Every four years, excitement builds in preparation for the summer Olympics. At the Olympics, each country has a team consisting of athletes that compete in a variety of sports. For many countries, the Olympics provide people with hope and happiness as well as a way to channel their patriotic pride. However, other countries take it more seriously, and kids start training at a young age, making it more of a job than enjoyable experience. For Rio, Brazil, the Olympics have provided the country with many opportunities, such as gaining publicity and making more sports facilities. The people watching the summer Olympics in Rio have high expectations for the competition.

A tradition that is special to the Olympic Ceremonies is the passing of the torch. Although the torch was first lit at the first games in Greece, the modern use of the torch began in 1963. The torch is used as a symbol for the games because it represents peace, unity, and friendship amongst the countries during the games. Athletes from around the world run the torch for as long as they can from the city that the games were last held, to the city that they are then taking place in currently. For this year’s Olympics, the torch will be going through 329 cities, though all the states that are north and south of Brazil in order to make it to Rio de Janeiro for August 5th. The transferring of the torch will include different Brazilian aspects to show the diversity and energy that Rio, Brazil has. For example, Kamukaika Lappa Yawalapiti, an indigenous Brazilian athlete, carried the torch during the Indigenous Peoples Memorial. When the torch is being passed through a certain city, thousands of people crowd the streets just to see a glimpse of the torch, so they can say they were apart of the experience.

Not only are the Olympics a unifying experience for all those involved around the world who are competing, but it is also an amazing opportunity for sports fanatics to watch the best athletes compete at the highest level. The Olympics are a place where the best athletes from each country around the world come to one place to see who really is the best. Miles Katzen ‘16 explains, “Being able to watch the best of the best in sports every two years is such a cool experience. Even when you thought you had seen the most amazing athletes, it’s always surprising to see the level of talent that you never thought existed.” Athletes in the Olympics break boundaries in sports every two years.

Within the past few weeks and months, athletes have been getting a chance to test out the new facilities in Rio, built specifically for the Olympics. For instance, around 400 atheletes from over 20 countries were able to test out the new track, and some spectators were even allowed to come and watch. The athletes that were able to test out the track claimed that it was “fast to run on,” which will only add to the excitement and intensity of the track events during this summer’s games. Sebastian Coe, a two time Olympic Gold Medalist stated, “With a full stadium of noisy, passionate track and field fans, the athletes will raise their game and rise to the occasion.” This track is special though because it was built with Mondo, an Italian company, to make sure the runners can perform their best even under Brazil’s hot and humid climate conditions. Because of this it is a synthetic track, also colored blue.

The Olympics are a unifying experience around the world between countries, athletes, and those who are simply spectators. It is a time to have pride in one’s country and admire the talents that one’s country has.