The first week of the Rio 2016 Olympics was filled with record breaking performances, emotional victories, and upsets too.
In this week’s Olympic Victory Ceremony we'll focus on historic breakthroughs, ranking the top three moments of the week from bronze to gold.
It’s hard to end the week without giving special mention to Michael Phelps and the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team. Phelps broke a 2,168-year-old Olympic record making him the individual with the most Olympic titles- record previously held by Leonidas of Rhodes, the greatest sprinter of the ancient Olympics. The Final Five also made history by finishing with the largest team total margin under the current scoring method.
BRONZE
Ten athletes take the Bronze Moment. The Refugee Team is making history in Rio becoming the first team of its kind. Athletes who fled their country of origin have found a new home and this year get to represent the world’s 65 million refugees. You can watch them competing in swimming, judo, and track and field.
SILVER
In second place with silver, is a team who won gold this week. The Fiji rugby sevens team won the first Olympic gold medal for their country and the Pacific Islanders were immediately celebrated. The religious team members, celebrated in a different manner on the field, they prayed after their victory and thanked God.
GOLD
Taking the Gold Moment of the week, is Simone Manuel. It’s what her victory represents that puts her in first place. Simone made history in less than a minute by tying with Canadian Penny Oleksiak for the fastest time in the women’s 100-meter freestyle. This Gold medal win also made Manuel the first African-American woman to win an individual event in Olympic Swimming. The swimmer dedicated her gold medal to the people that came before her and inspired her to stay in the sport.
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