Opening Ceremony Olympic Ceremonies

This programme contains scenes of Repetitive Flashing Images.

It's called Cristo Redentor - Christ the Redeemer -

and it's one of the most iconic and recognisable

The statue looks over Rio de Janeiro - a city home to six million people,

and over the next 16 days it's a city which is home to the 31st

The Olympic movement - and the values of fair play

and sportsmanship - have never been under as much

The time has now come for Rio to welcome the world

and show itself off, as over 10,000 athletes -

in the values of the Olympic spirit -

strive to go faster, higher and stronger.

For the first time in the 120 year history of the modern Olympics, a

South American country hosts the Games and we are proud on the BBC to

be here in Brazil, ready to bring you 16 days of exceptional and

varied sport. There's nothing like the Olympic Games. And very shortly,

in the famous Maracana Stadium, which has seen the likes of Pele,

Renaldo and Neymar all play the Opening Ceremony will begin, the

sporting spectacular described by many as the greatest show on earth.

Earlier today, the torch made its way up there to Christ the Redeemer,

the former Brazilian volleyball player providing an image that was

sent around the world and that will definitely enter the archives of

Olympic history. It was lit, that torch, 106 days ago in Greece and

now, 22,000 miles later, the journey is almost over. But hearing Brazil,

the big question remains, who will light the cauldron because News has

it that Pele will not be attending the Opening Ceremony. Michael

Johnson and Sir Steve Redgrave alongside me, undoubtedly the

biggest name in Brazilian sport and it's not going to be him. Quite

amazing, really, if it's not going to be him. I think throwing the

bookies, I do believe, we will see how it will be. There is word, all

these rumours and things, it might be Gustavo Kuerten, former world one

in tennis, the French Open winner. It's a big deal, Muhammad Ali did it

for Atlanta. It's a very big deal, and over the years every Opening

Ceremony has taken pride in keeping this amazing secret and speculation

by everyone as to who it might be, and I think that Pele would be an

obvious choice here and I think he is certainly revered around the

world. Gustavo Kuerten, that would be some big shoes for him to fill. I

would think someone like Emerson would be a bigger star but they may

be throwing as off, who knows! Everyone likes to keep this a

secret. We've seen over the years and all of the speculation, so it

will be interesting to see. One of the most impressive smoke screens

ever, if Pele suddenly appears to do it, everyone will say wow he wasn't

coming! For the athletes themselves and you have been there, Steve, you

have carried the flag-macro, is it a wonderful thing to be part of an

Opening Ceremony or is it the last thing you need just before the

biggest competition of your life? Yes. Yes to which? Yes to both of

them, it's amazing to be part of it, in the introductions it's the

biggest show on Earth, it is, it is amazing to be part of the whole

thing. To be part of the team coming in and marching around is a big

thrill. But within hours there will be people who will be eliminated

from the Games. The four years of work, if not more going in, to beat

a few hours after the Opening Ceremony that your event could be

over. So it's quite tough to make that decision, do I go? I put all

this sacrificing, but do I go to the Opening Ceremony? It's a balancing

act and I very much think it should be an individual choice if you

should be there or not. Some coaches and teams will make the decision on

behalf of those athletes and say you are not going, but track and field,

athletics doesn't start until a week later so there's a full week,

athletics will start next Friday, most of the track and field athletes

will always take part and I can remember the first time I took part

in the Opening Ceremony was in 1992, my first Games in Barcelona, I have

made the team a month before, over a month before, but that was the first

time it really sort of dawned on me that I'm an Olympian. When I walked

into that stadium with the US team, as I -- as our delegation walked in

and we were announced, it was an amazing feeling, the realisation

that I was an Olympic athlete. I have the opportunity to do it again

in 1996 and it was amazing, watching Muhammad Ali light the cauldron. But

it's also the only time during the Olympics for someone at the level

who was competing and there to win gold, to win a medal, it's the only

time you can really soak up the atmosphere because from that point

from that point, the next day at his game on, back to preparation, focus

and all the precautions that you need to go through to make sure you

don't get injured and make sure that nothing happens and you are ready to

go when the event starts. That's what makes it difficult for those

athletes who are swimmers and who have to start the next day. It makes

it very tough to make that decision because you are here to compete.

That's why it's such a big decision for Michael Phelps to say yes to the

honour of carrying the flag 14 USA because he will be in the pool in

the middle of the afternoon here tomorrow, their sessions on middle

of the afternoon rather than early morning. It will be a sensational

ceremony. The whole build-up to this has been negative, whether it

stories of pollution in the water, the Zika virus, safety concerns or

state-sponsored doping by Russian athletes, it's had a lot to contend

with. It tries to rise above sport. There's always a wonderful

idealistic dream that somehow the Olympics is not political, but to be

honest, when you look at the history only a fool would believe that.

The timeless glamour of the human competitive spirit or the excesses

of a will to win bong wild, what do we expect of the Olympic Games? --

the will to win bong wild. They were designed for well-heeled amateur

men, they were deliberately far from universally inclusive but they did

change and the deeds of Jesse Owens confounded the racial designs of the

ultimate supremacist. I'm very glad to have run a 100 metres in the

Olympic Games here in Berlin. A very beautiful place and a very beautiful

city. On the other hand a simple gesture just over 30 years later

apparently contravenes the Olympic spirit, so said the fifth president

of the International Olympic Committee, and an Olympic ideal and

reality can remain stubbornly far apart. The Games for example were

conceived at the promotion of peaceful cooperation between

nations, an ideal damaged, and ideal shattered. The Olympics were to be

free of commercial exploitation and get they bankrupted a city. What do

you think of the stadium? It's like emptying my pockets, you could say.

The Games were saved by commercial intervention and are now a slave to

economic reality. The Olympics extol the virtues of fair play, and other

ideal compromised, flagrantly abused and on the state-sponsored scale

even to this day, ideas and reality. And yet the world watches by the

billion. Just over 30 years after the Black Power salute, amid -- and

indigenous Australian took her marks. On her arm, a tattooed,

because I'm free. COMMENTATOR:

The crowd roaring freeman on, gold for Freeman. Emancipation through

sport, this is a woman's world as much as a man's. The search by so

many for the single figure that will rise to the moment. The Dutch

champion wins in 11.2 seconds, a new Olympic and world record. The world

watching, on the lookout for the underdog. Redmond has broken down. A

story of courage. Or sometimes they watched the rock busting big

picture, the superhero that delivers -- blockbusting.

COMMENTATOR: Mo Farah, its gold! The Olympics,

excessive, of course, but out of adversity the Olympics have

delivered before. They can inspire, they can be irresistible. It is that

time again. There is so much to get excited

about while being realistic about the negative stories that without a

shadow of a doubt will continue over 16 days because that is the nature

of life today. We discovered that a Greek athlete, unnamed and we don't

know the sport either, has been expelled from the village, having

tested positive for a banned substance and an unnamed Irish boxer

in the run-up to the games has reportedly failed a test as well. It

is a problem, Michael, that is with us, constantly going to be with us,

isn't it? It always has been with us and this is not about whether an

athlete dopes. Athletes have cheated and they will always cheat. People

in life cheat and sport is just a microcosm of society. You have

people do the right thing -- who do the right thing, most of us by and

large abide by the laws of society every day and then you will have

people who cheat and rob banks and sell drugs and do other things we

should not be doing. That is why we have law enforcement. The same thing

happens in sport. By and large, most people abide by the rules but a few

will always cheat and that will always be the case. This is more

about whether or not the IOC, IAAF, Wada and all of the associations of

sport federations will do the right thing when something goes wrong. So

that people can trust that the cheats, who will always be the

cheats, whether or not they are going to be dealt with appropriately

and that the ongoing effort is going to continue to stay one step ahead

of the cheats and deal with them appropriately when they do cheat.

Eddie Butler, in that wonderful piece with the way he has and the

way he writes, summing up the conflict which will always be here,

Steve, as it is with human nature. The Olympics are so big so that if

there is a cause or a statement that you want to make, it is made around

the build-up to the Games because that is when you will get the

coverage. The doping scandals, it is taking it to a new level of what we

have been hearing over the last few months and year. The IOC have to

step up to the mark. They have to make decisions. We want clean

athletes to be able to compete and drug cheats not, simple as that. And

everyone has to be able to trust the system and trust it is in place how

it should be. Moving on to the ceremony had, and moving on to Team

GB, a team of 366 athlete, the biggest the 24 years, carrying the

flag will be Andy Murray, Wimbledon champion, defending Olympic champion

in tennis and he has been speaking about the honour to Dan Walker.

Thank you for talking to us. We've got Wimbledon champion, reigning

Olympic champion and now Team GB flag bearer. Let's get to the base

of the story. Is it true about the pants? Did you find out in your

pants? I was not actually in my pants. I was just about to go to

bed. I had just finished brushing my teeth. The team leader came and said

the chef commission would like to speak to me. I was not expecting it

will stop -- chef de mission. I did not sleep particularly well the

night I was told because it does not get much bigger than the chance to

lead out your country in an Olympic Games. Where does it rank in your

career? Number one. Above everything else? For sure, it is bigger than

winning a tournament. I've never felt like that before. I'm looking

forward to it and I'm sure it will be a night I will never forget. I

can't wait. We need to talk about the photocall. Orange Grove do we?

You can't jabber loyalty with a flight. We were in the darkness and

there were 20 photographers shouting directions and they told me to tip

the flight to the site and then I was covering Brezovan's face and I

was like I'm so sorry, I'm blaming the photographers. It was not my

fault! Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent and Chris Hoy have all been

flag-bearers in the past and their message is, ignore the holster, you

have to go straight arm and one hand. Going for it? I'm going to

try. I looked at some of the photos last night and it looks a lot better

than having it in the holster, so I will give it a go. I think that is

such a bad idea, I'm afraid I'd you started this, Steve, it's your

fault. No, it's not. He's a tennis player, he's got to use a hand. And

we don't use our arms in rowing? But you have both of them. This is you,

the big man, one had come up there, not using the holster. Did it last

the whole way? All the way around. I did it four years earlier than that

with the other arm. It all dates back to when I watched the Moscow

games, the Russian weightlifter did it one-handed. And I thought if I

ever got the opportunity, and Matthew and I spoke about it at

various times on training camps, in the build-up, if we ever got it, we

would give it a go. The difference was, the polls in 1980 were made of

steel and now they are aluminium. And steel ones are heavier? Much

heavier, and in Barcelona, it was quite easy, going around the stadium

and then when you cut in across to the grass, the wind picked up and

when the wind was in the flag, your arm was shaking a bit. My gosh. I

like the fact your shirt would go with the shorts you wore them. Did

you see that, Michael? I don't like that! I don't like the shorts. I was

like, "What is that?" But I like this shirt. Thank you. Good to know,

both looking good in check. What a fantastic studio this is. You will

see a lot of it in the next 16 days, Hazel will be here and Dan as well

add Copacabana beach right behind us, where there are still people,

not in the moonlight because it is the beginnings of a new moon,

kicking a ball and it looks amazing and that the Maracanazo, the

lighting is sensational. -- Maracana Stadium, the lighting is

sensational. The images this will produce will be unlike any other.

That stadium in the distance will be the setting for the opening

ceremony. They say it is going to cost 12 times less than London did,

20 times less than Beijing. They are very deliberately making this a

sustainable, affordable opening ceremony. But it will set the mood

for the games as opening ceremonies have done in the last few decades.

That wonderful cauldron that opened the Games in London 2012, we wait to

see how Brazil will open their Games. The first time, an initiative

of the IOC, there will be a Refugee Olympic Team with ten competitors.

They will march under the Olympic flag and the Olympic Anthem will be

there and then in the event of a medal ceremony. Steve, that seems to

me a really good idea. Definitely, we want to be more inclusive and get

more people competing. People of the right standard and being able to

have that opportunity. Michael, I know it may be a cliche but we are

expecting a carnival atmosphere, aren't we? We are and that is one of

the things about Rio that is so amazing, the festive atmosphere that

always exists, here. I'm sure they will want to have it on full display

this evening, showing just sort of how Rio welcomes people to this

country. Thank you so much to Steve and Michael, we will hear more from

them at the end of the opening ceremony but the time has come and

just to warn you that the ceremony will contain some scenes of

repetitive flashing images. We hope you all enjoy it. Let's join our

commentary team, Andrew Cotter and Hazel Irvine.

COMMENTATOR:, welcome, to paraphrase Charles Dickens, it's the best of

times and worst of times in Brazil, the economy tanking, the political

establishment in turmoil, health crisis across the region -- across

the region, and not an easy time for the icy in our faith in fair play

and yet here we are, 14,500 athletes about to share the biggest, the best

and most significant celebration on the planet. Perhaps we need sport at

the Olympics to remind us of how brilliant we can be and how joyous

it is to share something good with the rest of the world in times of

crisis. Against that backdrop, what will Rio give us tonight? The

opening ceremony, rightly or wrongly, helps to define the games.

The great sporting moments sear themselves into our memories but so,

too, we remember spectacular, clever moments, the arch in Barcelona, jet

Pac man in Los Angeles, 2008, dramas in Beijing or anyone of so many from

London, getting the Games off to a good start goes a long way to its

success. But this ceremony is not expensive by recent standards, one

of the main directors, the film director Fernando Mirallas has said

that in these times, how can you spend fortunes of this? He said

Athens was classical, Beijing was grandiose, London was smart and this

is going to be cool. Time for you to judge for yourselves and enjoyed it.

Welcome to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. For the very

first time, South America welcomes the world for the 28th summer

Olympic Games. # Al, torcida do Flamengo -

aquele abrao! # Chacrinha continua

balanando a pana # E buzinando a moa

e comandando a massa # E continua dando

as ordens no terreiro # Al, al, seu Chacrinha -

velho guerreiro # Al, al, seu Chacrinha -

velho palhao # Todo mundo da Portela -

aquele abrao! # Todo ms de fevereiro -

aquele passo! # Al, Banda de Ipanema -

aquele abrao! # Meu caminho pelo

mundo eu mesmo trao # Pra voc que meu

esqueceu - aquele abrao! # Todo o povo brasileiro -

aquele abrao!# The views from above the city of Rio

de Janeiro show that sport is a key part of lively and also that in this

city, nature and the urban live side-by-side. Aquele Abraco means

that hard and we are about to join a welcome embrace from the people of

Brazil. One of the repairing beams of the ceremony will be gambiarra,

the Brazilian talent for making something wonderful out of almost

nothing. So first, we look down on simple sheets of metallic paper but

they will recreate a pattern from the artist Athos Bulcao, whose

murals can be seen throughout the city.

The countdown now marks the beginning of this ceremony, raising

and lowering the squares to become giant cushions and on zero, the

volunteers will use them as drums, creating a powerful batucada, a

samba beat. A Brazilian twist on Beijing's 2008

drummers at their opening ceremony. And a silver vortexes created, and

something special at the heart of it.

The main themes of this ceremony summed up in three words,' rejoice,

replant. -- reinvent. Time for the presentation of two key figures.

Thomas Bach, the president of the IOC, a German, former Olympic

gold-medallist in fencing in 1976. Ladies and gentlemen, please stand

for the national anthem of Brazil. The Maracana Stadium opened in 1950

for the World Cup. A few hundred thousand fans squeezed in here for

the final. 75,000 here for the final between Germany and Argentina two

years ago. # Ouviram do Ipiranga

as margens placidas # De um povo heroico

o brado retumbante # E o sol da Liberdade

em raios fulgidos. # Brilhou no ceu da

Patria nesse instante # Conseguimos conquistar

com braco forte # Desafia o nosso

peito a propria morte! # Brasil, um sonho

intenso, um raio vivido # De amor e de

esperanca a terra desce # Se em teu formoso

ceu, risonho e limpido # Es belo, es forte,

impavido colosso # E o teu futuro

espelha essa grandeza Continuing with the theme, a simple

yet beautiful rendition of the national anthem by the Brazilian

composer. There was an elegance and simplicity in that rendition that

says much about this ceremony. So now we go to the beginning.

Before the European settlers in Brazil, before the indigenous

people, we go back very noisily even further to the birth of life itself.

Just add water, the beginnings of life appear. Represented by

microorganisms dividing and multiplying on video.

MUSIC The whole floor of the Maracana

Stadium is being used as a giant video screen, with images being

projected upon it. And here come some large sculptures of microbes

crossing the stage. The noise and the visuals inside the

Maracana are stunning and now we taken great leap forward, millions

of years, to the birth of the forest.

CHEERING 4 million indigenous people

inhabited the territory now known as Brazil. The area was called

Pindorama, land of the palm trees. The sounds of the fluttering wings

now accompanied by a chorus of strange noises from the forest floor

and the canopy, and by the flutes come at the percussive instruments

and the songs of the native peoples, creating a serial noises and shapes

on the floor of this virtual florist. Forest.

The people of the forest represented here by dancers from Amazonia. From

Parintins. 60% of the Amazonian rainforest is within Brazil's

borders and as recently as 2011, an indigenous tribe of 200 people who

had not had contact with the outside world were discovered there and it's

believed there are still others. The arrival of the Europeans which

we will see more of in a moment, is a fairly recent phenomenon in the

history of this part of the world. There were around 1 million to be

people spread along what is now the coast of Brazil the Europeans

arrived. Indeed, 270 different languages are spoken in Brazil, and

13% of its territory occupied by the indigenous peoples of the forest.

It's an enormous elastic band being stretched to recreate indigenous

art. And finally they come together to

create three huge Ocas, or native huts.

And now, with a clap of thunder, the creation of the modern-day Brazilian

people with the arrival of Europeans, Africans, and those from

Middle East and Asia. First to arrive, the Europeans, small

Portuguese sailing ships with acrobats scintillating the movements

of a ship in a storm. -- simulating. This is the journey of the

Portuguese, a fleet led by Pedro Cabella is Cabral which landed in

1500. For the Portuguese this was the land where everything rose, that

could be used and extracted. Indeed, the first tree, the Pau Brazil, was

used to make red dye and this tree ended up naming this country,

Brazil. CHEERING

Then arrives the Africans, four groups represent the Africans who

were brought to Brazil by force, the slave trade centred around Angola

and the lower Congo River and lasted almost 400 years. The wheels and

sticks represent ploughs and the weights on their feet are shackles.

Is a clear message that African culture is that the heart of

everything that is modern Brazil. And as they move their projected

forest is replaced by patterns of sugar cane plantations. And this is

a section that echoes some of the themes of turbulence text --

turbulence change explored in London's Industrial Revolution, this

is the cultural Revolution caused by migratory waves from every corner of

the world, for over 600 years. This section is called

Geometrization, as the more natural world and the flow we can see is

replaced by the more structured shapes of agriculture.

And finally we have two more groups representing immigration from the

Middle East and Asia, Syrians and Lebanese and particular dominated

trade here in the 19th century. And the red banners appear,

signifying Japanese culture. Japanese immigrants started arriving

in Brazil at the start of the 20th century and today, Brazil has the

largest population of Japanese descendants in the world. Other

communities came, too, further waves of German and Italian immigrants

from the 1800 onwards, many of whom settled in the southern most states

Brazil, fusing together Brazil's richly diverse society.

Once more, the organic forms of nature are replaced with the

geometry of agriculture, the defining of roads.

So, the people have arrived, and now, now the great cities will

appear. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

The stadium building a brilliant video representation and projections

on the floor, a theme that was carried through Beijing to

Vancouver, London and Sochi. The building of modern-day Brazil,

centred around densely populated megacities, in particular Rio de

Janeiro and Sao Paulo, and a huge Brazilian Metropolis skyline

emerges. These are very clever, very classy projections, I can assure you

that the stadium floor remains totally flat, despite what you are

seeing! Parkour, free running groups cross

the buildings, and projection and choreography, working perfectly

together. Then the construction, the

contemporary cities revealed almost 100 buildings made of boxes on top

of each other and acrobats, defying the height and scaling the facades.

Perhaps a nod to the fact that sport climbing is one of the new sports

that has just been accepted to the next Olympics in Tokyo, 2020.

The music is a version of construcao, by Chico Buarque, a

well-known piece of music in Brazil. J Dubois Kwai was exiled during the

military dictatorship, for a time, from 1964 to 1985, and his songs are

those of you but Gill, who we will hear later, were considered

oppressive by the regime that suppressed and crackdown on

democracy. Gilberto Gil came to London for a couple of years.

So, the mega city has been reaching for the sky, something that one of

Brazil's most famous inventors has also done.

Yes, you might think that the Wright brothers managed the first

successful powered flight in 1903 but in France and certainly in

Brazil, they attribute it to Alberto Santos Dumont in 1906. This is his

plane, the 14 BIS. And in it, he will make a flight across the

Maracana and out into the night sky of Rio de Janeiro.

We have taken a few liberties here, the 14 BIS only flew for about 60

metres but hey, who cares? Admire the view. Americans are probably

watching this, pointing out 1906 is later the 1903 but they go out over

Rio, going over the Sugarloaf Mountain, the to do the national

park, the aqueduct built in the middle of the 18th century to bring

clean water from the Carioca River. Towards the 100 foot high statue of

Christ the Redeemer which has overlooked the city for the past 80

years. At all to the unmistakably cool harmonic composition of Tom

Jobim. Towards the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema and Tom Jobim

composed the Girl From Ipanema which is a sign of things to come.

# And when she passes, each one she passes

And to ease the Girl From Ipanema, walking towards the statue of Tom

Jobim? It is Gisele Bundchen. -- and who is. Daniel Jervis is the

grandson of the composer, Tom Jobim. -- Daniel Jobim.

The line she leaves on the floor, echoing the likes of Oscar Niemeyer,

who designed many of the buildings Brasilia, the modern-day capital of

Brazil and indeed, the United Nations building in New York. Gisele

's forefathers came to Brazil in that wave of immigration from

Germany in the 1800 and this is our last catwalk. Not a bad way to

sashay out. Now far above Ipanema, a pulsating

energy rises, the voice of the Fran Velez.

passinho, a dance style that was created in the favelas, mixing

various dance styles. Rio was still very much a divided city between

rich and poor neighbourhoods but this kite of culture and creativity

it showcases highlighted in the talents of the many people who live

there, who have so often been stigmatised because of the crime and

violence levels associated with those areas. And the passinho is a

dance that appeared in the favelas, its move is widely shared on

YouTube. Said that was the sound of Ludmila

and the Happiness Rap, and also the sound of a middle-aged commentator

trying to sound with it! And now we hear Elsa Suarez. Never mind

40-something, she is 70 something! She was voted best thing of the

millennium in 2000 by the BBC, she was married to the great football,

Berenger. Showing the diversity of Carioca and

Rio pop music, here, Marcelo D2 and Zeca Pagodinho.

Challenges issued between groups on one side to the other. Marcelo D2

was the one on the right, by the way.

They are friends after all. And now with a mixture of breakdowns and

capoeira performed at the centre of the stadium, busy tribute to the

contribution of black people took Brazilian culture. Karol Conka and

MC Soffia singing. THEY RAP IN PORTUGUESE capoeira, the

Brazilian mixture of dams and martial arts with its roots in West

Africa. -- dance. Caballero was actually recognised by UNESCO two

years ago as intangible heritage, not so much a world Heritage site as

a world Heritage phenomenon and -- capoeira. Another comment on that

tensions and disputes. Fire dancing in so many forms of

dams and expression each variation we are seeing on the stadium floor

reminds us of how diverse Brazilian culture really is, it's not just

Samba and Bossa Nova, those so much more besides -- forms of dance and

expression. Yes, the dancers here, a folk dance

from a state and butter colas dancers, carnival dancers from the

outskirts of Rio, and from the state of Bahia. So many regional

variations on show here tonight. Alter the sound of the beads created

by Gang Do Eletro, a mass dance off. It's so exciting to be here.

This is Regina Case, actress, presenter, all-round good sort,

urging everyone to get along. Urging everyone to dance around the

stadium to the sound of Pais Tropical, tropical country. And live

in a tropical country blessed by God, beautiful by nature and

everyone in here knows every line. # Moro num pais tropical,

abencoado por Deus # E bonito por natureza,

mas que beleza They are joining in, like a giant

irregular line dance only much more cool, with a soul.

# Sou um menino de mentalidade mediana

# Moro num pais tropical, abencoado por Deus

# E bonito por natureza, mas que beleza

# Todos meus amigos, meus camaradinhas me

# Do poder, do algo mais e da alegria

The stadium now resembles a lava lamp!

Some of these mighty wigs, you will no one of the most famous Brazil pop

songs if you look it up. Dance parties like this one actually take

place every Saturday night under the viaduct in one of the northern

cities. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Another wonderful ring of fireworks above the Ara Cana, but now they

will be asking everyone to join in and carry on around the stadium --

above the Maracana. We were all joining in, by which I mean all the

people were. CROWD SINGS But eventually the party

will end and we will have our more serious rather sombre look to the

future, not just for Rio, Brazil, but for the planet as a whole. What

a great party. Yes. It collected in the atmosphere.

The temperature rises. Watch the temperature on earth in the last

century. The heat is melting the ice. Yes,

look at Greenland. It is disappearing very quickly.

When the ice melts, the level of the sea rises. What a challenge for the

coastal cities. So bearing in mind the problems,

what then can be done? The boy captivated by the sight of the

seedling emerging from the concrete. A flower has sprouted in the street.

Buses, Street cars, a steel stream of traffic. Steer clear. A flower,

still pale, has called the police. It's breaking through the asphalt.

Lets have some signs, hold whole business. I swear that a flower has

been born. Its colour is uncertain, it's not showing its petals, its

name isn't in the books. It's ugly, but it really is a flower.

I sit down on the ground of the nation's capital and follow with my

fingers this precarious form. It's ugly. But it's a flower. Broke

through the asphalt. Te disgust and... -- tedium, disgust and...

The poem read by Fernanda Montenegro and by Dame Judi Dench. As they

enter, each athlete, 11,000 seedlings will be blunted. The

Athletes' Forest will be the legacy for Rio de Janeiro. Yes, the

athletes of the world will become The Planters Of The World. They've

each been given a seed and it will be blunted into a giant 11,500

strong forest in the Deodoro Radical Park, when we've all left this

beautiful city. That will be part of the legacy of these Olympic Games.

Brazilians know there's a real contradiction in the States it aims

of carbon reduction, deforestation, and the reality of life here. Let's

not be naive, given that polluted super bacteria Guanabara Bay wet

tonnes and tonnes of rubbish has been fished out, there's still much

to be not just by Brazil but by everyone. That is the point they

want to ram home to us tonight. Now it's time, time for those who will

compete here in Rio de Janeiro. It's time for the athletes of the 2016

Olympic Games. Yes, the Planters of the World, the

youth of the world. Please welcome the athletes of the games of the

XXXI Olympiad! And we will start, as we have done

since the 1928 games in Amsterdam, with Greece. The country where it

all began at Olympia. Greece held the first of the modern Olympic

Games in 1896, led by a colourful scooter. The bridge vendor bicycles

are a bit of fun again, but another carbon neutral touch from the

organisers. This is a sailor who won gold and bronze. She competes and

becomes the first woman in Olympic history to carry the Greek flag,

leading a 90 strong team that despite the six-year Greek debt

crisis has affected her sport, but she says, I am sure we will all do

our best. What also for the pole vaulter. She won World Championship

bronze last year. The Brazilian Portuguese alphabet is being used

for this parade, and it does throw up a few surprises along the way,

but not here. Aid for Afghanistan. A team of only three representing a

nation of 32 million in Afghanistan. They first appeared at the Berlin

games in 1936. There is vast amount, going for an Olympic hat-trick of

three medals in three games. South Africa take their first leap up the

alphabet. They have the first man to go below ten seconds for the 144 for

the 400. And of course, fast as well in that team is Caster Semenya, one

of the favourites for gold. You have Chad Le Clos, a star named, and he

is defending his 200 flight title. Sadly, his good old dad Bert and his

mum have not been well recently. They are both here and we wish them

well. Albania. Their flag bearer goes in the 1500 steeplechase. They

did not compete in the Olympics until the Munich games of 1972. And

a spirited performance from their team. Land of the eagles. Two years

ago, they became a candidate to join the European Union. Another shift in

the alphabet from the English. Germany, in with a team of 422. The

last time a major German sporting team was in Brazil, they did

something rather unspeakable to the hosts. It was not in the Maracana.

Indeed! Those seven goals should not be mentioned in the Maracana. That

is Timo Boll, that is terrible -- table tennis player who is that flag

bearer. Their men's and women's football teams are in action,

chasing a gold -- golden couple. Expect a real tussle. And the

three-day eventing team are ready to go for an Olympic hat-trick. They

start tomorrow morning. We always keep an eye on the outfits as well.

Germany look quite smart. We have seen Thomas Bach, the IOC president,

a fellow German, waving them in. Do you remember the discus hurler's

happy hurling celebration last time? He is back. Looks like something the

cat in the hat might write to work, if he went to work. Andorra, the

tiny principality tucked between France and Spain, highest life

expectancy in Europe at 81. They recently announced it is organising

its first sports games for the elderly. Events will include golf,

orienteering and archery as well as Domino's, cards and dancing when

everyone is a wee bit tired in the afternoon. Angola, vast country in

the south-west of Africa with enormous reserves of minerals.

Again, we have talked about the slave trade between West Africa and

Brazil. It was chiefly from the country that is now Angola. That is

Luisa Kiala leading out the delegation for the women's handball

team for the third time. They meet next Friday in Rio's answer to

Copper Box, the Future Arena. That will be used to build four schools,

dismantled to recycle and reuse. This is their selfie capital of the

world. Antigua and Barbuda, the two Islands which make up a very

prosperous Caribbean nation. Discovered by Christopher Columbus

in 1493. That is Daniel Bailey, who carried flags in London, Beijing,

Athens and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Antigua means ancient and

Barbuda means bearded in Spanish. So welcome to the ancient and bearded

ones from Antigua and Barbuda. Saudi Arabia, a country whose wealth has

been transformed since the production of oil began in the late

1930s. It was only in 2012 that Saudi Arabia first allowed women to

compete at the Olympic Games. Two them, four now. Their sprinter is

back to tackle the marathon. She is joined by a female judoka, events a

sprinter in their 13 strong Saudi team. Now we move on to Algeria,

Africa's largest country in terms of land area. But 80% of it is taken up

by part of the Sahara desert. Judoka Sonia Asselah makes the flag bearing

look easy. They also have a weightlifter who marches tonight.

She is 15 and turns 16 tomorrow. Aim a string of cheers inside the

Maracana for the announcement of Argentina. Near neighbours, the

second largest country in South America after the host nation. They

are rivals in football, but it is hockey that delivers the most

consistent Olympic success. Argentina has an affinity with big

cats when it comes to sport. They have the lionesses and the Panthers

and all of these teams will be playing here in Rio. But the

football team was a bit of a to-do. They very nearly didn't make it.

Argentine football is in total meltdown at the moment. They still

seem happy. I couldn't read that! We are still at the A, but we are

welcome to -- ready to welcome Armenia. It lies just to the east of

Turkey. It is an ancient nation going back to the fourth century BC,

but more recently it was part of the Soviet Union. Its first Olympic

Games was not to Atlanta in 1996. Yes, the smallest of the former

Soviet republics. Out front for them is a 19-year-old freestyle swimmer.

Happy dance tonight for this team. And for the team from Aruba,

Caribbean island. Its people are technically Dutch. Aruba is part of

the kingdom of the Netherlands, as are other Dutch Caribbean islands. I

am loving the hat! One of the most colourful ones. Nicole van der

Velden has qualified in the new mixed sailing event. She is at the

helm. Sailing in one by Rabe welcomes the race is back -- in

Guanabara Bay. These are the independent Olympic athletes, those

who do not have a nation to represent all committee to

represent. All of these athletes come from Kuwait, is correct is

currently suspended by the IOC and federations such as Fifa over

government interference in sport. And then strong team features eight

and one woman, Fay Hussain. Last-minute efforts to reinstate

them failed. Here, Australia, 421 of them, a continent in itself and one

that has such a proud history in the Olympic Games. And a real legend

carrying their flag today, Anna Meares. Two golds, one silver and

two bronze at the Olympics, her fourth games, defending sprint

champion in the velodrome. She is a class act. Their swimmers are trying

to bounce back after a poor showing in the pool in London four years

ago. They have young stars like Cameron McEvoy and the Campbell

sisters. And they are also great talents in sailing.

