It’s a month until the start of the Rio 2016 Olympics on Friday 5th August, and here are three reasons why you should absolutely turn on the telly and watch the games, whether you’re a sports fanatic or not!
1. Who Will Compete?
There’s always a lot of controversy surrounding the Olympics and this time, there are no exceptions. This year, there has been a lot of worry surrounding the Zika virus, among other reasons, and quite a few of well known athletes have unfortunately pulled out of the games.
Though many athletes have used work schedule as an explanation to why they’re not going to be participating in the games, Australian golfer, Marc Leishman, has been quite open about why he won’t be in the games. His wife Audrey nearly died from toxic shock syndrome last year and has been prone to infection during recovery. “We have consulted with Audrey’s physician and due to her ongoing recovery and potential risks associated with the transmission of the Zika virus, it was a difficult, yet easy decision not to participate.”
Despite this small setback, this gives up-and-coming talent the opportunity to push through and hopefully come on top and it could mean that it may become even more difficult to predict this year’s winner, which will make the games that much more exciting…
2. It’s Usain Bolt’s last Olympics
Earlier on in the year, the Kingston born golden medal Olympian, revealed that the Rio 2016 Olympics will sadly, be his last. Bolt told Agence France Presse: “It’ll definitely be my last Olympics. It’s going to be hard to go four more years for me, to keep the motivation that I want, especially if I accomplish what I want to in Rio.”
So this will be our last chance to see the world famous athlete representing his country in the Olympics – and that’s not to be missed!
3. The Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony of any Olympic Games is a very special experience. In the 2012 London Olympics, director Danny Boyle was given the honor of organising the opening ceremony and of course, his spectacle showcased all things British: her Majesty the Queen, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Kenneth Branagh, JK Rowling, the Arctic Monkeys, Mr Bean and David Beckham all played a part in the event.
A large part of the ceremony was dedicated to the work of the National Health Service and institutions such as Great Ormond Street Hospital, for their tireless work for children. Our favourite nanny Mary Poppins came down on her flying umbrella to put all of the children to bed.
