RIO 2016 Summer OLYMPICS
The 2016 Summer Olympics are here, and this year in the magnificent Rio De Janeiro. Inspired brings you a guide to the event, some of its history and how best to enjoy the sporting fun in the sun…
It’s that time again – when millions of people from all over the world come together to support and celebrate the many different sporting talents our country’s representatives demonstrate – yes, it’s the 2016 Olympics!
The Olympics has always been the biggest sporting event in the world, with thousands of athletes taking part every four years, and if the 2012 Olympics – held in our very own capital city – wasn’t gratifying enough, this year we get to enjoy the beauty and culture of the city of Rio De Janeiro. The Brazilian city hosts luxurious beaches, outstanding landmarks and colourful carnivals, and you could experience first-hand all that this beautiful city has to offer.
The first ancient Olympic Games took place in Olympia, Greece in 776 BC but were suspended for over 1,500 years, returning to Athens in 1896. Since then, the Games has been the most celebrated global event ever, with 27 modern editions of the Olympics to date. 16 of these have taken place in Europe, 6 in North America, 2 in Oceania and 3 in Asia. This year will be the first year for the Olympics to be held in South America, bringing an all-new cultural experience to the worldwide affair.
Between the 5th and 21st August, over 10,000 athletes from more than 200 countries will come together to compete in a number of different sporting activities in an attempt to win the Olympic Champion title for their country. There will be 42 sports contested during the 17-day period – including 306 medal events – giving athletes a chance to bring it home for their nation. There are 136 women’s medal events, 161 men’s, and 9 mixed-gender events. Just some of the sports included in this year’s Olympic Games are: swimming, table tennis, archery, track cycling, rowing, fencing, equestrian jumping, weightlifting, athletics, along with many, many more. Additionally, two new sports have been added to this year’s list of events – golf and rugby return to the games after more than 90 years.
Because the Olympics is the greatest global sporting event to grace the Earth, there will be 32 competition venues spread across 4 regions of the city of Rio De Janeiro – Deodoro, Maracanã, Barra and Copacabana – giving you the opportunity to explore the many different areas of the stunning Brazilian city.
Hosting such a widespread event means there is no room for mistakes, so to ensure everything runs smoothly, 39 test events will be staged before the starting date, some of which have already taken place. Millions of resources will be needed in order to hold the numerous sporting activities, including 25,000 tennis balls, 100,000 chairs, 11 million meals, 72,000 tables and 34,000 beds, 8,400 shuttlecocks and 315 horses. Because of this, the workforce is incredibly important and will consist of 6,500 employees, 85,000 outsourced staff members and 45,000 extremely hard-working volunteers.
Although the games are based around countries competing to win, the Olympics also aims to unite; giving people the chance to learn about and understand different cultures. ‘Excellence, Friendship, Respect’ are the 3 Olympic values, and the Olympic rings – one of the most identifiable symbols ever – represents the union of all 5 continents, teaching the many people who get involved that being gracious and respectful is more of a reward than winning an Olympic medal.
The Olympic Games isn’t the only thing Rio is offering this year. There are many stunning landmarks and attractions to visit. Similarly to the famous beach of Copacabana, Barra’s 18km long beach offers powerful waves for the surfer in you along with fine, white sand – perfect for a relaxing walk or a friendly game of volleyball with your friends. Deodoro hosts the Aerospace Museum – one of the main aeronautical museums in the Southern Hemisphere. So, whether it be to brush up on your knowledge of engineering or just to lap up information on Brazilian history, the Aerospace Museum is the place to go! Sambódromo is the stage for Rio’s symbolic carnivals and close by lies the Samba Museum, displaying all the weird and wonderful historic costumes and ornaments. “During carnival[s], Sambódromo becomes the heart of Rio de Janeiro. It has a splendid capacity to transform dreams into reality”, says Olympic tennis player, Gustavo Kuerten.
But why listen to other people when you can see for yourself? Sales for the summer games have already started and although 7.5 million available tickets may sound like a lot, the Olympics is the most respected worldwide event, so it’s guaranteed that they won’t last long. So if you’re interested in getting in on the sporting action, chilling out on Copacabana beach or just enjoying a stroll along Barra’s promenade, don’t hesitate to book your tickets!
RIO 2016 Summer OLYMPICS