Austria has competed in every summer Olympic Games except 1920 in

Antwerp, when it was barred after the First World War. No medals at

the London Olympics. They are used to bagging medals in the Winter

Olympics, but it was only the second time in their history that they felt

the bag any in London. The parade outfits usually feature a dash of

traditional lederhosen and they do again, in the shorts for the

gentleman and indeed for the girls as well. Very natty. It is Jia Liu

leading them out, a Chinese-born table tennis player. We move on to

Azerbaijan, lying just on the east of Armenia on the shores of the

Caspian sea, another former Soviet state that did not complete until

Atlanta 1996. Baku was one of the seven cities short listed to host

these games, interestingly. They didn't get them, but they did get

the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. That is something. Is it

compensation? I'm not sure. Teymur Mammadov, the boxer, is their flag

bearer. There we see the athletes who have made their way in from

Germany, planting seeds. 11,000 seeds will be planted in total. And

the Bahamas. They are led by Shaune Miller. Around 700 islands

stretching from Cuba to Florida. Amazing medals to population ratio

of success for the Bahamas. They have got 12 medals, five of them

gold, most spectacularly in London. They stunned the US to win the men's

4 x 400m, the first ever US defeat in that event. What a night that

was. And the introduction for Bangladesh, one of the world's most

densely populated countries, 169 million living in the fertile but

often flooded land around the deltas of the great rivers. And that is the

golfer, their first golfer to carry the standard at the opening ceremony

as golf is reintroduced to the Olympic programme after 112 years.

They call him the Tiger Woods of Bengal. Bangladesh is the world's

most populous country never to have won an Olympic medal, so they will

be hoping. Barbados lies in the south-eastern extreme of the

Caribbean. There are flag represents the sky, the golden beaches and the

sea. There is a Trident in that flag as well representing the break from

Britain with independence. The name Bahrain comes from the Arabic for

two season. The main island lies just off the coast of Saudi Arabia

in the Persian Gulf. And they have a record number of athletes here this

time. And Belarus, meaning white Russia,

landlocked country to the south of the Baltic nations, again a former

Soviet state which has a certain autocratic nature. Their president

has been in power since 1994. And this team features the remarkable

Katharina custom, here for her seventh games at the age of 44. She

is a sculler. Won the title 20 years ago in Sydney and she is a six time

world champion as well. There look was smart casual. Time for Belgium.

Their flag bearer is Olivia Borlee. That family almost deserve their own

entry into the stadium. And they are trained by their dad, so it really

is a family affair as shag rug looks on in great approval of the team of

his birth. -- Jack Rob. There he is, the golfer, whose

great-grandfather competed in those Games. Now Belize, on the eastern

side of Central America, coastline on the Caribbean Sea. A member of

the Commonwealth. That's Brandon Jones, with the flag. A maiden

Britain Belize resident comes from Ipswich, her dad is coming from

Belize to see her compete against Jessica Ennis-Hill and the rest.

Benning, the West African country with a slender bit of coastline on

the Atlantic and Gulf of Guinea, first competed in the Munich

Olympics in 1972 under its former name. That's Yemi Apithy, who works

as a podium Tristan Dijon in France. He is trained at a club there for

three years. He's as -- V a sensor, where slashing, not just jabbing is

allowed. Wearing Bermuda shorts, still a British Overseas

Territory,... Is Honour tailored shorts version, not to be confused

with capri pants or cargo shorts. Which do you prefer? I don't know, I

don't go for knee-length socks. Bolivia, which has if you take a

seat of government in La Paz, the highest capital in the world, shares

a border with Brazil and the western part is high in the Andes. And our

first quiz question of the night, what is the name of the capital? It

is... It's Sue Gray. La Paz is the seat of government, Sucre gets you

the point. This is Amel Tuka, who leads out Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Balkan state. Its capital Sarajevo hope is -- hosted the

Winter Olympics when the country was part of Yugoslavia. Bosnian athletes

helped to win five golds for Yugoslavia, they are awaiting a

podium breakthrough. Herzegovina translates as the Dukes' Land.

Botswana, one of Africa, most -- one of Africa's most stable countries.

Nigel Amos is their flag bearer. Can he land Botswana's first gold? He

was second-best to David Rudisha in London, but celebrated as Botswana's

first time on an Olympic podium. A brilliant sprint finish in Glasgow

for Commonwealth gold. Will it be his time? Darussalam, a small but

will the country on the northern edge of Borneo. Brunei has the same

origin as Borneo, it means Seafarers. 2012 was the first

Olympics in which all countries sent female athletes. They have another

trailblazer in the Brunei ranks, only 70 as well. A sprinter from

Bulgaria, a strong pedigree in the canoe sprint. Miroslav Kirchhoff is

perhaps the best chance of the medal here. Men men's and women's

wrestling, 11th total, their entire weightlifting team was not allowed

to come here. Burkina Faso, a French speaking landlocked country in West

Africa. It was renamed in 1984. Rather unstable in recent years. An

article in the Railway Gazette said they were upgrading the rolling

stock on the main line from Burkina Faso to Ivory Coast, ?300 million

investment,... Thank you very much indeed. The Railway Gazette. It's a

good magazine. Every week, every week! Burundi, the central African

country, one of the world's poorest nations wants a German and Belgian

money, independent since 1962 but plagued by tensions between the

Tutsi and Hutu. They should win a medal. Burundi is only one of three

countries whose sole Olympic medal with gold. It includes the United

elaborate -- United Arab Emirates. Olivier Irabaruta is leading them

out. I'm looking for the different styles of holding the flag, Andy

Murray is going to do it one-handed in impressive fashion. Boom town,

tucked between India, China and Bangladesh -- Bhutan. Our best

wishes to their handful of competitors tonight. It's known as

the world's happiest place. Did you know that? No, but I want to be

known as the Thunder Dragon King from now on. It absorbs more CO2

than it gives out. The organisers will be happy. Cabo Verde, volcanic

islands off the coast of West Africa, a former Portuguese colony

which thrived with the slave trade. Rated as one of the safest places in

the world to take a holiday. There are direct flights from Britain, a

non-EU option. The flag of Cameroon. In Southeast Asia. First competed in

Melbourne in 1956, after gaining independence from France three years

earlier. The indoor women's volleyball team have qualified for

the first time against Brazil, in the little Maracana, and that venue

will be jumping right through the games. It's right alongside the big

version we are sitting in now. I think I might have gone earlier,

Cameroon have the best outfits so far. The Brazilian Portuguese

alphabet really is tricky! This flag depicts the fabulous Angkor Wat

temple, built in the 13th century, now UN heritage site. It's the nice

-- ninth time they have been in the Games. We are still waiting to hear

that anthem played and I will not attempt to translate it. They have a

Japanese born comedian, who settled in 2012 and that's no laughing

matter. At is Rosie MacLennan, a trampoline list, leading out Canada,

the second largest country by area after Russia. It hosted in 1976, it

left Montreal paying off the debt three decades later and it failed to

win a gold medal. It was Rosie who did the honours, as we continue the

tree-planting exercise. We will be seeing a fair bit of these Canadian

athletes, who are marching right now. Rhiannon Tyson, one of Jessica

Ennis-Hill's main rivals. They have Brooke Henderson McKenzie, an

18-year-old who beat the world 11 in golf to win a first major earlier

this year, what a phenomenal talent she is. Qatar, the country that will

host the World Cup in 2022, and bid for the Olympics this year and 2020,

but fails to become a candidate. In handball, they were accused to

spending their way to wait world silver last year. Their athletes

were drafted in from other nations. They were not complaining and they

are not now either. A strong contender in the high jump, who won

bronze in London and has cleared 2.40 this year. Kazakhstan,

officially the world's biggest landlocked country. Enormous mineral

and oil reserves. The word Cadillac is the same origin as Cossack --

Kazakh. They have failed some drugs tests, perhaps this athlete will

give them something to cheer about. The Cayman Islands, a British

Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. If international banking were an

Olympic sport, they would be in the mix for medals. They have a sailor

in their ranks for the first time since Sydney in 2000. Florence Allan

competes against Alison Young. Most are going with two hams on the flag

so far. Ndi has a lot to think about. The Central African Republic,

a country currently going through deeply troubled times, political

instability and violence is sadly commonplace. The UN peacekeepers are

on the ground. Dire humanitarian crisis unfolding. There are six

person team has income -- overcome immensely difficult problems to

compete for the nation pride. Charged, led out behind the wacky

bike -- Chad. Just to the north of the Central African Republic, it has

huge potential in terms of natural resources but also considerable

poverty and unrest. A population of 12 million people. More than 100

different languages spoken in Chad. A few athletes here.

