112 Best Moments from Rio 2016 Olympics

[full_width]The summer of 2016 saw all eyes turn to Rio de Janeiro for sport's greatest spectacle. But, unlike previous games, excitement was conserved. Taking its place was a wealth of controversy, doubt and criticism - was Brazil fit to host such an event? Could we trust what we were seeing with drug cheats? Was the Olympics going to be a calamity?

When all was said and done after more than a fortnight of breathtaking sport, those questions were forgotten. Through every splash of water, and every dashed metre, we forgot about the pressing political issues and just embraced the Olympic spirit.

Rio de Janeiro became a carnival of colour, an array of diversity beyond sport. In the Olympic arena it proved to create some historic moments: the exits of two Olympic icons, the birth of others, jaw-dropping world records to name a few.

2016 was an Olympic year to remember. Here, we count down the top 112 moments of the games. 100 was the shot, but there was just some which could not be ignored.

Editors note: We tried to deviate from British and American bias which is perhaps why a few raised eyebrows may be caused by the absence of certain moments on this list. It is a subjective list based on the scale of the achievement and its reaction / influence.

Image: Mirror

#112: Kosovo's first Olympic champion: Majlinda Kelmendi won her country their first ever gold medal as she defeated Odette Giuffrida in the final of the women's 52 kg judo contest, following up with an out pour of emotion after going down in the folklore of her nation. "I just proved to them that even after we survived a war, if they want something they can have it," she said following the victory.

Image: The New York Times / Getty Images

#111: Tony Yoka prevails as King of the ring: In the largest and final boxing competition of the games, Tony Yoka edged Britain's Joe Joyce in the super-heavyweight bracket after a marginal contest. Joyce started well on the front foot, but was to be outscored by his counterpart who just did enough - although many did have a lot to say about the judging throughout the scene.

Image: Rio 2016

#110: Young Aussies emerge from the pool: 20-year-old Mack Horton earmarked the games as the beginning of a potential star career as he pulled off the upset to win gold in the final of the 400m freestyle, on a week where he stepped up his rivalry with the infamous Sun Yang, referring to his drug use and splashing of opponents. Meanwhile, Kyle Chalmers was far more quieter but his achievement was the equal, winning gold with a surprise win in the 100m freestyle.

Image: Central West Daily

#109: Glasnovic outlasts Pelelio in sudden death shootout: Josip Glasnovic braved an agonising sudden death round of the men's trap final, tying with 13 points against Italy's Giovanni Pellielo to extend the contest, in which the Croat took advantage of a missed shot to become Olympic champion.

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#108: Winds rip across the Lagoa: Prior to the games, the venue for the rowing events was under question due to the openness making it prone to the wind. Serbia would find out exactly why that was the case when their team capsized into the water and lost out on a quarter-final spot in the coxless pair.

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#107: Judo giant retains heavyweight title: Teddy Riner proved himself to be the biggest and best judoka in the games as he got the job done against Hisayoshi Harasawa. Two shido penalties would make the difference, as the Frenchman once again took the gold.

Image: NBC Olympics

#106: American teenager wins first gold medal of the games: 19-year-old Virginia Thrasher secured the first gold medal of the summer games, scoring 208 in the final of the women's 10m air rifle. It began yet another outstanding games for the nation who unsurprisingly topped the standings from the outset.

Image: FOX 5 DC

#105: Wu Minxia dives to history: China's Wu Minxia solidified herself as one of the finest Olympic divers in history when she alongside teammate Shi Tingmao handed their nation another medal from the sport, scoring 345.60 in the synchronised 3m springboard.

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#104: Russia hold on for handball title against France: Despite it concluding with a record-low total of points, Russia and France's women certainly put on a show - one which was celebrated in the end by the Rossiya. A 22-19 scoreline, with Anna Vyakhireva leading the stats helped them pull-off a never-before-done feat from the country's women.

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#103: Records tumble as a "Qing" is crowned: Long Qingquan of China prevailed in a sensational 56 kg weightlifting contest, breaking the world record with a lift of 170 kg as three Olympic records tumbled over a wild three minute period.

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#102: Road race chaos: The testing courses around Rio de Janeiro would take their victims, with a challenging descent ending the campaigns of Vincenzo Nibali and Annemiek van Vleuten, while also affecting Geraint Thomas among others. While the views around the course were nothing short of stunning, the danger came under scrutiny by onlookers as Greg van Avermaet of the Netherlands and Anna van Der Breggen claimed the gold medals.

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#101: Esposito sweeps the board: Chloe Esposito made her case to be the most skilled woman on Earth as the Aussie won her country's first medal in the modern pentathlon discipline following a remarkable shooting and running conclusion. She had time to make in the final event, but did so and put on a show in the process.

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#100: Kenya's Kipchoge strolls marathon: On a rain-struck morning Rio, Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge would brave the elements to take the marathon title after over 2 hours and 8 minutes of relentless pacing. Ethiopia's Feyisa Lilesa and USA's Galen Rupp followed shortly but the event belonged rightfully to Kipchoge, who waited his opportunity before grabbing the race by the scruff of its neck.

