The 2016 Olympic Games are
set to kick off Friday at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. When
they do, one of antiquity's greatest traditions will set in motion
nearly three weeks of competitions ranging from basketball, to archery
and volleyball, to table tennis.
It takes a lot to navigate the world's most collaborative
athletic endeavor, which this year will feature over 10,000 athletes
from around the globe. Ahead of the Games' opening ceremony, here are 10
must-know facts about the 2016 Rio Olympics:
1. They take (more than) a village
7.5 million tickets are available for
sale, with prices ranging from $40 to $3,000, which is what it'll cost
you for an elite seat at the Opening Ceremonies. Those will take place
at Maracanã Stadium, site of the highest attendant soccer game in
history — the 1950 World Cup Final where 173,000 squeezed in that day
despite a capacity of just 78,000, NBC News reported.
It'll take 60,000 meals per day to feed the
athletes, made by many of the 70,000 or so volunteers required to host
the events. The games are expected to prompt the assignment of 85,000
soldiers and police officers, the most ever deployed for a single event
in the history of Brazil. The security presence will double that of
London's in 2012.
2. They're going where they've never gone before
The Olympic torch will be in unfamiliar territory
when it finally completes its 3.5-month journey to Rio on Friday. The
summer Games have never before been hosted in South America.
Representatives from 206 countries are set to compete in what will be a
historic tournament from the start.
3. They features the fleetest of foot
Sponsored
The Rio Games will be the last hoorah for Usain
Bolt, the fastest man alive and one of the two most recognizable
Olympians in the world. His achievements are unmatched: Bolt is already
the first sprinter ever to win consecutive golds at the 100 meters, 200
meters and 4x100 meter relay. Now he's eyeing a third straight gold in
each. But the way he wins may be even more impressive: Bolt takes only
40 to 41 steps to complete his 100 meters, while other elite sprinters
require 42.5 to 46 steps, according to Sports Illustrated. Bolt, whose annual income tops $32 million, is clearly a generational athlete. And he shines brightest on the world stage.
4. They feature best on the bars, too
Japanese gymnast K?hei Uchimura, known
colloquially as "Superman" in his country, is looking to become the
first man to repeat as all-around champion since Sawao Kato, also of
Japan, did so in 1972. Uchimura has won six straight world all-around
titles, while no other gymnast has ever won more than three, according
to Sports Illustrated.
5. They will have golf once again
Olympic athletes will hit the links for the first
time since 1904, as golf's 112-year absence in the Games comes to an end
this year. Though sixteen of the world's top 100 players won't be
participating due to concerns over the Zika Virus. The list of stars
staying home includes No.1 Jason Day (Australia), No.2 Dustin Johnson
(USA), Jordan Spieth (USA), Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) and Adam
Scott (Australia), according to CBSSports.com
6. They'll have another newcomer, too
Rugby is also returning to the Olympic Games, for
the first time in 92 years. The United States took gold in rugby's final
Olympic year, 1924, defeating heavily favored France, who was also the
host nation, 17-3, in a championship match watched by 50,000 spectators.
This year's games will feature rugby in its modern "sevens" form, which will be a part of the 2020 Games as well.
7. They have an eco-friendly mascot and an inspiring slogan
The motto of the Games is "Viva sua paixão," translated from Portuguese to mean "Live your passion."
The Olympic mascot, named "Vinicius," after
musician Vinicius de Moraes, is a walking, jumping, colorful mixture of
Brazilian animals, according to the National Post.
8. They come with some caution
Top golfers aren't the only athletes declining to
play in the Games because of the Zika virus: U.S. cyclist Tejay Van
Garderen, Montenegrin-born Canadian tennis player Milos Raonic and
Romanian tennis player Simona Halep are also staying home. Same goes for
"Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie, who would have been a prominent
figure in NBC's coverage of the Games. British long jump champion Greg
Rutherford is going, but not before freezing sperm in an effort to avoid
complications to his ability to have children in the future, according to Newsday.
9. They'll feature a ton of stars and stripes
The United States is expected to send the most
athletes of any visiting country, as it did for London in 2012. U.S.
athletes won 46 golds and 104 medals in 2012, both top figures,
according to the Associated Press.
Due to a favorable time difference — Rio time is just an hour ahead of
New York and four hours ahead of Los Angeles — this year's Games are
expected to be one of the most watched sporting events in American
history.
10. They aren't over in August
Some of the world's most inspiring and
amazing athletes will compete in the Paralympic Games from September 7
to September 18. Athletes will compete in 24 sports including
Paralympic-specific sports like goalball, sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball.
source : mic.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment