Rio bids farewell to the Olympic Games

Soft tropical rains drowned out the Olympic flame in Rio last night as the city officially closed the 2016 Summer Games.

The ceremony resembled a South American carnival of samba music and colored lights. Dancers dressed like birds formed the Olympic rings on the stadium floor as the flag parade began. Gymnast Simone Biles, who won five medals in her first Olympics, carried the U.S. flag. The remaining athletes followed, marching in as one team—strangers from around the globe, shoulder to shoulder. Biles caused a minor delay when her fellow athletes crowded around, seeking selfies.

As part of the closing spectacle, Rio’s mayor handed the Olympic flag to the mayor of Tokyo, host of the 2020 Games. The Japanese offered their own show, culminating with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dressed as Super Mario popping out of a green tube in the center of the stadium.

But Brazilians reclaimed the spotlight to end their games with a bang: A lace-like display of the national tree grew out of the floor as a series of fireworks, orange and yellow, each louder than the last, exploded across the sky.

Team USA left Rio de Janeiro in triumph with a record-breaking 121 medals, the most ever for a U.S. team. American athletes sealed their dominance by taking the last gold of the games, winning men’s basketball Sunday night.

The men’s team, despite some shaky playing earlier in the tournament, proved it’s still the “dream team” by winning its third straight Olympic gold. Kevin Durant, scoring 30 points, led the Americans to a 96-66 rout against Serbia. In the second quarter, Durant alone outscored the whole Serbian team, scoring four 3-pointers in his seven baskets. At one stage in the game, the Americans led by 41 points.

“I’m glad we won big,” Durant said during the post-game celebrations. “I’m on cloud nine now for sure.”

This is the first time in history the United States has won both the first and last gold of a summer games. Virginia Thrasher, the 19-year-old shooter who won the first gold, is probably already back at college, doing homework. She is one of the many first-time Olympians who proved their worth this year. Team USA topped the medal chart in every category for only the first time since 1948. China came in second, with 70 medals.

Despite worries over Brazil’s political turmoil, possible terrorism, and Zika, the games ended without any major problems. The unforgettable events provided a break from the power struggles of politics to appreciate a different kind of international success. Basketball player DeMarcus Cousins, a first-time Olympian, summarized the experience well.

“You get chills over your body, man,” he said.