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The Closing Ceremonies: See you in Tokyo 2020

blackwing

By blackwing
in 2016 Olympics

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blackwing

blackwing

Hard to believe the Olympics end on Sunday.   It feels like they are just getting started!

It might be a bit early since the track events are still going in full force, but any thoughts on who might carry the flags for the closing ceremonies?  Seems like Penny Oleksiak (swimming) for Canada and Monica Puig (tennis) for Puerto Rico seem like good bets.

For the U.S., Phelps carried in Opening so I doubt they'd have him do it for Closing as well.  Katie Ledecky is an obvious choice.  But Simone Biles makes a good case as well.  I would not at all be surprised if the honour ends up going to Ibithaj Muhammad, who has gotten a disproportionate amount of attention for her hijab.

My personal choice would be the fantastic champion, Venus Williams.  She to me represents the Olympic Spirit.  This was her fifth Olympics.  Knocked out of singles and women's doubles in the first round.  Decided to enter mixed doubles with Rajeev Ram, almost didn't have enough points to qualify.  Made it in to the draw, almost lost in the first round, gritted it out and won the silver medal.  Five medals over five Olympics.

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Trey
Trey

Before we all fade back into our regular lives, I want to thank everyone who posted on these threads for making the Olympics so much more enjoyable than if I had just watched them all by myself.

walnutqueen
walnutqueen

La la la la la.  I can't hear you! Besides, I'm on the Left Coast - AND I'm on DVR delay.  ;-) On a much too personal (and much too maudlin) note, I want to tell you all how much I've apprec

mightysparrow
mightysparrow

One of my favourite parts of the closing ceremonies is when the head of the IOC says 'I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in (insert city name)'.  It's so hopeful and I

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AuntieDiane6

AuntieDiane6

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I would not at all be surprised if the honour ends up going to Ibithaj Muhammad, who has gotten a disproportionate amount of attention for her hijab.

No ... she lost early on.  Nobody wants to honor losers, whether they're wearing a hijab or nun's habit or skull cap ... 

The honor seems to go to a medalist who may be initially off the media radar.  When I saw the list of flag bearers, I didn't recognize most of them as stars (and I am very familiar with Olympics.)  

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biakbiak

biakbiak

4 minutes ago, AuntieDiane6 said:

No ... she lost early on.  Nobody wants to honor losers, whether they're wearing a hijab or nun's habit or skull cap ... 

The honor seems to go to a medalist who may be initially off the media radar.  When I saw the list of flag bearers, I didn't recognize most of them as stars (and I am very familiar with Olympics.)  

I doubt it will be her but shedid win a gold with the team sabre.

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SnideAsides

SnideAsides

40 minutes ago, AuntieDiane6 said:

The honor seems to go to a medalist who may be initially off the media radar.  When I saw the list of flag bearers, I didn't recognize most of them as stars (and I am very familiar with Olympics.)  

In the opening ceremony, you mean? Like literally 10% of the flagbearers were judokas.

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Daisy

Daisy

Nooooo. NOOOO.. it can't be over so soon. man. two weeks - well 17 days -goes by soo fast. 
(and technically, it's not going to be Tokyo. our next destination is Pyeongchang, South Korea! (annnd I've been there. It's really pretty. actually a lot of South Korea is gorgeous, so it's going to be a homecoming for me of sorts, these winter games).

Penny is totally Canada's flag bearer like it's not even a question. She had that wrapped up way before she won her gold. (though, they might give it to Adam Van Koverdan due to his retirement. but he already carried it soo yah. Penny). 

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Superpole2000

Superpole2000

The closing ceremonies are like putting down a pet. You do it because you have to, not because you want to. I do like the montage of teary-eyed contestants breaking down during/after their events, so I hope Brazil leaves that in. But I'll never forgive London for dropping the ball in 2012 when they brought out the Spice Girls but didn't make them sing "Goodbye."

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NUguy514

NUguy514

2 hours ago, biakbiak said:

I doubt it will be [Ibtihaj Muhammad] but shedid win a gold with the team sabre.

The team won a bronze.

I'll be super sad when the Olympics end, but I will be exceedingly glad to get actual sleep again.

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walnutqueen

walnutqueen

9 hours ago, Daisy said:

Nooooo. NOOOO.. it can't be over so soon. man. two weeks - well 17 days -goes by soo fast. 
(and technically, it's not going to be Tokyo. our next destination is Pyeongchang, South Korea! (annnd I've been there. It's really pretty. actually a lot of South Korea is gorgeous, so it's going to be a homecoming for me of sorts, these winter games).