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#99: Mixed gold for the Indonesians: Liliyana Natsir and Tontowi Ahmad made light work of their malaysian counterparts as they took the gold medal in the mixed badminton doubles. They also spoilt the party for the Chinese, who instead would duke it out in the bronze medal match after the Indonesian contingent played excellently throughout.

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#98: Russians clash in dramatic sabre final: Yana Egorian produced a heroic comeback in an all-Russian final of the women's sabre individual final as she rallied to defeat compatriot Sofya Velikaya - also the number one in the world - trailing by 5 points to tie things up and subsequently land the fatal blow. Despite questions raised about Russian athletes prior to the games, the fencers were cleared by the governing body and showed that not everyone can be painted with the same brush.

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#97: Maroulis ends unbeaten run of Yoshida: USA's Helen Maroulis brought the Japanese run of victories in the women's wrestling to an abrupt halt as she stunned the seemingly unstoppable Saori Yoshida, snapping the 4-year unbeaten streak of the freestyle wrestler. A double-pointer late on would make the difference and Yoshida would be a pile of raw emotion after the loss, crying on the podium, while her opponent also shed tears - although they were of joy.

Image: NBC Olympics

#96: Williams sisters miss out on gold: Rio's tennis tournaments delivered a plethora of upsets, which started on the very first day as a frustrated Venus Williams was eliminated from the competition by Kristen Flipkens. One day later, she lost alongside her sister Serena in the first round of the doubles, before the women's world number one was stunned on a terrible day in which she served five double faults in one game en route to the exit.

Image: SB Nation

#95: Amateurs topple the professionals: Another big storyline heading into the games was the new ruling which allowed professional boxers to compete in the amateur tournaments at Rio 2016. However, contrary to belief, the pros would not even get close to the medals. Cameroon's Hassan N'Dam bowed out as did Amnat Ruenroeng and Carmine Tommasone. Despite them not being the most blockbuster names, it was a bit of warning sign to professionals considering it: you'll be better of staying away.

Image: The Straits Times

#94: Nino Schurter reaches the pinnacle: Switzerland's Nino Schurter completed an amazing collection of medals as he picked up the gold on his third attempt in the mountain biking course. As the athletes took to the unforgiving terrain, Schurter completed his exponential improvement, going from bronze in 2008, to silver in 2012 and finally now taking the best of the lot.

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#93: South Korea sweep archery gold: Archery competitions were dominated by the South Koreans, whose men's team started it all with a dominant victory over USA, hitting the gold circle on 6 occasions. One day later, the women made light work of Russia, before Ku Bon-Chan and Chang Hye-jin took the individual titles.

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#92: Jorgensen repays favourite tag with masterclass in triathlon: America's Gwen Jorgensen lived up to the billing as event favourite with a time of 1:58.16 rewarding her a gold medal in the women's triathlon, mounting a comeback after lagging on the swimming across the Copacabana, ousting Nicola Spirig Hug on her way to an iconic status.

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#91: Adam Peaty wins Britain's first Rio gold with world record: Adam Peaty relished the pressure and went on to break his own world record in the final of the 100m breaststroke, kickng off an incredibly successful games for Team GB as he defeated silver medalist Cameron van der Burgh by more than one and a half seconds.

Image: Swimming World

#90: Russian rhythm: Towards the tail end of the games came the rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming events, which the Russians would end up dominating. Their women took home a fifth consecutive gold medal in the gymnastics, while it was more of the same in the sync, staying on the beat throughout.

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#89: Lilly King gets one over the drug cheats: Continuing with the ongoing theme of doping was American Lilly King, who boldly claimed that convicted drug cheats such as Tyson Gatlin and opponent Yulia Efimova did not belong in the games. In what was a toxic atmosphere for the 100m breaststroke, the American broke an Olympic record to win the gold medal ahead of her Russian opponent who had successfully appealed a doping suspension.

Image: The New York Times

#88: Kangaroos' women win first gold of rugby sevens: The re-introduction of rugby to the Olympic scene under the new format of rugby sevens delivered some instant memories, as Australia edged fellow titans New Zealand by just 4 tries to 3 in a nail-biting final.

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#87: Sun Yang plays villain to top Le Clos: The controversial swimmer Sun Yang came from behind to defeat a storming Chad le Clos who came racing out of the blocks in the 200m freestyle final but was unable to keep up the pace.

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#86: Monstrous Mijain wins commanding third gold: Cuba's gigantic Mijaín López would once again take the throne in the men's heavyweight greco-roman wrestling, defeating Riza Kayaalp for a third consecutive gold in the discipline. The 130+ kg category finale won comfortably, 6-0.

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#85: Laugher and Mears deny China of synchronised sweep: Just as China began to zero in on a four out of four in the synchronised diving events, Great Britain's duo of Jack Laugher and Chris Mears secured the top prize in the 3m springboard, with the Chinese falling to a bronze.

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#84: Ruthless Germany obliterate Fiji: In the same stadium where they notoriously crushed 2014 World Cup hosts Brazil in their semi final two years prior, Germany showed no mercy to Fiji as they smashed 10 past the Pacific islanders in Belo Horizonte.