Chile gets a warm reception as well. The long thin strip of a country on

the western edge of this continent. Now one of South America's leading

lights in terms of economic growth and stability. Competed at the first

modern games. Erika Olivera, a redoubtable competitor, and she

could join another competitor as the only woman to complete five Olympic

marathons. She is 40 years of age. She incidentally won the Copa

America this summer but they haven't qualified to play in the Olympic

tournament in South America. The athletes not doing an entire lap,

they are splitting off at the end of the field of play. A reasonably

sized country to the north of Bhutan. 408, their team, and the

Olympic Games so important to the world's most populous country. It's

quite a complicated relationship, they first competed in 1930 21 Los

Angeles as the Republic of China, that flag and identity subsequently

went to the country now known as Chinese Taipei. Legislation at the

front, very tall but for the first time since 1984 a basketball layer

does not carry the Chinese flag, this fella with a fencer who won

gold in London -- Sheng Lei. They will have a tussle with the United

States for the top of the medal table. The USA returned to the top

in London. Their biggest overseas team ever. You can expect lots of

medals in Babington, they have the superstar in diving, they have won

30 of the 40 gold medal since 1992, table tennis, they are threatening a

third consecutive clean sweep of the golds as well, plenty of

opportunities for this 396 strong team. Happy to be here. The most

successful Olympian had five gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Games.

We've move on to Cyprus, the birthplace of Aphrodite. An island

divided into Turkish Cyprus to the north and the Greek Cyprus to the

south. It's about 6am in Cyprus, I am sure many holiday-makers will be

stumbling into a bar or club in Limassol, good morning. Their flag

Berra, a sailor, Pavlos Kontides. He made history, winning Cyprus's

first-ever Olympic medal in windsurfing. Big support for

Colombia, which shares a border with Brazil. It has a Pacific and

Atlantic coastline, with Central America and Panama comes to meet it

in the middle. MEng's and women's football teams have qualified they

had brilliant Games in London, eight medals, their best Games, the

loudest cheers were for their BMX superstar. She took Colombia's

second gold ever and she returns to Rio to defend it. She carried the

flag in London. The planting goes on and stand back. 11,000 trees will

eventually grow elsewhere in the city. Kamara us, and Archipelago off

the east coast of Africa. Gained independence from France in 1975.

The first Games was Atlanta in 1996. Can you tell me the name of their

capital city? Moroni. Very good. I'm disappointed I didn't know that!

They've never sent a team with more than four athletes. Maximum noise in

here. Congo, not to be confused with the Democratic Republic of Congo,

both countries named after the mighty river. Congo is one of

sub-Saharan Africa's main oil producers. Speaking of mighty,

that's the table tennis player who makes his third appearance at the

Games. He is 40 and booked one of only two spots in the African

qualifying competition in table tennis after a marathon match

against a disappointed Tunisian. Here is the Democratic Republic of

the Congo, a huge country, formerly known as Zaire. That was a

Portuguese name. No medals in any of the national incarnations of the

Democratic Republic of Congo. It has previously appeared as Qin Chasseur

or Zaire. On to the Cook Islands. Only a population of 10,000, spread

over 800,000 square miles of the South Pacific. All cook Island are

also New Zealanders. They are. They always have a magnificently turned

out team. They always look stunning. And after the Cook Islands comes

Korea, beginning with a C in Portuguese. They are a 1200 strong

team, which is adopting a safety first approach. Their uniforms have

mosquito repellent woven into the fabric to stop Zika. They have the

biggest team of four in any nation full. There was an almighty scrap to

get into the team. They are aiming for a minimum of ten golds. The

Ivory Coast. That was the double world silver medallist in 2013. She

will go in the 100 and 200 year. Ivory Coast is on the West Coast of

Africa, similar colours to Ireland. Their men's football team is called

the Young elephants. They are not here this time. The world's leading

cocoa producer. And Costa Rica, the rich coast,

proud as its status of one of the greenest countries in the world.

Plans to become carbon neutral by 2021. A tropical paradise for many

holiday-makers. 5 million people. And Croatia, for a country of its

size, really does enjoy great sporting success. It is most widely

known for tennis and football, but plenty of other sports as well.

Croatia are led out by a water polo playing player, the 2012 world

Player of the Year and London Olympic gold medallist. They have

also got a pair of brothers who are lawyers. Now, Cuba. There has been a

noticeable thawing in the relationship with the United States

recently. Freedom of movement for Cubans has become considerably

easier. The big man at the front is Mijain Nunez Lopez. He is going for

a third gold in the row and would be the only third wrestler in history

to do it. He has two gold teeth that he had put into matches medals.

Another trip to the dentist this time? It has always been a hugely

successful Olympic nation. And Caroline Wozniacki turns up, wearing

the flag of Denmark, the former world number one tennis player.

Denmark was part of the first modern games in Athens in 1896 and had a

very good games in London four years ago. Caroline nearly didn't make it.

She nearly lost the position after failing to meet the Federation cup

requirements for playing. He argued that injuries had prevented her from

playing the required number of matches, and happily, she is here.

They also have the sailor who took silver behind Big Ben Ainslie. He is

the man who made him angry. He is back for his fourth games. I have

lost track of who has the West outfit. There are some crackers to

come. Smart casual. Djibouti are introduced. We have seen him before!

Small country in the Horn of Africa, tucked in beside Ethiopia by the Red

Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Strategically very important. And it

is the location of the United States' largest military base in

Africa. They have sent seven athletes and their flag's colours

are the green of the Earth, the blue of the sky and in the centre, the

red star of blood. Dominic is a small, mountainous island, part of

the Windward Islands in the south-east Caribbean. The name is

from the Latin word for Sunday, which was the day of the week it was

spotted by Christopher Columbus, a busy man. They have amazing

geothermal hot springs that, black sands and the boiling lake which is

perpetually on a rolling boil. It is a kind of Iceland in the sun.

Yordanys Duranona, the triple jumper, joins them out. Dominica is

not to be confused with the Dominican Republic. They have a

population which makes them the second Caribbean island after Cuba.

The Dominican Republic produced the flashing wristband wearing champion

Felix Sanchez, remember him? The red, white and blue. I am sure there

will be more of that later. Many of these athletes train on the Island's

Felix Sanchez stadium. Such was their pride that they build the

stadium named after him. Egypt enters the Maracana. They have a

population of 89 million officially. They are officially the Arab

Republic of Egypt and the largest Arab nation in the world. It is a

sizeable team of 120. Traditionally, wrestling and weightlifting have

been the source of medals for Egypt but this time, they have some teams

as well. That is their handball player, Ahmad Elahmar, who is

leading them out. They have a good javelin thrower as well. Five of

seven gold medals for Egypt have come in weightlifting. The Egyptians

have men's volleyball and handball and women's beach volleyball as well

for the first time. The centre of the Maracana slowly fills up with

athletes. El Salvador, the saviour, the most densely populated country

in Central America with 6.4 million people. But those millions have not

yet managed to deliver an Olympic medal. That is Lilian Castro, the

first shooter to take part for El Salvador. She won a popular vote to

carry their flag, so she is well respected. Sharp and elegant. Those

are there officials. No knowledge of who they are! United Arab emirates.

Seven states make up this country of the Persian Gulf which contains

enormous oil reserves. The best-known of them is Abu Dhabi and

of course Dubai. Swimmer Nada Albedwawi breaks new ground as she

carries their flag. Ecuador lies on the Pacific coast and as you might

guess, on the equator. It also includes the Galapagos Islands. A

long history with the Olympic Games going back to Paris in 1924, but not

a particularly successful one. Ecuador's only two medals.

