second place finish to Singapore swimmer Joseph Schooling--
Refugee Team
The ovation that the ten athletes that comprised
the Refugee Olympic Team was second only to
host Brazil. The athletes, hailing from
South Sudan, Syria, Ethiopia &
the Democratic Republic of Congo
are a reminder that there are plenty of places
in our world that see humans face true struggle
just to stay alive and these brave souls found away
to not only escape the horrors of their
homelands but to perform and to compete
a sport at the highest level.
These are the hero's of the Games
Michael Phelps Son-
Nicole Johnson, partner of
Michael Phelps holds their son
Boomer during the Rio 2016
Olympic Games on Aug,8 2016
Katie Ledecky
Everything Katie did in Rio was unreal but her
performance in the 800m freestyle is simply mind-blowing.
Not only did she dominate, set a world record and win
another gold medal, she won that race by a
full 11 seconds. Seriously. Hold your breath for 11
seconds just to see how long her dominant victory
was. It's just sick! Of course if you start feeling sick
while holding your breath for 11 seconds just let it
out and breathe.
Carmelo Anthony
The Nice American
NBA fans will go back to basting on Carmelo
Anthony when the season starts, but Melo has been
the elder statesman and leader of a relatively inexperienced
team USA men's basketball team. He visited a Rio favela,
playing pickup basketball games and taking in the culture of the
city. Over the summer he has taken a stance on
social issues and gotten some of his high-profile NBA
brethren to stand alongside him.
His time in Rio shows that it wasn't just some quick thought
or action: There is more to Melo that just basketball.
Hopefully he will still find away to play in the 2020 Games
Simone Manuel
Manuel became the first African-American to win
Swimming Gold when she won the women's
100m freestyle. Not only did she shocked look on her face
when she saw she won endeared her to Americans,
but her genuine outpouring of emotion afterwards as she
accepted her Gold medal was heartwarming.
Manuel broke all kinds of barriers with her
performance in Rio and hopefully will inspire girls
all over the World!
Simone Biles
Biles may not be perfect, but she was darn close in Rio.
Biles won gold on her team all around, vault and floor
exercise and won bronze on the balance beam.
Her medal haul was impressive, but her personality
even more so. Unlike the stoic gymnasts of the past, Biles is a
smile factory who genuinely enjoys her teammates and
celebrates their accomplishments together.. even
bringing up silver medalist teammate
Aly Raisman onto the floor to take in the applause
after winning all-around Gold. Oh and she also got
a kiss from Zac Efron, so she has that going for her too,
not to mention the honor of being the first US female gymnast
to serve as flag bearer at Rio's closing ceremonies.
Wayde Van Niekerk's
World's Record
Out of lane eight, the South African Olympic Wayde
van Niekerk won the Gold in the 400m. His coach,
74-year old grandmother Ans Botha is one of the few
female track coaches at that level. And was on hand
to see his victory [her also grandson victory].
Van Niekerk's mother was a very good track star in
the 1980's and 1990's in apartheid-era South Africa,
when the nation was banned from many events
The world record he broke was Michael Johnson's
who set it in 1999.
Ibtihaj Muhammad
Muhammad became the first Muslim-American Woman
to win a medal in the Olympics while wearing a hijab.
Muhammad won the bronze in the team saber.
The Rio Games also saw the Egyptian Beach Volleyball team
in full hijab too!
The world does have hope and peace Yeah!
Brazilian Soccer Team
Aug-20...Neymar and the Brazilian Men's Soccer team
were overcome by emotion after defeating the German Soccer team to win the Gold Medal on home soil.
The victory was a measure of revenge after the Germans
embarrassed the Brazilians in a 7-1 defeat during the