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#83: Skantar cousins continue the Slovakian tradition: Peter and Ladislav Skantar handed their nation a fourth gold medal out of five in the men's canoe double, timing 101.58 seconds to defeat the opposition and add some golden lustre to their family as well.

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#82: Hole-in-one to mark golf's awaited return: Despite all the criticism and backing out of athletes, golf went ahead and proved to be a spectacle in the games. On the first day, eventual winner Justin Rose nailed a hole-in-one, as the sport made its return after 112 years.

Image: Getty Images / Business Insider Deutschland

#81: High-speed conversation: When you are sharing the track with one of the greatest athletes of all time, it's an appropriate occasion to test yourself. Andre De Grasse did just that, and created a spectacular exchange in the process with Usain Bolt. In the short span of their 200m semi-final, the Canadian attempted to pass the Olympic champion, but after a lot of smiling and competitive talk it was Bolt who came out victorious.

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#80: Park makes amazing revival to win épée individual: South Korea's Sangyoung Park pulled off a jaw-dropping comeback on his Olympic debut to win the men's individual épée against Géza Imre. He refused to give in even though he trailed by 4 points and his Hungarian counterpart needed just 1 to win. 6 consecutive points in favour of Park meant that he had done the unthinkable.

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#79: Djokovic sheds tears as Olympic dream falls apart: World number one Novak Djokovic was denied of an illusive gold on the very first hurdle as he lost out to Juan Martin del Potro in a thrilling match. The Argentine himself was stuck in an elevator for 30 minutes on the same day, but it wouldn't affect his performance. The Serbian was visibly distraught as he walked off the court in uncontrollable tears.

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#78:Simone Manuel shares groundbreaking win alongside Oleksiak: Simone Manuel became the first African-American woman to win a gold in the pool as she spectacularly tied Penny Oleksiak for the 100m freestyle title with times of 52.70

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#77: Japan come out on top in spectacular team final: Lead by the red-hot Kohei Uchimura, the Japanese men's gymnastics team defeated Russia and China in a final which exhibited the best gymnastics on the planet. The Russians were the surprise package, able to contend with the Asian superpowers of the rings, bars and floor.

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#76: Veterans stand the test of the time trial: Fabian Cancellera's 16-year career ended as far as Olympic terms are concerned with a gold medal in the men's time trial, defeating Tour de France champion Chris Froome who took bronze, and finished ahead of the silver place by 47 seconds. Meanwhile Kristin Armstrong, at age 42, won the women's contest and was emotional after giving it her all in the rain.

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#75: Team USA dazzle in the team gymnastics: American dominance in women's gymnastics saw no end in sight as their team, dubbed as "The Final Five" produced an impeccable display headlined by a magical Simone Biles performance to see off Russia by a comfortable margin in excess of 8 points.

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#74: Uchimura retains crown in all-around spectacle: The men's individual final provided more success for the Japanese star, as Oleg Verniaiev pushed him to the brink, but a small hop after the landing would make all the difference over the course of a final with the podium places seperated by just 0.099 of a point.

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#73: A first gold medal under the independent Olympic banner: Fehaid Aldeehani became the first ever athlete to win an event under the independent flag, taking the top prize in the men's double trap final. He edged Marco Innocenti by 2 points, as the Kuwait-born athlete entered the games as independent due to the suspension of his country for government interference in sport.

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#72: 10km not enough to separate Weertman and Gianniotis: The case for more digits on the Olympic time hotted up (if there was one) as yet another two athletes recorded the same time. On this occasion it was a nail-biting conclusion to the men's 10 km swimming marathon across the Copacabana, where Ferry Weertman prevailed from a photo finish against Spiros Gianniotis.

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#71: Ding Ning gets revenge over Xiaxoia four years on: Just like in London back in 2012, Li Xiaxoia and Ding Ning once again met, standing in front of each other's quests for Olympic gold. The reigning champion Xiaxoia would be toppled by Ning in a thrilling contest, as China went on to dominate and sweep all the table tennis competitions for the third straight Olympic games. In the men's singles, reigning champion Zhang Jike would also be toppled, and when these players were assembled as a team, they were impossible to defeat.

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#70: Unbeaten Kiwis roll to coxless title: The New Zealand duo of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond won their 69th straight race to secure the top spot on the podium in the final of the men's coxless pair, and perhaps solidifying their spots as the greatest rowing pair in history.

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#69: Green track, blue pool: During the final of the women's 10m synchronised platform, concerns and some amusement was triggered at the appearance of the pool. It had suddenly turned green and officials didn't even disclose that it was algae until a few days after. Thankfully, no one was harmed but there were some disruptions - and since that was the worst organisational problem of the games, it was a resounding success. Meanwhile, the opening of the athletics showed a blue track (which obviously wasn't chemically changed), the first of its kind in the Olympic games.

Image: New Scientist

#68: Denmark dethrone France in handball: France's grip over the handball title was unlocked by a resilient Danish effort, as the 2008 and 2012 winners were beaten out by 2 points in the men's final. It was uncomfortable throughout in the all-European affair, which appeared that Les Bleus were getting back in to, right until late possession and a crucial counter attack sealed the deal in favour of Denmark.

