If you turned on your TV in the month of August, then you probably caught some footage of the 2016 Olympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Over 11,000 athletes traveled to Rio to represent their countries over the course of 16 days. Many were concerned about the Olympics being held in Brazil due to a lack of security. Nevertheless, Rio did not disappoint, and the Brazilian culture influenced all who attended.

On opening night, over 75,000 people gathered at Maracanã Stadium to enjoy Rio’s iconic opening ceremony. When it came time to introduce the athletes, nobody was surprised to see Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps leading Team USA into the arena. The US sent 558 athletes to the games and represented the most female athletes ever in Olympic history. Based on the crowd’s reaction, it was clear that Team USA was the favorite for these games.

“I think it was great that it was the most females that swam in the Olympics because they have been training for practically their whole life and they finally get that opportunity to showcase their hard work and talent,” Rachelle Casement, a sophomore on the girls varsity swimming and diving team said.  

Joining any type of sports teams helps promote pride and self confidence.  “Swimming is an amazing sport and being on a team that supports you and will always be with you is an experience of a lifetime,” Casement said.  

The excitement of the crowd began to dull, Team Russia made their entrance into the arena. Russia found themselves in a massive doping scandal, and as a result, 118 athletes were banned from the games. According to a BBC report, there is evidence to conclude that the scandal was a result of a four-year, state-run doping program.

Senior Amanda Fedele says,“It’s not fair to the other countries and it puts everyone on an uneven playing field”. Some athletes were able to submit petitions to override their ban, but the incident was a major disappointment for Russian athletics.

Despite the scandals, USA came home with 121 medals, 46 of which were gold. Michael Phelps was definitely the most dominant athlete in Rio. With 5 golds and a silver, Phelps now has a total of 28 Olympic medals. Many fans were disappointed when Phelps announced his retirement at the conclusion of the games.  His historic wins have made him one of the best athletes of all time and his success will continue to inspire young athletes all over the world.

There were many female athletes who achieved gold in Rio. Nineteen year old Katie Ledecky (swimming), broke her own world record, and swam the 400 meter freestyle in 56.46 seconds. She left Rio with a total of four gold medals and a silver.

“I think this influences more people to swim and keep working at their goals if they are already a swimmer,” Casement said.  

Simone Biles (gymnastics) made Olympic history, as she is only one of four other gymnasts who have won four gold medals in a single olympic games. Twenty four year old, Helen Maroulis, made Olympic history when she became the first ever US women to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling. Though her success has not made many headlines, Maroulis has revolutionized wrestling for many young women, and she will go down in history for her achievement.

Another historic moment took place on the track, when Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt, dominated the men’s 100 meter freestyle. Reaching staggering speeds of 28 mph, Bolt ran the 100 meter freestyle in only 9.81 seconds. He was the first athlete to win the 100 meter freestyle gold in three consecutive olympic games and has graciously accepted his new title as “the fastest man in the world.”

“The excitement of all of the gold medals for our country and team unity was great!” Ms. Cale said.  “It’s amazing to see athletes who dedicated their whole lives to their craft excel at the Olympics.”

The Olympics brings together a variety of cultures and communities, and the Rio games captured the spirit and celebration of a variety of athletes, all from unique backgrounds.  Overall, Rio was an incredible host city for the games, and the success of the athletes has inspired and will continue to inspire generations to come.