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The Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2016, will be held at the Maracana stadium from the 5th to the 16th of August. 206 countries have fielded over 10,000 athletes for the Games, which is the first edition for many participants this year. Brazil had won hosting rights to this edition of the Olympics back in 2009, and although the construction of the facilities and village in Rio has come under serious global scrutiny economically and socio-politically, the organizers appear to have been able to put facilities together in time for the Games to run as scheduled.
Live Rio Olympics 2016 Medal Tally
The United States of America has historically been the most successful nation at the Olympics. The country has produced some of the world’s best swimmers and gymnasts in addition to water sportsmen.
Mark Spitz and Greg Louganis may be two of watersports’ biggest names, but it is the most successful sportsperson of all time who truly dominates the water and happens to be American.
Swimmer Michael Phelps is the most decorated athlete of all time. The 31-year-old has already participated in three Olympic Games, winning a mammoth 22 medals in all.
Phelps is widely expected to win more medals in this year in what the athlete has said will be his final Olympic games.
USA has had such significant Olympic success that 29% of all the sporting medals won by the country have been won through the Olympics.
Another country that has been immensely successful at the Olympics is Australia. Historically one of the best nations across sports, Australia has produced 168 Olympic medal-winning swimmers, gold medal winning field hockey teams and tennis players among others.
Australia are widely expected to take the field hockey medal for a fourth time this year. The reigning World No. 1 team have been dominant in the hockey arena over the past year, not only holding firmly on to their top rank but winning tournaments with consummate ease, thoroughly dominating every opponent.
Among the most famous Olympic gold-winning athletes from Australia are swimmers Ian Thorpe and Stephanie Rice.
France have been historically good at cycling, and given that the premier cycling event – the Tour de France – is held in the country that popularized the sport, it is not difficult to see why.
The USA led the medal tally at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England, winning not only the most medals in total but also the highest number of golds, with 46 top prizes across all disciplines and 28 silvers and 29 bronzes.
American swimmer Missy Franklin led the Olympic gold individual tally at the Games, with four gold medals to her name.
2008 hosts China were in second with 38 gold medals, 28 silver and 22 bronze, while India, with two silver and four bronze, were 55th of 85 participating nations.
The 2012 Olympics would be India’s most successful outing at the Olympic Games, with a total of 6 medals.
Indian wrestler Sushil Kumar won silver in his discipline, while shooter Vijay Kumar won second prize in the 25m rapid fire pistol.
Shooting and wrestling were India’s most successful outings at the London Olympics, with Gagan Narang winning bronze in the men’s 10m air rifle and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt winning the men’s freestyle 60kg discipline.
The medal tally was wrapped up by two women – Indian former World No. 1 Saina Nehwal, who took bronze at the Games, and boxer MC Mary Kom.
India has only had Olympic success once in tennis, with doubles specialist and 18-time Grand Slam winner Leander Paes taking singles bronze at the 1996 Olympic Games.
The 42-year-old will be headed to Rio this year partnering Rohan Bopanna, who qualified on the basis of his top-10 ATP ranking. Given Paes’ immense experience and the fact that he is fresh off winning his 18th Grand Slam title, India will fancy their chances in the men’s doubles.
Another possible medal for india could come in the form of the mixed doubles, with World No. 1 Sania Mirza likely to partner Paes at the event. The top-ranked women’s doubles player has been in immense form lately, but will face stiff competition from her own WTA doubles partner, tennis legend Martina Hingis.
Hingis herself will partner tennis’ greatest of all time, Roger Federer, in a team that looks to be unassailable in the mixed doubles.
India’s men’s field hockey team has also looked strong this year, with the team’s young guns displaying their defensive skills over the past year. Field hockey has been India’s most successful Olympic sport; over the years, India has won eight gold medals at the event.
Hockey has seen a medal drought in recent times, however, with the most recent of those gold medals coming in 1980 at the Olympic Games in Moscow.
Given Australia’s current form, they look likely to take the win there, so it appears that tennis will be India’s strongest hope at the Olympic Games in Rio this year, with two Grand Slam winners and former World No. 1s on the team.
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Source by Sportskeeda