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#67: Serbia and Croatia settle fierce rivalry in the pool: Tournament after tournament, the men's Olympic water polo title had proved a step too far for the Serbians. That was until the penultimate day of the games in which they overpowered their bitter rivals Croatia 11-7, halting them thanks to an inspired effort in goal by Branislav Mitrovic.

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#66: 4x4 control for the Americans: There was simply no stopping Team USA in their quest for gold over the 4x400m discipline, as times of 2:57.30 and 3:19.06 for the men and women respectively helped them sweep the finals of the competition. Great Britain's women and Bahama's men managed to pip spots on the podium with relatively surprising efforts.

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#65: Germany take team dressage crown: Despite a strong performance by Charlotte Dujardin, Team GB were unable to win the back-to-back golds as Germany gained revenge from 2012 as their team all scored above 76.

Image: The Horse Rider's Journal

#64: Drysdale goes back-to-back after photo finish: Mahe Drysdale continued his reign as single sculls Olympic champion by edging Croatia's Damir Martin by the most slightest of margins - so slight, in fact, that not even the time could separate them. The New Zealand rower won following analysis of the photo finish - while the European was unlucky not to be sharing the peak of the podium.

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#63: Anita Włodarczyk smashes her own hammer throw record: Poland's Anita Włodarczyk secured her place as the greatest women's hammerthrower of all time as she threw a jaw-dropping distance of 82.29m. It came on the same morning in which she broke the Olympic record, leaping into the air in excitement even before it landed knowing that she had once again moved strides ahead of her rivals.

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#62: Pajon dazzles to BMX glory: Mariana Pajon once again proved why she is the undisputed queen of the BMX as the Colombian retained her Olympic title. After a tournament full of chaotic crashes and injuries, one continental favourite emerged from the pack with the support of the crowd. Connor Fields won the USA's first ever BMX gold in the men's tournament, later in the day.

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#61: Ruth Jebet doesn't care about world records: Bahrain's first gold medal was earned in the 3000m steeplechase - and they could have had a complimentary world record with it as Ruth Jebet charged to glory. The Kenyan-born athlete switched countries to pursue her dream, and no one could contend - and after a storming 2,000m the record was under threat, but she ended up coasting over the final straight.

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#60: Sweden send the world champions packing: Women's world champions USA were stunningly knocked out of the tournament in the quarter-finals by Sweden, who edged them in the penalty shootout after a dramatic 120 minutes. Hope Solo lashed out afterwards, calling them "cowards", but the Swedes deserve full credit for how they kept in it.

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#59: Valegro and Dujardin deliver masterclass again: Britain's Charlotte Dujardin retained her Olympic title in the individual dressage grand prix upon her iconic Dutch Warmblood breed horse, scoring 93.857 with a marvellous display.

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#58: Fiji blast their way to a first-ever gold: The small island of Fiji won their first ever gold in devastating fashion, as they ripped apart Great Britain in the final of the men's rugby sevens. Winning 43-7 in the gold medal match, there was no question about the feat following the early stages.

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#57: Resurgence of Ervin: 16 years on from when he won the 50m freestyle in Sydney, Anthony Ervin came back and reclaimed the gold to become the oldest athlete to win a swimming medal. With water splashing around as the competitors were neck and neck, it was the American who just edged it in perhaps one of the finest performances of the games.

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#56: France overcome Italian rivals to get back to the top: Following four difficult years in French fencing after failing to win a medal in the last games for the first time since 1960, their men's épée team notched a dominant victory in a battle of fencing heavyweights. They didn't drop a bout throughout the final to win 45-31 and add another chapter to the storied rivalry.

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#55: Justin Rose lands first golf gold in over a century: The return of golf to the Olympics was met with some criticism - but that was all rebutted over the course of a thrilling finale to the men's tournament, where Britain's Justin Rose was crowned champion by overcoming Henrik Stenson. Continuous back-and-forth in the late stages was all wrapped up with a birdie by Rose to seal his place in the record books.

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#54: Nadal wins doubles gold: After missing out on the 2012 Olympics due to injury, Rafael Nadal returned with a vengeance and in search of some hardware. While he missed out on singles after being edged by Del Potro in an epic semi final, he did win gold as the Spanish duo of himself and Marc Lopez won the doubles' tournament.

Image: Rafael Nadal Fans

#53: Schooling stuns as three tie for silver in 100m fly: Joseph Schooling stunned Michael Phelps in the 100m butterfly which also featured an incredible three-way tie for the silver medal, featuring Le Clos, Cseh and the great American. The dramatic race featured the Singaporean athlete set a high pace and maintain it throughout, while Phelps, playing catchup, managed to touch the pad as did two others at the same time.

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#52: Mo Farah overcomes fall to win back-to-back 10,000m titles: With the pressure on, Mo Farah marked his place as one of the greatest British athletes of all time with yet another remarkable long distance victory, racing ahead and overcoming a stumble to win the 10,000m final. Earlier in the race, the Brit was tripped by his own teammate accidentally, but would manage to recover, and eventually catch-up. An inspired final lap solidified the result, as Mo charged past the finishing line in his signature fashion.

