Start to Olympics Marked by Inspiring Stories and Mishaps
Social media users became fascinated by the possibility of a sofa under the sea.
— -- The start to the 2016 Olympics in Rio this week has been filled with both inspirational stories and incidents that athletes might prefer to forget.
Here is a rundown of some of the leading stories from the games so far:
Early American Dominance
The U.S. team has dominated early in the games, having racked up 12 total points in the medal count with three golds, five silvers, and four bronzes. China, who ranks second, has eight total points.
The U.S. won seven medals on Sunday, including five in swimming. Michael Phelps added to his Olympics record by winning his 19th gold medal on Sunday night, while world-record holder Katie Ledecky smashed her own mark in the 400-meter freestyle.
The U.S. women’s basketball team opened group play with a 121-56 win over Senegal, their largest margin of victory ever in an Olympics game. The team has won 42 straight Olympics events, with the last loss back in 1992. Diana Taurasi led the way for Team USA by scoring 15 points, which puts her in third place on the team’s all-time Olympic scoring list.
Team USA's men's basketball team blew out China on Saturday night, 119-62. Kevin Durant led the way with 25 points, and DeAndre Jordan shook the backboards inside Carioca Arena 1 with several showstopping dunks.
Refugees in the Spotlight
Among the athletes marching in the opening ceremony was the first refugee team ever to compete in the Olympics, composed of 10 athletes who marched to the Olympic theme, rather than any national anthem.
The representation of refugee athletes underscored what has been an issue of critical global importance in 2016.
One 18-year-old athlete, Yusra Mardini, who grew up in Damascus, Syria, has stood out as a symbol of the struggle of refugees to compete in the games. Mardini and her sister Sarah fled war-torn Damascus in early August, traveling to Lebanon and Turkey, where they paid smugglers to take them to Greece. When the boat they rode in took on water, the two sisters jumped into the sea to swim in order to give the boat more buoyancy, according to a report by the Associated Press.
Mardini won her first heat of the 100 meter butterfly before failing to qualify for the semifinals.
Brothel Visit Causes Distraction
New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony told the press that his U.S. men's basketball teammates need to accept responsibility and move on after TMZ reported that three players visited a legal brothel in Rio de Janeiro.
"What's done is done. We have time off and guys did what they did. We accept those responsibilities and move on," Anthony, a four-time Olympian, told the press.
Chants of "Zika" Dog Americans
American beach volleyball players Lauren Fendrick or Brook Sweat were heckled by chants of "Zika" by the crowd during their match against Poland on Sunday.
Poland won the match.
The chanting incident followed a similar incident in which U.S. star goalkeeper Hope Solo was heckled with chants of "Zika" by fans.
Solo had apparently angered some Brazilians before coming to the Olympics by tweeting a photo of herself wearing a hat with mosquito netting and with a bedspread covered in repellent.
#KayakSofa
The hashtag #KayakSofa emerged on Twitter after Paul Kelso, a sports reporter with Sky News, reported that he heard "an Olympic kayaker may have capsized after hitting a submerged sofa."
No one has verified the story, but it has captured the imagination of social media users, largely due to well-publicized concerns about Rio's infrastructure problems and perceived lack of readiness heading into the games.