Eritrea is on the Horn of Africa in the east, with a long coastline on

the Red Sea. Quite a secretive, one-party state. Slovakia was part

of Czechoslovakia until the velvet divorce, and are Michael Bolton

separation in 1993. -- until an amicable separation in 1993.

Their cyclist is competing in the mountain biking as he decided the

other event was too hilly. Slovenia joined in 1992 after separating from

Yugoslavia the year before. Webster and that the Slovenian Olympic

Committee has hired a planeload of Slovenian supporters that brought

them here to support their athletes. Many will be heading to watch the

sailing. And they do love a bit of Whitewater action. Selfie stick!

Now, who is waving the flag for Spain? It is Rafa Nadal. This is the

moment he wanted. He was supposed to carry the flag in London, but had a

knee injury. He is still struggling with his wrist injury, but he says

it is the Olympics. He says, I have missed grand slams and Davis cups in

my career, but the toughest thing was to miss the 2012 games. As you

say, he was desperate to be here, so welcome back, Rafa. You also have

golfer Sergio Garcia and of course, Sergio Garcia has been trying for

almost 20 years to win a medal. Javier Gomez is not here, the great

rival to Jonathan and Alistair Brownlee. Spain's basketball team

may be the biggest threat to the USA in Rio to stop them winning a third

straight gold. They have Alexander Val 30 in the men's road race

tomorrow as well. A big Spanish team, 309 strong. And every camera

is a stop. Spain are taking their time.

It's great to see the smiles. This is such a joyous occasion. Quite a

lot of countries have a lot of athletes, but only a fraction of

them come to the opening ceremony. Great Britain and Northern Ireland

fall into that group. But quite a big turnout for Spain. The Federated

States of Micronesia are 600 islands spread over 1 million miles. The

United Kingdom is about 93,000 square miles, to give you an idea.

First competed in Sydney in 2000. Yes, followed by the United States

of America. I think that is then making the noise. There is a huge

number of United States supporters in the crowd, who are about to make

themselves heard. This must be the earliest they have ever come to an

Olympic opening ceremony. There was all sorts of talk about changing the

alphabet! If it was in English, they would have been much later and then

you get issues of when it is going to happen in the United States. And

the man carrying the flag is Michael Phelps. The greatest Olympian of all

time. If he were a country, he would come 43rd in the all-time medal

table on his own. Would he be ahead of Yorkshire? Just ahead of Jamaica,

actually. He says it is his final Games. John Kerry, taking a photo.

They are wearing jackets that light up, we are told. They are flashy,

literally. A country that has hosted the games more than any other, four

times for the Summer Olympics. Los Angeles twice, and they are bidding

for it again. Indeed. Also in their ranks are 560 athletes, the biggest

by miles here. Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin are back. Their shining

star is expected to be people like Katie Ledecky, who won a goal that

only 15. She is expected to win maybe up to four gold medals here in

Rio. And you have Serena and Venus Williams, the track heroine Allyson

Felix. She is trying to become the first woman to win five Olympic

titles in athletics. So many chances here.

Rickie Fowler in the Gulf. Most Americans won't be watching, the

main broadcaster shows it between an hour and four hours later depending

on where you live in the USA. It starts at 8pm in prime time. Serena

and Venus Williams. Indeed, yes. Look out in gymnastics, wait until

you see the wonderful Simone Biles. Her debut Olympics. She's a ten

times world champion. She will take the sport to new heights. Mark my

words. Karl-Martin Rammo is is not going to be overshadowed by the

United States, leading in Estonia. Competed in the Games from 1920-1936

and was subsumed into the Soviet Union, before returning in

Barcelona. There's only one team from Tallinn, as variation on an old

Scottish football song. They hosted the sailing events in 1980. For the

first time in Olympic history, Leila, Liina and Lily Luik, the

first triplets to compete in the marathon. Ethiopian, leading by a

cyclist. Tsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay, Africa's oldest independent country,

the second largest behind... A superpower in distance running.

Tirunesh Dibaba going for a third gold, her sister is the world 1500

metre champion. Kenenisa Bekele was left out of the marathon,

controversially. The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Landlocked

country, to the north of Greece. The Kosovo war meant a huge number of

ethnic Albanians took refuge in the country. The flag with the eighth

grade son representing the new son of liberty, then used and some. I

love that flag. Fiji have great hopes in the rugby sevens. They do,

they come here ranked as world number one. Fiji has never won a

medal in any thing at the Olympic Games and they could very well be

gold here for them and perhaps men's football is being here might be too

much excitement in famously laid-back Fiji! There's a wonderful

story about the rugby sevens team, by the way. A flight last year, a

woman fell seriously ill and the cabin crew had been serving lunch,

rushed to her aid, as did the Vergini and Doctor, physio and coach

and the players took over the meal service. Go Fiji, I say. I want to

know who John Kerry was text dingbat, perhaps I don't. The

Philippines, over 7500 islands make up the Philippines. They took part

in Paris in 1924. Bangladesh, the Philippines, the second most

populous nation not yet to have won an Olympic medal. Finland, one of

the most sparsely populated countries in Europe, 5.5 million

people in a land which is two thirds forest and has around 180,000 lakes.

The Scandinavian nation that gave us Olympic distance legend Lasse Viren

who won the 5000 and 10,000 metres double at back-to-back Olympics,

something Mo Farah will try to emulate. A proud history in javelin,

almost a national sport. A big cheer for France. Our French neighbours

won 11 golds and finished seventh overall in London, headlined by a

stunning, the president here, a stunning performance in the pools

with four golds equalling their top number in previous Olympics. Florent

Manaudou, the quickest swimmer is back. The pole vault will defend his

title as well. The big man at the front, towering over everyone, that

is judoka Teddy Riner, big Ted, defends his heavyweight title, still

only 27. 27 stone! They actually won medal at cricket in the 1900 games

in Paris, the only time the sport has been included. Great Britain

bowled them out for 26 to win gold. It wasn't all good. Is worrying. The

famous five who has completed at every single Games since 1886.

Gabon, oil-rich West African country. The name comes from the

Portuguese for Cloak. I see that the athlete who got to the semis of the

100 metres in London is back. Gabon will stage the football finals next

year. They have elections planned for August. The Gambia, a small,

narrow country in West Africa which sits around the Gambia River. In

English, the Gambia I think is one of only two countries whose names

begin with the word there. From its capital come two athletes, Jean

Abbasi is carrying the flag. Garner as one of the stronger economies in

South Africa -- in Africa. They reportedly were not sending a team

due to financial problems. Two of the youngest competitors of the

Games will swim for Garner, a 16-year-old in the men's event and a

14-year-old in the women's freestyle event. She lives in Malaga in Spain

and is the Ghanaian record-holder in the 1500 free event. Georgia come

into the Maracana, on the eastern shores of the Black Sea. It was a

state in modern-day Georgia, Jason and the Argonauts there. They could

get to grips with a few more here,. They are a commentator's nightmare

in all sports, Georgia. Here he is, in red shoes, holding in his left

arm which is sensible, Andy Murray leads out Great Britain and Northern

Ireland. What a figurehead for a 366 strong team, said Craig Reidy and

his wife Rosemary cheering them on. This is, Andy says, the proudest

moment of his career. He will try to emulate Sir Chris Hoy and others in

London and carry it all the way around one-handed. The men's singles

is missing Federer, Wawrinka, verdict, Andy Murray plays Viktor

Troicki in the first round on Sunday. He is also playing in the

doubles with Jamie on Sunday. Astonishing 29 gold medals in London

and so many golden opportunities in Rio, returning champions Jessica

Ennis-Hill, Mo Farah, Greg Rutherford, Nicola Adams, Laura

Trott, Charlotte Dujardin, the list goes on and on. Fingers crossed.