Image: Doug Mills / The New York Times

#51: Monica Puig pulls off the upset: In a set of tennis tournaments filled with shocks and surprises, Monica Puig topped the lot as she provided Puerto Rico with their first ever gold medal. The world number 33 at the time ended her unbelievable run by topping Angelique Kerber to catapult her career into stardom, winning by 2 sets to 1.

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#50: Whitlock ends Britain's longstanding wait with a quick double: Prior to the finals of the floor exercise and pommel horse, Great Britain had no gymnastic champions in the history of the games. Over the space of the hour, Max Whitlock brought back two as he executed a stunning floor routine before outdoing compatriot Louis Smith for the top prize on the apparatus.

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#49: Murray becomes first ever tennis player to retain title: Andy Murray halted the spectacular resurgence of Juan Martin Del Potro over the course of a thrilling final, winning by 3 sets to 1 on a vibrant afternoon in Rio de Janeiro. The Argentine would fade late on following a classic with Nadal earlier, with the Wimbledon champion digging deep into his reservoirs of five-set experience.

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#48: Viviani survives crash to take omnium: Elia Viviani defied the odds and overcame a tough crash to win the omnium title which was concluded by a haywire points race. Mark Cavendish of Britian finally captured the illusive medal, finishing in second but not without controversy after causing a crash which injured Sanghoon Park and ended his campaign. Unfortunately, the South Korean's dreams were crushed for something that was entirely not his fault, instead the hands of Cavendish who even looked before cutting in front. He wouldn't be able to deter the spirit of the Italian Viviani, who finished third in the final race and had enough points to win the omnium.

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#47: Jeffry Julmis keeps the show going: One of the most viral videos of the games featured Haitian competitor Jeffrey Julmis, who would take a hard fall on the first hurdle after showing off in front of the camera. He didn't give up though, instead opting to roll forward and finishing the race with everyone on their feet to applaud him. In the final of the 110m hurdles, Omar McLeod would storm to victory with much less drama.

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#46: Trott and Kenny, the dream duo: Laura Trott secured her spot as Britain's most successful female Olympian with a triumph in the omnium, winning by 24 points at the end before her soon-to-be husband George Kenny prevailed in a dramatic keirin race which featured 2 restarts after suspected overtaking of the pacer. The Brit would survive to tie Chris Hoy on most gold medals for a British athlete.

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#45:Double decathlon for Ashton Eaton: Ashton Eaton firmly stated his position as the best male athlete on the globe after continuing his reign as decathlon champion with a record-tying total of 8,893 points. Over the course of a gruelling ten-event competition, the American recovered from a below-par javelin attempt to create a comfortable advantage which even allowed a third-placed finish in the 1500m race.

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#44: Brazil's women stunned by Sweden: Marta and the Brazilian women's football team were denied of a gold or silver as they missed out on the final following a penalty shootout loss to Sweden. The Maracanã fell silent as the legend went to her knees and wept while the Swedes celebrated a huge berth.

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#43: Ezekiel Kemboi controversially disqualified: One of the best steeplechasers of all time, Ezekiel Kemboi, took bronze in the conclusion of an exciting men's final. That was of course until a review placed by France's Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad (in fourth place) concluded that the great Kenyan stepped out of the track, in what was a seemingly harsh, almost pedantic decision. Then when you remember that the Frenchman himself was controversially disqualified for taking his top off when winning a race in the past, things might just add up. Kemboi initially retired, but reversed the move following retirement. Conseslus Kipruto went on to stroll his way to the gold.

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#42: Iron Lady Hosszú takes a trio of gold medals: Hungary's Katinka Hosszú was one of the standout performers on the opening day of the games, starting it off with a world record in the final of the 400m individual medley. A backstroke gold along with an Olympic record in the 200m medley and finally a silver medal in the backstroke was imperative as Hungary powered up the scoreboards.

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#41: USA sweeps women's hurdles: Brianna Rollins, Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin starred in an all-American podium after their country dominated the 100m hurdles final. Britain's Cindy Ofili was closest to the pack, losing out to bronze medallist Catlin by 0.02 seconds. Rollins lead the charge for her teammate, powering to the top prize, as her and her compatriots flew the stars and stripes high above their shoulders.

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#40: Netherlands hold their nerve to scrape by Germany: The Netherlands' female field hockey team guaranteed themselves either a silver or gold medal in the tournament after edging the Germans in an epic semi-final shootout. With nothing to separate the sides following regular time, they battled on - with things still drawing on as it went to sudden death. Ellen Hoog capitalised on a miss to fire past the keeper and send the Dutch flying.

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#39: Triple triumph for Japan's women: The Japanese trio of Eri Tosoka, Kaori Icho and Sara Dosho ran riot in day 12 of the games, sweeping all 3 freestyle wrestling golds with emphatic performances. As the country continued to dominate in the discipline, there was little hope for the opponents, with their excellence coming through and taking some golds with them.

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#38: Bolt in a world of his own: In the first of two super-viral photographed moments, Usain Bolt was snapped smiling as he looked back on his opponents over a qualifying heat. While the others exerted themselves to their limits, he is as cool as you like. The picture speaks for itself.

