“All Summer Sixteen.” That could have been the theme for the 2016 Summer Olympics which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 2016 games in Rio provided the perfect platform for greatness to be displayed by world class athletes from all over the world in all different sports. The preface to the Rio games was the constant discussions about the preparations (or lack thereof) for the athletes and fans that would make the journey to the host city. The threat of the rampant spread of the Zika Virus was another potential obstacle that could have potentially led to the postponement of the XXXI Olympiad. With the opening ceremony beginning on August 5, 2016, the stage for amazing feats and colorful displays was set with the grand entrance of all of the participating countries and their representing athletes. The basketball court, swimming pool, gymnastics floor, boxing ring and the track allowed the world to see new records set, old records broken and new Olympic heroes birth right before our eyes. ESHE recognizes select athletes and their accomplishments at the 2016 Olympics:
Carmelo Anthony became the Men’s USA Basketball team’s all-time leader in points, games played and rebounds. Carmelo also captured his 3rd Gold Medal in Rio.Natasha Hastings,Phyllis Francis Allyson Felix, and Courtney Okolo, led the U.S. women’s 4×400-meter team to its sixth consecutive gold medal.Fresh off of winning a NBA Championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA, Kyrie Irving joins the select company of NBA Players winning Olympic Gold and a NBA Championship in the same year.Usain Bolt of Jamaica captured his 7th, 8th and 9th Gold Medal in track and field competition at the Rio games, his final Olympics of his illustrious career.Claressa Shields became the first boxer to ever win back to back gold medals at the Rio games.Paul George overcame a gruesome leg injury obtained while training with Team USA in 2014 to win a gold medal in the 2016 Rio games.Simone Manuel became the first ever black woman swimmer to win a gold medal at the Rio games.Allyson Felix won her 6th gold medal and tied for the most medals of by a female athlete with 9.Mohamed Farah of Great Britain became the first British track and field athlete to win three Olympic gold medals after winning the Men’s 10,000m at the Rio games.Simone Biles became the first American woman to win four Gold Medals in a single Olympics in Rio.
The threat of the rampant spread of the Zika Virus was another potential obstacle that could have potentially led to the postponement of the XXXI Olympiad. With the opening ceremony beginning on August 5, 2016, the stage for amazing feats and colorful displays was set with the grand entrance of all of the participating countries and their representing athletes. The basketball court, swimming pool, gymnastics floor, boxing ring and the track allowed the world to see new records set, old records broken and new Olympic heroes birth right before our eyes. ESHE recognizes select athletes and their accomplishments at the 2016 Olympics:
