The 2016 Olympic Games came to a close in Rio on Sunday after 17 days of thrilling competition. More than 10,900 athletes competed in the games while representing more than 206 countries. For Team USA, the Rio Olympics was a historic event in which the country topped the medal chart in every category for only the seventh time in Olympic history.
With 121 total medals, including 46 golds, 37 silvers, and 38 bronzes, Team USA won the medal count in all categories for the first time since 1948. The United States is only one of five countries to achieve such an incredible feat.
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“The Rio Games were very special and we’re incredibly happy to be where we are from a results standpoint and celebrating the success of our athletes,” stated Scott Blackmun, CEO of the United States Olympic Committee. “These Games will be defined by the inspiring performances of our athletes, the images of them on the podium and the success of the Organizing Committee.”
Team USA won the most medals ever for a U.S. team in a non-boycotted Olympic Games, and was 11 more than the previous high of 110 from Beijing in 2008. Events in swimming and track and field racked up the most medals with a combined 65 podium finishes between the two sports, which happened to be the most since 1972 and the fourth best of all time, according to TeamUSA.org.
The 2016 Rio Olympics saw U.S. swimmer, Michael Phelps making his fifth (and final) appearance in the Games. He has now become the most decorated Olympian of all time as he has won 23 gold medals and 28 overall. This is the fourth straight Olympics where Michael Phelps has led all multi-medalists across all nations. Phelps shared the spotlight with other U.S. athletes such as Katie Ledecky (swimmer), Brianna Rollins (track), Alyson Felix (track), Simone Biles (gymnastics), and many other great athletes and teams.
The Olympics will return with the Winter Games in 2018 to be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
[H/T TeamUSA.org]
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