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#37: Germany's revival in the dying minutes: Just as it appeared that New Zealand were marching to a major upset victory over Germany in the men's hockey tournament, they would be unwound at the hands of a spectacular comeback. Trailing by 2 goals with 5 minutes left on the clock, they got one back with some time to spare, before some 48 seconds prior to the end of regular time, they struck the equaliser. That wouldn't be it though, Germany would find a third as the seconds ticked down to complete a heroic comeback to put themselves in the semi-finals.

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#36: Argentina secure hockey title: Argentina won their first hockey gold as their men's team recovered from an early deficit to defeat Belgium 4-2 after breaking ahead in the end of the quarter.  It capped off a spectacular run for the South Americans who snatched the gold on relatively familiar soil.

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#35: Caster Semenya overcomes critics for 800m title: In what was a build-up full of doping allegations and other topical issues, Caster Semenya added to that mix with gender controversy. Subject to gender testing a few years back, and subsequently diagnosed with a testosterone-increasing condition of hyperandrogenism. The South African left her opponents in the rear-view mirror when it came to the 800m final, striding away and setting a national record, while all the runners up could simply complain. Others would have caved in, she refused.

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#34: Brotherly domination at the triathlon: Brothers Alistair and Jonny Brownlee added a gold and silver medal to their list of family accolades after the Brits dominated the triathlon over the 51.5km course. While things were still relatively even as the athletes emerged following a swim past the Copacabana, Alistair would make up some ground in the biking before racing ahead of his brother towards the end, walking over the line.

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#33: Marin outlasts spirited Sindhu in badminton final: India's P.V. Sindhu enjoyed a sensational run in the women's tournament, challenging many cultural misconceptions around her nation, but she'd fall short of gold after Carolina Marin of Spain defeated her by 2 sets to 1 in a hard-fought final.

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#32: German women scale the football summit: Germany's women seized the Olympic title as an own-goal proved the difference against Sweden, with Linda Sembrant's error ending the Swedes' uprising. For Germany, they rectified the miss from the women's World Cup to return with a vengeance.

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#31: Park makes landmark in return of women's golf: For the first time in 116 years, a female golfer was awarded the most prestigious gold-plated metal sport has to offer, as the Republic of Korea's Inbee Park shot her way to the history books in the tournament. Seven birdies on the last day of action all but sealed the feat, beating out world number one Lydia Ko.

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#30: Britain triumph on hockey penalties: Great Britain's women completed an inspired comeback against the reigning champions Netherlands to win the gold in the hockey tournament. Things were levelled at 3-3 son after it appeared the Dutch were on course to the win, and when the shootout did come round, the Brit keeper would save all penalties meaning Richardson-Walsh and Webb's converted tries would make the difference for an unprecedented gold medal.

Image: NBC Olympics

#29: Lee's heartbreak continues as Chen Long wins badminton men's: Malaysia's Chong Wei Lee suffered a third straight loss in the Olympic finals as he once again came up short in the men's badminton bracket, losing out to China's Chen Long. The torch was passed on to him by his compatriot Lin Dan, with a performance worthy of the top prize.

Image: SAYS.com

#28: Brits boss the track with incredible wins: Britain's men's pursuit team defeated Australia in a thrilling final, rallying from behind to take the crown as Bradley Wiggins himself bolstered the collection, taking his medal tally to the most out of any British athlete. It came a day after the sprint team broke an Olympic record to top the podium.

Image: SBS

#27: Brazil capture elusive volleyball gold: With the nation's best stars on hand, Brazil's men finally won the volleyball gold, destroying Italy in their back yard in straight games. A rapturous Maracanazinho arena gave them all they needed to charge ahead and spare the heartbreak from the women's exit; with generations inspired indoor and of course on the beaches for years to come.

Image: Espaces

#26: Cheick Sallah Cisse stuns Muhammad in thrilling last second victory: Ivory Coast's Cheick Sallah Cisse denied Lutalo Muhammad of a taekwondo gold medal after an incredible finish to the final of the men's -80 kg competition. Just as the Brit appeared to be zeroing in on redemption from the games in London, a reverse turning kick on the final second handed the African a sensational win.

Image: La Croix

#25: Neymar scores quickest goal in Olympic history

 Following a rather uninspired string of games, and a day after the women crashed out, the Maracanã was a cauldron of expectation but also pressure for the hosts, as Neymar captained his side to just one win away from the gold medal match. Just 14 seconds in, and the superstar would deliver, starting a six-goal rout as he bundled it into goal and finished off with a penalty in the late seconds.

Image: The Epoch Times

#24: USA's stronghold on the court continues

Perhaps the more inevitable outcomes of the games came by way of the basketball tournament, in which both the American men and women swept the gold medals again. Their women flew through the whole tournament, while the outfit lead by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving did need to shake off some early cobwebs but would end up closing out the Olympics by dismantling Serbia in the very last event. The women routed Spain the day prior, with no other nations having even a drop of hope that they can contend in future years.

Image: NBC Olympics

#23: Ayana demolishes 10,000m world record

Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana produced one of the greatest performances in athletics history as she destroyed the world record in the women's 10,000m by 14 seconds, overlapping her opponents and going at a remarkable pace to break the world record few believed could be touched.

