Rio Olympics 2016: Spectacular closing ceremony as Olympic flag goes to Tokyo
he Rio Olympics ended with a spectacular carnival-inspired closing ceremony, and the official handover to 2020 hosts Tokyo.
The colourful ceremony, lasting almost three hours, celebrated Brazil's arts and was held in a wet Maracana.
Among the highlights were Tokyo's impressive showcase and a vibrant carnival parade.
"These were a marvellous Olympics, in a marvellous city," said International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach.
"Over the last 16 days a united Brazil inspired the world, in difficult times for all of us, with its irresistible joy for life."
Bach officially closed the Games of the 31st Olympiad after 16 days of competition, featuring 11,303 athletes from 206 nations and a refugee team.
One of the biggest cheers of the night came when Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appeared dressed as computer game character Super Mario, rising out of a huge green pipe in the stadium.
The ceremony, watched by billions around the world, featured the parade of athletes and a dramatic extinguishing of the Olympic flame.
Women's hockey captain Kate Richardson-Walsh carried the flag for Great Britain, who finished the Games with 67 medals - their highest tally at an overseas Olympics.
Super-heavyweight boxer Joe Joyce had earlier won Britain's final medal of Rio 2016 - a silver - as they finished second in the medal table to the United States, ahead of China.
- Relive the closing ceremony
- How did Team GB make history?
- A review of Team GB's record haul
- Rio 2016's best moments in pictures
What happened?
- The Maracana was turned into a street carnival as the ceremony celebrated Brazil's art, music and dance.
- Highlights included human formations of iconic Rio landmarks Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain.
- The Olympic flame was extinguished by a rain shower, which then gave life to a large tree sculpture to symbolise rebirth.
- The Rio carnival anthem 'Cidade Maravilhosa' played as the party reached a crescendo.
- Brazilian model Izabel Goulart led a parade of 50 women and 200 dancers, who were joined by a sound truck containing 12 carnival queens.
- The ceremony concluded with a confetti and firework show.
Tokyo's time comes
The ceremony featured the symbolic handover of the Olympic flag. Rio mayor Eduardo Paes returned it to IOC president Bach, before it was passed to Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike.
That was followed by an impressive 12-minute showcase of Tokyo, which included Prime Minister Abe's star turn.
Who said what?
IOC president Thomas Bach: "Brazil we love you, thank you for your warm hospitality. Over the last 16 days a united Brazil inspired the world, in difficult times for all of us, with its irresistible joy of life. You gave many reasons to be proud. These Games demonstrated that diversity is an enrichment for everyone. These Games were a celebration of diversity.
"These were a marvellous Olympic Games in a marvellous city. They are leaving a unique legacy for many generations to come. History will talk about a Rio before and a much better Rio after these Games."
Rio 2016 organising committee president Carlos Arthur Nuzman: "The Games in Rio is a great challenge, but a challenge with success. I am proud of my country, my city and my people. Rio has delivered history."
Historic Games for Team GB
From swimmer Adam Peaty's gold on day three to Mo Farah's long-distance 'double double' on the final Saturday, this was Britain's most successful Games in 108 years.
In the velodrome, Team GB won more than double the amount of medals of their nearest challengers.
Jason Kenny and Laura Trott will marry in September as the owners of 10 gold medals, while Sir Bradley Wiggins became the most decorated British Olympian with his eighth medal.
Then there was Farah, who won his fourth Olympic gold and became only the second man to retain the 5,000m and 10,000m titles.
Dressage rider Charlotte Dujardin won her third gold medal, while Justin Rose won his first as golf returned to the Olympics.
There were also historic golds in gymnastics, women's hockey and diving, while 58-year-old show jumper Nick Skelton became the country's oldest medallist for a century.
Gymnast Max Whitlock won two golds, while boxer Nicola Adams, taekwondo's Jade Jones, triathlete Alistair Brownlee and tennis player Andy Murray were among those who became multiple gold medallists.
The end of an era
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt said goodbye to the Olympics by winning an unprecedented 'triple triple'.
The 30-year-old Jamaican won his seventh, eighth and ninth gold medals by claiming the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay titles for the third Games in succession.
US swimmer Michael Phelps, meanwhile, took his medal tally to 28 from five Olympics by winning six in Rio - five of which were golds.
The 31-year-old's efforts helped the US top the medal table with 121, their most successful 'away' Games.
資料來源:http://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/37150572
Structure of the Lead：
WHO-Rio
WHEN-2016
WHAT-Olympics
WHY-Athletes events
WHERE-
HOW-NO
Keywords：
1.Rio Olympics:里奧奧運會
2.carnival-inspired:狂歡節啟發
3.Brazil:巴西
4.competition:比賽
5.athletes:運動員