So looking forward to the Winter Olympics.  I'm sure people on the West Coast of Canada will be able to hear me cheering for our athletes from way down here in sunny San Diego county!  I. am. Canadian.    ;-)

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SeanC

SeanC

(edited)
On 8/16/2016 at 11:31 PM, Daisy said:

Penny is totally Canada's flag bearer like it's not even a question. She had that wrapped up way before she won her gold. (though, they might give it to Adam Van Koverdan due to his retirement. but he already carried it soo yah. Penny). 

I think De Grasse is also a possibility for Canada, given all the attention he got in the second week, and particularly since he was kind of an international story and Oleksiak was pretty much just national.  But I strongly favour it being Penny -- she set a record for medals and won gold.

Edited by SeanC
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Superpole2000

Superpole2000

1 hour ago, SeanC said:

I think De Grasse is also a possibility for Canada

Higher profile, and to me, more impressive due to the stature of the events in which he hit the podium...not to mention swimming medal inflation. But Penny won a gold, and De Grasse did not. I think you have to go with a gold winner.

I'd rather carry the flag for the Opening Ceremonies anyway. You actually get on camera for the world to see, and your team follows you in. My guess is that if Penny gets to carry the flag this year then Andre will get the Opening honour in 2020 (and vice versa). Of course, we also have to hope neither one of them gets injured in between now and then. Four years is a long time.

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biakbiak

biakbiak

Is Penny even still in Rio? A lot of closing flag bearers come from second week athletes because a lot of the swimmers and others with events in the first week leave long before the closing ceremonies.

My random guess for the US is Eaton.

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SeanC

SeanC

8 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Is Penny even still in Rio? A lot of closing flag bearers come from second week athletes because a lot of the swimmers and others with events in the first week leave long before the closing ceremonies.

She is.  Originally she was supposed to fly home after the swimming events, but she stuck around for the prospect of carrying the flag.

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greyhorse

greyhorse

1 hour ago, KenyaJ said:

The official TeamUSA twitter account just announced that Simone Biles is the U.S. flag bearer for the closing ceremonies. Hard to quibble with that choice. 

Great honor for Simone and she along with Michael and Katie have obviously been the face of the Olympics.  Surprised that she hasn't gone home yet like a lot of the athletes.  I would liked it to go to Allyson as the most decorated US female track and field Olympian.  Is she retiring after these Olympics, or is there a chance she will be back?  

One obvious choice for who was never ever considered:  the disgraced Ryan Lochte.  He needs to move out of the country.

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legaleagle53

legaleagle53

19 minutes ago, greyhorse said:

One obvious choice for who was never ever considered:  the disgraced Ryan Lochte.  He needs to move out of the country.

His idiotic behavior will have been long forgotten by the time 2020 rolls around.  Hopefully, by then he'll have found the love of his life (besides himself, I mean), and the two of them will have settled down and he'll have a kid to mature and mellow him.  It worked for Michael Phelps and Bode Miller, after all.

Or, considering that Ryan is Ryan's one true love, maybe not.

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biakbiak

biakbiak

33 minutes ago, greyhorse said:

Great honor for Simone and she along with Michael and Katie have obviously been the face of the Olympics.  Surprised that she hasn't gone home yet like a lot of the athletes.  

She performed in the gala which was only a few days ago.

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roamyn

roamyn

Good for Simone!  Even though it might be hard for a little bitty thing like her.

I might've gone with Eaton or Simone Manuel or Katy or Michael, but Simone B is a good choice.

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legaleagle53

legaleagle53

28 minutes ago, roamyn said:

Good for Simone!  Even though it might be hard for a little bitty thing like her.

I might've gone with Eaton or Simone Manuel or Katy or Michael, but Simone B is a good choice.

Michael Phelps already carried the flag in the opening ceremony.   Having him carry it in the closing ceremony as well would be beyond ridiculous.

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SeanC

SeanC

5 hours ago, evilmindatwork said:

Do most athletes normally leave before closing ceremonies? I've been seeing a lot of twitter/instagram photos of a few just wandering around and having fun. 

A lot of the ones who only compete in the first week do go home early.

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legaleagle53

legaleagle53

10 minutes ago, Daisy said:

I don't want it to be tomorrow :( I don't want the Olympics to be over. :'( 
 

Cheer up.  We still have the Paralympics in a couple of weeks, and it's only 18 months until the next Winter Games, when you'll kick some US butt in hockey.  :)

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Daisy

Daisy

11 minutes ago, legaleagle53 said:

Cheer up.  We still have the Paralympics in a couple of weeks, and it's only 18 months until the next Winter Games, when you'll kick some US butt in hockey.  :)

(laugh). 

