Tuesday, July 05, 2016

One Month To Rio!

We are one month away from the start of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad starting in Rio de Janeiro  August 5 and watching the Olympics is must see TV for me as a unabashed sports fan.

This one is full of firsts.  It will be the first held in a Portuguese speaking country, the first on the South American continent, and since this is being held in the Southern Hemisphere, the first Sumer Games completely in a country's winter season.   It's also the first Games happening during the IOC presidency of Thomas Bach.

The torch relay has been going on across Brazil since May 3 and will visit 323 cities before arriving in the Rio area to light the cauldron at Maracana Stadium.  

Athletes around the world are undergoing qualifying for the various Olympic sports, and the Rio Olympic organizers are expecting a record 10,500 to participate.    Hopefully we will have a transgender athlete taking part in the Games, but it looks like that milestone may have to wait until the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeong Chang or 2020 in Tokyo.

At least much of the competition for those of us in the States and the rest of the Americas will be broadcast live.

One thing I am looking forward to is not only seeing the opening ceremony, but what creative way will the torch be lit.  Also looking forward to seeing who will be the person or persons given the honor of lighting the Rio Olympic cauldron.

August 5 will be here before we know it.

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