Shooting star grabs Guatemalan gold
One door closes, another opens. In 2011, gymnast Adriana Ruano suffered a serious back injury that killed her dream of qualifying for London 2012. Her doctor suggested shooting as an alternative sport. Twelve years on, she scored 45 out of 50 in the women’s trap final, becoming the first Guatemalan to win a gold medal.
It’s the little things: Ledecky’s love for public
Katie Ledecky earned her ninth Olympic gold in the women’s 1500m freestyle final, lapping up the atmosphere. Waving at many spectators in the arena, one fan’s reaction stood out. A blond-haired girl, with red- and blue-streaked braids, could not believe Ledecky noticed her. Over a million viewers watched her unbridled joy in a video, and Ledecky has spoken to the young fan on FaceTime.
‘It’s a girl!’: gender reveal makes Murphy’s day
Another American swimmer, Ryan Murphy, picked up a bronze medal in the men’s 100m backstroke final. He was proud of his performance but didn’t expect what his wife had in store. In the stands, Bridget Konttinen held up a sign revealing the gender of his incoming newborn: “Ryan, it’s a girl!” Suddenly, sport paled into insignificance. “I think that just kind of like lit me up,” he said. “And it really brought this night to a whole other level.”
Love in Paris: Huang says yes
China’s Huang Yaqiong had a happy surprise after her gold medal-winning performance in mixed doubles badminton when her boyfriend, fellow Chinese badminton player Liu Yuchen, got down on one knee – making it a double celebration. Huang said: “Today I am an Olympic champion and I got proposed [to], so that’s something I didn’t expect.”
Role reversal: French runner flips script
There must be something in the air after athletes complete their Games. After breaking the European 3,000m steeplechase record, Alice Finot popped the question to her boyfriend with a “Love in Paris” pin, having made a promise to herself to get down on one knee if she finished in under nine minutes. After running 8min 58.67sec, Finot said: “I don’t like doing things like everyone else. Since he hadn’t done it yet, I thought maybe it was up to me.”
Tamberi and Barshim: the sequel
In an iconic Tokyo Games moment, Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Barshim opted to share high jump gold after both clearing 2.37m but failing at 2.39m. The co-medallists’ bromance was in the spotlight again – Tamberi rushed to Barshim’s aid while he lay in pain on the ground, holding his calf after clearing 2.27m in the qualifying round in Paris.
Sportsmanship: He’s nod to Spain
When receiving her silver medal, Chinese badminton star He Bingjiao displayed true sportsmanship as she held a small Spain flag to show her support towards Spain’s Carolina Marín, whose Olympic journey unfortunately ended after she was injured in their semi-final match. It was a sign of respect to the Spanish player, who won their first game and was up 10-8 in their second before having to quit due to injury.
Across the divide to snap podium selfie
A rare display of harmony between North and South Korea was seen after the table tennis mixed doubles final when athletes from both countries put differences aside to take a selfie on the podium. North Korea celebrated their silver win, with South Korea taking home gold. The viral image clearly showed sport’s unifying power.
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Phelps’ celebration as torch is passed
Witnessing Léon Marchand’s record-breaking 200m individual medley race could have been a moment of disappointment for the record holder, Michael Phelps. But commentating for NBC, the most successful Olympian of all time cheered and jumped in delight as his record was smashed by the Frenchman by 0.17sec.
Good luck charm: Ramazanova’s helping hand
Azerbaijan’s archer Yaylagul Ramazanova had another pair of hands to help in her first Olympic tournament, when the first-time Olympian, who is six and a half months pregnant, felt her unborn baby cheer her on. She said: “I felt my baby kick me before I shot this last arrow, and then I shot a 10.”
A lifelong prize to reward Filipino gymnast
Carlos Yulo has received an array of gifts after winning two golds in Paris. The Filipino property developers Megaworld promised to reward the country’s gold medallists with a two-bedroom flat in the McKinley Hill township. The 24-year-old has also been offered 10m Philippine pesos (£136,600), free ramen and colonoscopies for life, among other gifts.
Ecstasy to anguish: Osmanov due an operation
Moldova’s Adil Osmanov earned a bronze medal in judo, but his happiness subsided during the celebration. Pumping his arm to mark the moment, he fell on his knees. Reports revealed he had dislocated his shoulder. However, Osmanov had refused medical advice to have surgery before competing, so we can forgive the judoka for acting on impulse.
Zhou wins hearts with medal confusion
Zhou Yaqin’s bafflement when her podium peers bit their medals went viral after the 18-year-old hurriedly copied them. After winning silver in the balance beam final, the Chinese gymnast at her first ever Games went viral after responding to the Italians Alice D’Amato, 21, and Manila Esposito, 17, biting into their gold and bronze medals. Zhou, quickly brought her medal to her mouth, but didn’t actually bite it, in a bid not to be left out of something she apparently thought was mandatory for medal winners.