Image: Olamild Ent

#22: Phelps storms to medley win

In front of a raucous crowd at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium, one of the greatest Olympians in history took gold in the 200m individual medley, with the crowd also roaring on home favourite Pereira. In the qualifications, he got the better of compatriot Ryan Lochte, but would cruise in the final, beating Hagino in silver.

Image: Getty Images

#21: Miller dives over the line to win 400m

One of the most astonishing race finishes in the games was produced by the Bahamas' Shaunae Miller, who ended up diving over the finishing line following a late stumble in the final of the 800m. American Allyson Felix was hot on her heels throughout, losing out by 0.07 seconds as the eventual gold medallist gave it her all, almost falling before, but managing to propel her movement past the line and towards Olympic glory.

Image: PanamericanWorld

#20: Ledecky rules the pool

Katie Ledecky wiped out the opposition with a dominant performance to break her own world record in the 800m freestyle, way ahead of the rest of the pack as she comfortably broke the record by 2 seconds. This was part of an extraordinary games for the American, making her Olympic debut by smashing a world record in the 400m individual medley final a week prior.

Image: Business Insider

#19: Phelps silences the critics

Michael Phelps' appearance at the Rio games completed a return full of challenges, one in which his opponents were unafraid to expose ahead of the 200m butterfly final. But when they took to the pool, the American edged Sakai of Japan by 0.04 seconds as he faded following an explosive start but had enough to stay in front. Signalling to the crowd after, the statement was made, and his night continued later on with another gold in the relay.

Image: Kitsap Sun

#18: Welcome refugees

An incredible show of solidarity towards the European migrant crisis featured in the games as a refugee team was formed - and even if no medals were hauled, it wasn't really about that. It was about how the world stood together, supported and welcomed these athletes as one, and showed yet again that we should stick together in times of need. Props to the athletes for giving it their best shot, and the United Nations and IOC for making it possible.

Image: AP

#17: Bolt blasts to victory in last 200m race

In what will seemingly become not only his last 200m race but also a final individual Olympic race, Usain Bolt performed just as he had done throughout the era - storming to a huge victory. In the final of the 200m, which followed shock eliminations of Justin Gatlin and Yohan Blake in the heats, the Jamaican relentlessly surged around the bend, breaking ahead all by himself on the home straight to pick up an eighth gold medal. Even if he was unable to break his world record, with age apparently catching up with him, and potential weather conditions, it remained yet another magical moment that will be treasured forever in the history of the games.

Image: Q FM

#16: The death stare

Michael Phelps and Chad le Clos' rivalry was well documented going into the butterfly finals - and while the South African enjoyed staring down his opponent, he would get the evils to say the least when the camera caught Phelps menacingly eyeing his opponent in a shot which went viral just like Bolt's smile - although for different reasons.

Image: NBC

#15: Nafissatou Thiam dethrones Ennis-Hill in heptathlon

For all the best efforts of Team GB's Jessica Ennis-Hill, an up-and-coming Belgian star would upstage her thanks to strong efforts in the javelin and long jump which would outweigh the 800m victory for the 2012 champion.

Image: SB Nation

#14: Usain Bolt's last leg

Just one thing remained to be conquered for Usain Bolt's campaign, and he did it with ease as the Jamaican completed an incredible triple-triple with victory alongside his teammates in the final of the 4x100m relay. Yohan Blake, Asafa Powell and Nickel Ashmeade set up the superstar for the final straight, where he surged in typical fashion, with the baton in hand, on possibly his last ever Olympic appearance. It truly is an honour to witness this legend in his prime, and now bowing out at the very top.

Image: Chicago Tribune

#12: New Queen of sprinting is crowned 

Elaine Thompson denied compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of a third gold medal in the 100m discipline as the Jamaican charged to the gold medal in the final with a time of 10.71 seconds. Her expression of shock would be amplified days later in the 200m final, when she once again took the crown in a dramatic finish, defeating Dafne Schippers to complete an unprecedented sprint double.

Image: CBC

#11: Thiago Braz da Silva rises to the occasion 

On a rain-hit day in Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Braz da Silva won a stunning gold medal in a superb final to the pole vault. In one of the most inspirational performances of the summer, the home boy would achieve a personal best and Olympic record of 6.03m, toppling Renaud Lavillenie who pushed him to the limit. The crowd in the stadium roared him on at every opportunity, while controversially booing the Frenchman which caused a bit of a stir afterwards.

Image: Agencia Brasil

#10: Mo Farah seals his place in history

Despite another stumble, this time in the heats, Mo Farah would complete a spectacular double-double as he stormed to the gold medal in the final of the 5,000m. Marking his position as one of the country's greatest ever Olympians, it was just as most; drifting behind the pack before letting his opponents know he was there, and capping it off with a miraculous final lap.

Image: Athletics Weekly

The famous Mo Bot celebration capped it all off. Long-distance running may never have witnessed such a legend of Farah's stature. All the better considering he powered through speculation, doubt and critics.

Image: Sportal

#9: Figueroa retires at the pinnacle 

Colombia's Oscar Figueroa enjoyed a dream retiring moment as he totalled 318 kg to win the 62 kg competition. Despite failing to break the Olympic record with his title already wrapped up, it proved to be an emotional moment for everyone in attendance as the champion left his boots on the platform, kissed the bar and cried.

