Farewell,Rio!

As the curtain closed on the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro， Brazil， accompanied by a South American samba， the Chinese delegation lifted off on their long plane trips home with considerably more weight： 26 gold medals， 18 silver， and 26 bronze， ranking third in the total medal tally.

Even after the Rio games ended， Olympic excitement remained high in China. Compared to past events Chinese people paid less attention to the medal count and instead enjoyed more of the process and joy of competition. Undoubtedly， people were elated for the gold medals taken and at the same time bettering their understanding of the Olympic motto： Citius， Altius， Fortius （Latin for Faster， Higher， Stronger）. The Olympic Games have inspired more Chinese people to engage in exercise to keep fit.

The Olympics have always been a global gathering that fosters communication and understanding between different cultures. The clear highlight of the Rio Games 2016 was a delegation of refugees， the first ever in history， featuring some who narrowly escaped the flames of wars and others who drifted far from home in boats. Not only did these participants embody the true spirit of sport， but inspire people around the globe from all walks of life.

Most concerns about the Games before they started – late completion of venues， robbery – weren’t problems at all.

The unique opening and closing ceremonies sparked passion for both the Olympics and brilliant South American culture. The theme of being frugally green made this edition of the Olympics breezy. Thomas Bach， President of the International Olympic Committee， declared， “These were marvelous Olympic Games in the marvelous city.”

The Chinese delegation， with an average age of 24， performed brilliantly and left legendary marks on history. Let’s take another look at a few highlights of the Games.

First Gold China’s first gold medal arrived just as several veterans were coming up short. On the second day of competition， Zhang Mengxue， a fresh face in women’s 10-meter air pistol， took the first gold for the Chinese delegation and broke the Olympic record.

Excitement At midnight on August 20， the Chinese women’s volleyball team gave everything they had to win its final match， which sent shockwaves back to China. Many recalled the moment 32 years ago when the “Iron Hammer” Lang Ping led her team to make volleyball history. The Chinese women’s volleyball players inspired a generation， and that spirit has been preserved for the next.

Meme

Without winning a gold， Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui emerged as a focal point of the Rio Games. Her dead-pan straightforwardness during a post-competition interview broke the internet that night： “I’m very satisfied” and “I used prehistoric powers”became instant catchphrases across China. As various memes involving the athlete spread across the internet， her bright， refreshing personality delighted in the attention from netizens.

Breakthrough

Women’s golf returned to the Olympics after 116 years， and Feng Shanshan of China claimed the bronze medal with a total score of 274 （-10）， the first Olympic medal for a Chinese golfer. Lin Xiyu， another Chinese golfer， made history by becoming the first woman to make a hole in one at the Olympics.

Race

The Chinese team placed fourth in the men’s 4x100m relay at 37’9”， the country’s best finish in Olympics history. The breakthrough was deeply appreciated at home.

Respect

Badminton ace Lin Dan bid farewell to the Olympics after embracing Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei. The two huge rivals and friends exchanged shirts on the court after their 37th match-ups.

Veterans

Chinese diver Chen Ruolin secured her third successive Olympic gold medal， and Wu Minxia became a legend after her fifth gold medal.

Emergence

Alex Hua Tian， the only equestrian competitor representing China， won countless hearts before the games thanks to his handsome appearance. He placed eighth in the Olympic equestrian event with Don Geniro， his horse， China’s best-ever finish in this event.

New Face

Ren Qian， born in 2001， won the 10-meter platform diving gold for China， making the 20th Century more profoundly slip into the past.

New Avenue

China claimed its first cycling Olympic gold after Gong Jinjie and Zhong Tianshi won the women’s team sprint in the Rio Olympic Velodrome.