Rio throws final party to say goodbye to 2016 Olympics

The U.S. Olympic Team made itself right at home in Rio.

“We are in a hard moment as a country right now, we can’t hide that, but the Games were scheduled and I’m glad we could enjoy them”, said Alessandro Freitas, also from Rio.

The United States topped the medal table for the second straight Olympics with 46 gold medals and 121 overall.

Thousands of fans braved strong winds and sporadic rains to watch the closing ceremony in iconic Maracana Stadium, a finale meant to be both one last bash and to take care of some business – namely signal the transition to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan.

Rain drenched performers and hundreds of athletes as they entered the party, many with medals hanging around their necks, like the US men’s basketball team which won gold on Sunday.

USA women left Rio with 27 golds – by far the most among any team of female Olympians at these games – and 61 medals total.

“Got ’em, ” Felix said, smiling.

Farah – who celebrated his win with his trademark Mobot – said the accomplishment was “every athlete’s dream” as he dedicated each of the four medals to his children. But the significance in Rio were the sheer amounts of hardware.

The previous record for US medals at a fully attended Olympics was 110, set at Beijing eight years ago.

When Richard Kruse fell agonisingly short of winning a fencing medal on the first full day of the Rio Olympics, few could have envisaged the British gold rush to come.

But Blackmun was thrilled by the results, and he wasn’t the only one leaving Rio happy.

One of the more stunning moments of the ceremony focused on the ancient art found in the Serra da Capivara National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage site in northeastern Brazil featuring cave paintings, some more than 25,000 years old.

When Britain started to begin punching its weight again in Sydney 2000, with 11 golds, the hosts joked that they could win only in sports where you have to sit down.

“The atmosphere at the GB house has been unbelievable in the village, ” said Mo Farah, who won gold for Britain in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter races to match the feat he pulled off at London in 2012.

If Peaty’s success in the pool was only to be expected after a dominant season, other gold medals were less so. Gold, silver, bronze. The atmosphere has been brilliant.

He added: “To follow on from London 2012 and the home comforts that came with hosting a Games and out-perform ourselves here is a piece of history that the nation can be hugely proud of”.

The Russians and the Chinese probably didn’t feel the same. Russian Federation – with its track team told to stay home because of the doping probe and a cloud hovering over its athletes who were in Rio, some of whom got publicly called out by competitors – finished with 19 golds and 56 medals overall, both well below its normal showings.

USA swimmer Lilly King beat Russia’s Yulia Efimova for the 100-meter breaststroke gold, doing so after saying the games should have no room for dopers.

“I stand by what I said, ” King said. “It was like war”.

Usain Bolt delivered not once, but three times – for the third time – to underline his status as the greatest sprinter of all time.

There were single golds in taekwondo, hockey, golf, tennis, swimming, boxing and triathlon but perhaps the most eye-catching performances came in gymnastics, where Max Whitlock won two golds and the country seven medals in all having never previously stood atop the podium.

“I’m afraid the flag is going to be too heavy for me”, the superstar said.

One of the major concerns for Brazilians is what will be the final cost of the Games for a country and how much they actually helped improve the city’s infrastructure.