Image: SI.com

In a sport so punishing, very rarely can someone retire in such fashion. Oscar Figueroa got to do that. A fairytale moment.

Image: NBC Olympics

#8: Brazil's first gold

The roof of the judo arena came unglued as 57 kg contender Rafaela Silva handed the hosts their first gold of the games. She became an instant hero with a victory over Belgium's Corina Căprioriu, racing into the crowd with tears in her eyes to celebrate with the fans.

Image:  Sports Illustrated

To be the first gold medal winner for Brazil in the games makes her a hero to the South American nation - a scintillating triumph that won't soon be forgotten.

Image: Washington Post

#7: van Niekerk shatters 400m world record

On a night where the world wondered who could fill the giant void in athletics left behind by Usain Bolt, South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk threw his hat into the ring with a breathtaking world record in the 400m final.

Image: The Straits Times

He was crowned Olympic champion after besting Michael Johnson's 17-year-long record with a phenomenal run. Showing no signs of letting up, a huge charge down the final straight left everyone in awe as he crossed the finish line and the feat was confirmed.

The history books were rewritten by something so unbelievable; the most gruelling race in athletics saw the South African never slow down.

Image:  Athletics Weekly

#6: The boyhood dream

With a sold-out attendance in the boxing arena spurring him on, Brazil's Robson Conceicao won a gold medal on his third attempt, winning the lightweight tournament with a fantastic performance against Sofiane Oumiha.

Image: SPORTAL

Too fast for the Frenchman, he was able to land huge combinations with incredible speed, and subsequently win by unanimous decision, falling to his knees as the arena erupted.

It was one of those moments were history felt like it was instantly written, a triumph shared by all through the bonding of the Brazilian nation. Robson Conceicao springboarded into a professional that night - and a hero for many, too.

Image: San Diego Union Tribune

​#5: "I'm not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I'm the first Simone Biles"

One of the biggest breakout stars from this Olympics neared invincibility in the gymnastics arena as Simone Biles added three further golds and a bronze to her team gymnastics medal. Other than a near fall on the beam which reduced her to bronze, she was impeccable in the all-around, floor and vault, with spectacular performances throughout leaving all spectators dazzled.

Image: ogeohalee

An instant star was born at Rio 2016. A flag-bearer for the United States sporting competition for the future, earning all the plaudits not just stateside, but beyond. Even a patented routine of her own: The Biles. At Rio 2016 we may have witnessed the start of an iconic Olympic career.

Image: Sports Illustrated

#4: Hamblin and D'Agostino embody true Olympic spirit 

It's not just all about winning at the Olympic games. These spectacles are for representing life, in essence, and the attitude that we should help each other in times of need. No better example would come than during the women's 5,000m race.

Image: Sportlobster

USA's Nikki Hamblin suffered a fall during the contest, taking the Kiwi Abbey D'Agostino down with her. D'Agostino was back to her feet quickly, while Hamblin was down and injured - but rather than continuing, the New Zealand athlete would help her up to her feet, and they would finish the race together, received by a standing ovation in the crowd and honorary awards. Truly amazing.

Image: Odyssey

#3: A 23rd and final gold for the great Michael Phelps

The legendary Olympic career of Michael Phelps came to an end with an astonishing and untouchable 23rd gold medal as the American closed off the swimming action at the games with a thunderous butterfly leg in the 4x100m medley relay.

Image: SPORTAL

Tears were in his eyes as he left it all in the pool and further installed his place among the true and few greats. Win after win, no matter what others said, Phelps continued to defy odds and do the unthinkable feats time after time. It was therefore, only fitting, that he would end his career as he started it, with gold.

23 golds. 1 Michael Phelps.

Image: TODAYOnline

#2: Still the fastest man on the planet

In the most highly anticipated 10 seconds in sport, Usain Bolt once again was crowned champion in the 100m as he recovered from a slow start to defeat Justin Gatlin in 9.81 seconds.

Image: Reuters

The Jamaican superstar relished the pressure and saluted a sold-out attendance in the athletics stadium, with the world watching on in admiration of his continuous ability to amaze everyone. There was just no stopping Bolt.

Image: The Kathmandu Post

A spectacular athlete. Once in a lifetime. The pressure was never greater on that night in Rio - and he excelled once again. The show stolen, the world in awe.

#1: Vengeance for Brazil as Neymar hands nation gold

Two years removed from hosting the World Cup in a campaign which ended in heartbreak, Brazil exacted revenge on the Germans as they defeated them in a nail-biting penalty shootout to be crowned men's football champions.

Image: The Independent

With the whole of the country standing still to watch on, Neymar handled the pressure and captained his side to history - scoring the winning penalty after nothing could separate the teams after 120 minutes. The elation in the Maracanã was simply incomparable; with the golden boy and his teammates reduced to tears after a remarkable achievement.

Image: 7DAYS

It marked an incredible return - an odyssey, through thick and thin. The man who missed out on that World Cup semi final ended up exacting revenge. The full circle - just like one in the Olympic rings.

Image: Slate

Obrigado

It was a truly beautiful Olympic games. As a website we covered each day of action live in our first ever games. Japan 2020 is just around the corner...