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SCMP

This article was first published on August 7, 2016.
Rio Olympics off with a bang in rifle event
by Nazvi Careem
Against a backdrop of economic and political turmoil in Brazil, the 2016 Olympic Games opened in Rio Janeiro yesterday with International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach appealing for unity in a troubled world.
Watched by an estimated global audience of close to three billion, Rio organisers produced a stunning spectacle at fabled Maracana Stadium that attacked senses right from the start with digital imagery previously unseen on such a grand scale.

It may have paled in comparison to the outrageous sums spent on Beijing’s opening ceremony in 2008 (US$100 million) and London (US$41.5 million) in 2012, but Brazil knows how to party – if you were invited.
In the city’s thousands of favelas, life was the just the same – trying to stay alive in the face of gang violence, hunger, disease and pollution.
The Hong Kong and China teams are immune to the “real” Rio, confined to the Athletes’ Village and concentrating on the task at hand – winning medals over the next two weeks.
And China started the Games with a bang, even though it wasn’t gold, in the women’s air rifle by winning two medals.
Nineteen-year-old Virginia Thrasher of the United States claimed the first Rio gold medal with her final shot in the women’s 10m air rifle event, holding her nerve to see off China’s Du Li.
Thrasher finished with 208 points, one clear of 2004 Athens champion Du. Yi Siling, the defending Olympic champion who won the first gold for China in London 2012, managed to secure bronze.
Yi was bang in contention to successfully defend her 2012 crown, but sharp shooting saw Thrasher and Du go head to head, with the American, displaying maturity beyond her years to win the event.

Du, who only returned to competition last year, said the result was unbelievable after she failed to win a medal at the London Games. “I did have some expectations before the competition but also knew it would be very difficult,” Du said.
“I am always a slow starter and want to play a bit safer with higher accuracy. But the American did an exceptional job today. I have felt a bit tired since yesterday as I have been in Brazil for a couple of days, but since this is the Olympics and you don’t have too many opportunities, that’s why I keep hanging on.”
The mainland athletes, decked out in their familiar red and yellow outfits, are China’s largest delegation (711, including 416 athletes) in Olympic history – outside the 2008 Beijing Games – of whom 35 are trying to defend their Olympic crowns.
The 41-strong Hong Kong delegation, led at the opening ceremony by swimmer Stephanie Au Hoishun, comprises 22 athletes and 19 officials.
“You can always trust the Brazilians to put on a great party, that’s what we did – joined a flamboyant party today,” Hong Kong chef de mission Kenneth Fok Kai-kong said.

Hit with massive budget cuts, beleaguered organisers still staged an intimate party with samba music, spinning lights and wild dancing, capped by stunning supermodel Gisele Bundchen cascading across the entire length of the stadium to the tune of The Girl from Ipanema.


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From our archives

‘Stunning spectacle’: Rio Olympics kicks off in Brazil in 2016 – SCMP archive

The opening ceremony gave Brazilians a respite from months of bad publicity, a chance to belt out bossa nova and dance the samba as the 17-day party kicked off at the Maracana Stadium with a scaled-down but colourful, high-energy opening ceremony. Photo: AFP

Stephanie Au leads the Hong Kong team out at Rio. Photo: Reuters

Vir­ginia Thrasher, the US win­ner of the 10m air rifle, with sil­ver medal­list Du Li (left) and bronze medal­list Yi Sil­ing, both from China. Photo: AFP

Patricia Garcia Rodriguez of Spain is tackled by Elodie Guiglion of France, marking the return of rugby to the Olympics after a 92-year absence as they kicked off the sevens tournament. Photo: Reuters

A Better Tomorrow at 40: how John Woo blockbuster changed Hong Kong cinema – SCMP archive

Film still of A Better Tomorrow (1986) starring (from left) Ti Lung, Ming Leung, and Chow Yun-fat. Photo: Handout

Clipping from SCMP’s December 28, 1986 issue. Photo: SCMP

Chow Yun-fat in a scene from John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow. Photo: Handout

Film director John Woo posing with reels of raw films in 1991. Photo: SCMP

Actor Chow Yun-fat. Photo: SCMP

A clipping from SCMP’s November 30, 1986 issue. Photo: SCMP

A clipping from SCMP’s April 24, 1987 issue. Photo: SCMP

Still of Anita Mui Yim-fong and Chow Yun-fat in A Better Tomorrow III. Photo: Handout

Movie director Tsui Hark poses beside the poster of his movie, A Better Tomorrow III in 1989. Photo: SCMP

The sunglasses Chow Yun-fat wore in A Better Tomorrow sold out in Asia. Photo: Handout

Public anger in Hong Kong over low signal during 2006 Typhoon Prapiroon – SCMP archive

Big Wave Bay, near Shek O, lives up to its name as Typhoon Prapiroon approaches Hong Kong on August 3, 2006. Photo: SCMP

Some of SCMP’s Typhoon Prapiroon coverage from the August 4, 2006 issue. Photo: SCMP

Pedestrians brave the wind at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront as Typhoon Prapiroon approaches the city on August 2, 2006. Photo: SCMP

A fallen tree covers a car in Ma Shan village, Sai Kung, as Typhoon Prapiroon lashes through Hong Kong on August 3, 2006. Photo: SCMP

Over 10 containers were blown down by strong gusts of wind brought by Typhoon Prapiroon at Container Terminal 4 in Kwai Chung on August 3, 2006. Photo: SCMP

Sport

The Summer Olympics, held 10 years ago today, were the first Olympic Games ever held in South America


The Summer Olympics, held 10 years ago today, were the first Olympic Games ever held in South America.


.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Summer Olympics, held 10 years ago today, were the first Olympic Games ever held in South America

Rio Olympics off with a bang in rifle event

The Summer Olympics, held 10 years ago today, were the first Olympic Games ever held in South America