Shooting Star Wins Gold Medal for Guatemala
When one door closes, another opens. In 2011, gymnast Adriana Ruano suffered a serious back injury that shattered her dreams of competing in the 2012 London Olympics. Doctors suggested she take up shooting as an alternative sport. Twelve years later, she became the first Guatemalan to win a gold medal, scoring 45 out of 50 points in the women’s trap final.
It’s the little things that matter: Ledecky’s love for the community
Katie Ledecky enjoyed the atmosphere after winning her ninth Olympic gold medal in the women’s 1500m freestyle final. One fan’s reaction stood out as she waved to the many fans in the arena. The blonde with red and blue striped braids was She couldn’t believe that Ledecky had noticed her.More than one million viewers tuned in to watch the video of her uncontainable joy, with Ledecky speaking to her young fan via FaceTime.
“It’s a girl!” Murphy is thrilled at gender reveal
Another American swimmer, Ryan Murphy, won a bronze medal in the men’s 100-meter backstroke final. He was proud of his performance, but his wife had something unexpected in store. In the stands, Brigitte Kontinen held up a sign revealing the gender of the baby: “Ryan, it’s a girl!” Suddenly, the sport seemed irrelevant. “That’s what cheered me up,” he said, “and that’s what took the night to a whole other level.”
Love in Paris: Mr. Huang Says Yes
After winning the gold medal in the mixed doubles, China’s Huang Yaqiong received a pleasant surprise when her boyfriend, Chinese badminton player Liu Yuchen, knelt down to congratulate her on the double. “Today I am an Olympic champion and I have also received a marriage proposal,” Huang said. [to]that was something I didn’t expect.”
Role reversal: French runner flips the script
Something is bound to happen after the athletes finish the Olympics. After breaking the European 3,000m steeplechase record, Alice Finno proposed to her boyfriend with a “Love in Paris” pin. She had promised herself that she would get down on one knee if he finished in under nine minutes. After running in 8:58.67, Finno said: “I don’t like to do the same thing as everyone else. I thought maybe it was up to me because he hadn’t done it yet.”
Tamberi and Barshim: The Sequel
In an iconic moment from the Tokyo Olympics, Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Barshim opted to share the gold medal in the high jump after clearing 2.37m but then missing at 2.39m. The co-medallists’ bromance was brought to the fore once again when Tamberi rushed to Barshim’s aid as he lay on the ground clutching his calf in pain after clearing 2.27m during the heats in Paris.
Sportsmanship: Salute to Spain
Chinese badminton star He Bingjiao displayed true sportsmanship when she received her silver medal by holding a small Spanish flag in support of Spain’s Carolina Marin, whose Olympic journey was sadly ended when she was injured in the semi-finals. This was a sign of respect for the Spaniard, who had won the first game and was leading 10-8 in the second before being forced to withdraw due to injury.
Climbing over the bulkhead to take a selfie on the podium
In a rare display of harmony between North and South Korea, players from both sides put their differences aside to take a selfie on the podium after the table tennis mixed doubles final – North Korea won the silver medal and South Korea the gold – and the viral image underscored the power of sporting unity.
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Phelps’ blessing as the torch is passed
Watching Leon Marchand’s record-breaking 200m individual medley race may have been a disappointing moment for record holder Michael Phelps, but the most successful Olympian of all time, commentating for NBC, cheered and jumped for joy as his own record was beaten by the Frenchman by 0.17 seconds.
Lucky charm: Ramazonova’s helping hand
Azerbaijani archer Yayragul Ramazanova, a first-time Olympian who was six and a half months pregnant at her first Olympic Games, felt her baby cheering her on and got another helping hand. “I felt my baby kick before I shot the last arrow, and I shot 10 points,” she said.
Filipino gymnast receives lifetime award
Carlos Yulo received a variety of gifts after winning two gold medals in Paris. Philippine property developer Megaworld has promised to give the country’s gold medallists a two-bedroom apartment in the McKinley Hill area. The 24-year-old Yulo was also offered 10 million Philippine pesos (£136,600), free ramen and colonoscopies for life.
From ecstasy to agony: Osmanov goes into surgery
Moldova’s Adil Osmanov won the bronze medal in judo, but mid-celebration his joy vanished. As he swung his arms around to celebrate the moment, Osmanov dropped to his knees. Reports said he had dislocated his shoulder. However, Osmanov had refused medical advice to undergo surgery before the match, so the judoka can be forgiven for acting impulsively.
Zhou captures hearts with medal confusion
18-year-old Zhou Yaqin’s confused reaction when her fellow podium-goers bit their medals went viral. Zhou quickly followed suit and did the same. After winning silver in the balance beam final, the Chinese gymnast, competing in her first Olympic Games, went viral for her reaction to 21-year-old Alice D’Amato and 17-year-old Manila Esposito of Italy biting their gold and bronze medals. Zhou quickly put the medals to her mouth but did not actually bite them. Apparently, she assumed that medal winners were expected to bite them.
