The_Guardian_-_2016-12-29

shattered the 400m world record. Caster Semenya eased to victory in the 800m and then refused to be
hostage to the press’s questions. The British had their best Olympics in a century.
The Brazilians turned out for their own. Rafaela Silva, a 24-year-old from the City of God, won gold
in the women’s judo. Thiago Braz da Silva beat the great Renaud Lavillenie in a late-night pole vault
duel, one-on-one at the Olympic stadium. Alison Cerutti and Bruno Schmidt lit up the beach
volleyball arena, the one stadium that was guaranteed to be packed every night of the Games. And
back at the Maracanã the Brazilian football team achieved some measure of redemption for the
calamities of their World Cup by beating Germany on penalties, the winning kick taken by – who
else? – Neymar.
Abbey D’Agostino of the US, right, is assisted by New Zealand’s Nikki Hamblin in the 5,000m heats
at Rio 2016. Photograph: Ian Walton/Getty Images
But the Games are always about more than who wins what. There were 11,544 athletes competing in
Rio – and every one with a story worth telling. Pita Taufatofua became a heartthrob after carrying the
Tongan flag. Two Korean gymnasts, Hong Un-jong and Lee Eun-ju, posed for a cross-border selfie.
The USA’s Ibtihaj Muhammad spoke out about how it felt to be an American Muslim in the time of
Trump. Egypt’s Islam El Shehaby was sent home because he refused to shake the hand of an Israeli
opponent. The Irish boxer Michael Conlan flicked his fingers at his judges, Tserenbaatar Tsogbayar
and Byambarinchen Bayaraa stripped down to their underpants in protest at theirs. The Chinese diver
Qin Kai dropped to one knee to propose to his team-mate He Zi on the medal podium. New Zealand’s
Nikki Hamblin and the USA’s Abbey D’Agostino helped each other after a collision in the heats of the
5,000m.
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However, the enduring image will be that shot of Bolt sporting his cartoon grin, striding out ahead of
the field in the 100m semi-finals, a road runner trailing so many Wile E Coyotes. Around him,
everything is a blur. Which works because the Rio Games were a whirl, a kaleidoscopic fortnight of
sport that left everyone dizzy. All human life was there, for better, for worse, in victory and defeat,
chaotic, corrupt, endearing, enraging, inspiring.