Rio 2016 Concludes with Fireworks and Deep Concerns with Life

Despite a rain and windy storm, a touch of sadness and with a sense of pride all were mixed together on Sunday night for the closing ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics as Brazil breathed a collective sigh of relief at having pulled off South America’s first Games.

After a grueling up and down 17 days, Rio de Janeiro cast aside early struggles with empty venues, security scares and a mysterious green diving pool to throw a huge carnival-like party on Sunday to end the Games.

But as the Games came to an end, concerns regarding the country’s political and economic condition will begin soon to re-surface.

But at the Maracana, samba dancers, singers, drummers and a giant colorful float mixed with hundreds of athletes in the storied Maracana stadium, while a final volley of fireworks lit up the night sky.

Brazilians came to the closing ceremony happy, many wearing the canary yellow jersey of the nation’s sports teams, having won two late gold medals in their two favorite sports, men’s soccer and beach volleyball.

But Sunday served up tough weather conditions for such a big party. High winds swirled the Maracana stadium, power briefly went out in the upper part of the stadium, and rain drenched performers and athletes as they entered the ceremony, many with medals hanging around their necks.

The city handed over the Olympic flag to Tokyo, site of the 2020 Summer Games, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appeared in the stadium dressed as popular video game character Mario, making his way from Tokyo to Rio.

International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach declared the Rio Games closed and expressed hope that they had left a lasting mark on the metropolitan area of 12 million people.

In the midst of its worst economic recession since the 1930s, Brazil’s opening and closing ceremonies relied more on the country’s unique talents and natural beauty and less on expensive technology as other cities have done in the past.