I know the Paralympics are going to be on as well - but with work and everything starting up it's really hard to get really engrossed in those ones as much as the Olympics, i always do my best though.  It will go by Quickly though (I always find the Winter Olympics comes so quickly where it takes for.ev.er for the Summer Games to come). 

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walnutqueen

walnutqueen

13 minutes ago, Daisy said:

I don't want it to be tomorrow :( I don't want the Olympics to be over. :'( 
 

I'll be having some MAJOR withdrawals come Monday.  I plan on day drinking and catching up on some of my other DVR'd shows.  And naps.  Lots of naps.

 

2 minutes ago, legaleagle53 said:

Cheer up.  We still have the Paralympics in a couple of weeks, and it's only 18 months until the next Winter Games, when you'll kick some US butt in hockey.  :)

 

The Paralympics will be fun, but 18 months seems like such a long time.  :-(

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Daisy

Daisy

Just now, walnutqueen said:

I'll be having some MAJOR withdrawals come Monday.  I plan on day drinking and catching up on some of my other DVR'd shows.  And naps.  Lots of naps.

 

 

The Paralympics will be fun, but 18 months seems like such a long time.  :-(

Right? it's so weird. like my best friend is like "are you going to be normal now?" LOL i totally get in the zone. When i get a "real job" I am going to truly have to figure out how to block off seventeen days for the Olympics.  but i am so behind on my shows. (and yah i am exhausted too. Olympic'ing is hard when you're older!)

and i know.. It's 536 days away.  That's an eternity. 

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Bill1978

Bill1978

I'm predicting some random swimmer for Australia, although I won't be shocked if they give it to Jarred Tallent who become our most medalled male track and field athlete of all time and it would give him a chance to be honoured on the Olympic stage since he didn't get his moment of Gold celebration in London.

Personally I would love it to be Chloe Esposito for her Modern Pentathlon achievement.

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Ceindreadh

Ceindreadh

The 'advantage' of not lighting up the medal tables means there's less of a choice in terms of flag carrier ?

Gary O'Donovan (silver medalist men's double sculls) will be carrying the flag for Ireland. (His brother/teammate is competing in the World Championships otherwise they'd probably have done a 'rock paper scissors' to decide!)

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SeanC

SeanC

59 minutes ago, galaxygirl76 said:

I already mentioned this in the gymnastics thread but Sanne Wevers is the flag bearer for the Netherlands.

Good choice, her routine was beautiful.

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Trey

Trey

Before we all fade back into our regular lives, I want to thank everyone who posted on these threads for making the Olympics so much more enjoyable than if I had just watched them all by myself.

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Gulftastic

Gulftastic

Kate Richardson-Walsh will carry the flag for Team GB at the closing ceremony. She captained our hockey team to gold glory.

https://www.teamgb.com/news/kate-richardson-walsh-named-as-team-gb's-closing-ceremony-flagbearer

Fun fact, also on the team was her wife Helen. They are the first married couple to win gold for GB since 1920, when Cyril and Dorothy Wright won in the sailing. In my mind, they sailed their boat fully dressed for dinner.

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Daisy

Daisy

12 minutes ago, Trey said:

Before we all fade back into our regular lives, I want to thank everyone who posted on these threads for making the Olympics so much more enjoyable than if I had just watched them all by myself.

Exactly. it truly makes the Olympics a global event. Canadians, Americans, Dutch, Brits, Australians. (it's always interesting to see whom is where you know?)

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maraleia

maraleia

51 minutes ago, Gulftastic said:

Kate Richardson-Walsh will carry the flag for Team GB at the closing ceremony. She captained our hockey team to gold glory.

https://www.teamgb.com/news/kate-richardson-walsh-named-as-team-gb's-closing-ceremony-flagbearer

Fun fact, also on the team was her wife Helen. They are the first married couple to win gold for GB since 1920, when Cyril and Dorothy Wright won in the sailing. In my mind, they sailed their boat fully dressed for dinner.

I love this and how LGBTQ inclusive these Olympics were despite some horrible commentators dismissing these fabulous people and their romantic relationships.

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roamyn

roamyn

17 hours ago, walnutqueen said:

I'll be having some MAJOR withdrawals come Monday.  I plan on day drinking and catching up on some of my other DVR'd shows.  And naps.  Lots of naps.

 

 

The Paralympics will be fun, but 18 months seems like such a long time.  :-(

Yeah, but I will find it cruel to snark on Paralympics, myself.

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Daisy

Daisy

3 minutes ago, roamyn said:

Yeah, but I will find it cruel to snark on Paralympics, myself.

agreed. 

Oh. Penny was in Canada for like 1/2 the week then came back to Rio (i'm guessing she knew she was carrying the flag). I love how down to earth she is. 

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