Just pause for a moment! We must move on. The main island of Grenada

lies towards the southern end of the Caribbean. They have a very good

400-metre runner but their main man is... Kirani James, we got a flash

of him there. Now to Guam. And unincorporated territory of the

United States. An island in the western Pacific, like Puerto Rico,

also unincorporated. That's Benjamin Schulte is, only 16, open water. He

was 13 metres behind another competitor in the ten K. A

stunningly beautiful country on the Mexican southern border, first

competed in the Olympics in 1952 in Helsinki. Their history maker Eric

Marange oh is back, he won Guatemala's first-ever medal, he was

given an open top homecoming cars open top bus homecoming. Diane

Abbott, they won the 3000 steeplechase in 1956. -- Galliano.

One of Brazil's best neighbours, the land of many waters they call it.

Guinea, whose economy depends largely on mineral production. The

world's second largest producer of bauxite, the main source of

aluminium. Only four athletes taking part in London. Five has come from

their capital, Conakry, this time. It used to be known as Guinea,

great, a different entry from Guinea-Bissau. Equatorial Guinea, a

major oil producer. The country that gave us Eric the Eel, the country

has been awarded the all African games in 2019. There was no swimming

pool when he was competing and they are going to build one now because

of these Games. That's a legacy of Eric the Eel! Here is Guinea-Bissau,

the other Team GB lies next to Guinea-Bissau, the name of the

capital city, became independent from Portugal in 74. 96 was their

first Games. They haven't appeared in too many sports. Wrestling and

athletics in their history. The official languages Portuguese, just

like Brazil. This small five strong team should feel at home. Haiti,

another country discovered by Christopher Columbus on his maiden

voyage across the Atlantic in 1492. It lies in the eastern half of the

island of his granular and struggling to recover from the

devastation of the earthquake six years ago. That's the wrestler, the

first Haitian wrestler at the Games, serving in the US military. He has

helped to bring sport to Haiti. He moved to the country from New Jersey

when he was eight. Determined to give something back. Honduras, led

out by Russell. They first competed in the Olympics in 1968. The capital

of Honduras? They give the culpa. I knew it began with the T. A bright

and breezy outfit for Honduras. For the third Olympics, the Honduras

men's Olympic team. Hong Kong China to give its full title. Officially

Hong Kong special administrative region of the People's Republic of

China. Swimmer Stephanie or back for her third Games, competing in eight

sports, once Brad -- won bronze last time in the velodrome. The 2012 flag

bearer was the only medal winner. Almost 20 years ago. Hungary,

competed in the first Olympics of the modern era in 1886. The current

borders of Hungary work established after the First World War, which

reduced in size by about one third. It's all about the water, on it and

in it, for many of the medal hopefuls. Their athlete won the ten

K open water swim in Hyde Park. It will take courage to dive into these

waters here. They have another swimmer who has five Olympic medals.

It's a watery tradition for Hungary. Yemen is at the southern end of the

Arabian Peninsula. It's in a state of political crisis. The official

capital has been under Shia rebel control. It used to compete as North

and South Yemen. Four Gehman is representing the people who call it

home. There are some batteries being worn out. India, relatively speaking

by size of population, 1.25 billion, not a hugely successful Olympic

nation. Much debate about why, but obviously economic scams into it and

for the vast majority of that population, a variety of sports may

not be readily accessible. The Indian team, -- includes men's

hockey, who played Ireland tomorrow. Eight of their nine goals have come

in hockey. For the first time, there is over 100 strong, so a significant

Games for India. The men's team in hockey were unbeaten between 1928

and 1960, but in London they finished 12 out of 12, much

soul-searching after that. Leander Paes, Indian tennis player, his

seventh Games, competing in the doubles. They could come up against

the Murray brothers. From the second most populated country to the

fourth, Indonesia, 256 million people spread across more than

13,000 islands in Southeast Asia. The first Olympics for Indonesia was

in 1952, Helsinki. Their flag bearer is Maria Londa, an Asian Games

champion who has trained on the beautiful beaches of Bali. Everyone

else lies about on them. Badminton has been one of their most

successful sports but in 2012 eight doubles player was disqualified for

not trying. One of those returns, I'm sure she will try harder now.

Absolutely glorious, glorious outfits.

Bringing a further splash of colour to the Maracana. Iran's flag bearer

is Zahra Nemati, who qualified to compete in both the Olympics and

Paralympics in Rio. She is an arch now but was once an expert taekwondo

fighter before she was injured and lost the use of her legs during an

earthquake in 2003. She went on to win gold and bronze in London's

Paralympics and is the first Iranian woman to win a Olympic or Paralympic

title. What a wonderful figurehead for this team. Other sports that

brings success to Iran are wrestling and weightlifting. 54 of their 60

Olympic medals have been won in I think the noes have it. The noes

have it. Two sports. And from Iran to Iraq. -- they have been won in

those two sports. One of the most positive Olympic stories of recent

years was the Iraqi football team's after the semis in 2004 at the

height of the conflict in the country. And tragically, while the

conflict continues around Baghdad and beyond, the men's team have

qualified once more after a 12 year wait. Here comes Ireland, led out by

Paddy Barnes, the boxer from Belfast. Both bronze and the light

flyweight is. He would love an upgrade. They have had a few

problems in the build-up. But as always, we wish our Irish friends

the best in the coming days. Iceland have already achieved something in

sport this summer through their football team's efforts in France in

the European Championships. Their handball team had made the greatest

impact on the world stage at the last Olympics. With apologies to Roy

Hodgson and England boys, wouldn't we like to hear that Icelandic cry

again? One of the spine tingling moments. London 2012 was not great

for Israel. They have a strong windsurfing pedigree. Leticia Beck

will tee up a in the second week on the Olympic golf course. It is on

the water that Israelis have had most success. Italy enter the

stadium, almost ever present at the Olympic Games. The only ones they

missed were the games of St Louis in 1904. One of the most decorated

swimmers of all time, Federica Pellegrini, at the head of this team

that hopes its efforts will boost Italy's bid for the 2024 games in

Rome. She turned down the chance to carry the tricolour in London to

save her efforts for the next morning, but she gets another chance

on her 28th birthday. The other countries bidding for the 2024 games

that you mentioned are Paris, Budapest and Los Angeles.

Jamaica are bringing their colour to the stadium. They are read out by

the other great sprinter of Jamaica, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Can she

beat the big man, Usain Bolt, to be the first to win three 100 metres

titles in succession? She gets the chance first next Saturday night in

the final, she helps. She has struggled a bit with a toe injury

this season. Jamaica got 67 Olympic medals, going back to their first

games in 1948. All but one of them have come in athletics, with the

exception of a cycling bronze in 1980. Japan, with a population of

127 million, still the world's third largest economy. Expectations are

high for the next host country in Tokyo, 2020. This is a stepping

stone and they are targeting at least 14 golds here, double their

Golden Hall from London. And from Kiesuke Ushiro to Yoshida am the

first female team captain. She is going for her fourth consecutive

gold medal. There is some way still for her to match Japan's most

successful Olympian, who won eight golds in gymnastics between 1968 and

1976. It is their decathlete Kiesuke Ushiro who leads out the delegation

tonight. To Jordan, the small but politically very important Middle

Eastern country between Israel and Saudi Arabia. First competed at the

games in Moscow in 1980. The Kingdom's eight athletes feature a

pair of siblings, a swimmer and her brother, who is an Olympics blush in

the pool as well. And personal of mine, David Katoatau of Kiribati. It

is a tiny island nation. They used to be known as the Gilbert Islands.

His English wasn't great, but he sang about his love for his country.

Not a dry eye. The first Olympic Games for Kosovo, recognised by the

IOC at the end of 2014. Declared independence from Serbia in 2008 but

still disputed independence. And their flag bearer, Majlinda

Kelmendi. She had to compete for Albania in 2002 and has since won

two world judo titles. Laos, one of East Asia's poorest countries, one

of the few remaining communist states in the world. They have sent

a fairly large team of 19 to Moscow in 1980, but fewer since then. Their

flag is set to show the moon shining over the blue strip of the Mekong

River. The mountainous kingdom of Lesotho, which is surrounded by

South Africa. Athletics has mainly made up past teams from Lesotho.

Another fine collection of traditional headgear. Great training

for marathon runners over there. Mosito Lehata is their flag bearer.

Maris Strombergs is a genuine cycling superstar in the two wheeled

anarchy that is BMX racing. He is largely a's first champion. No one

else has had a look in since the sport came into the games. The final

is two weeks today. Latvia's other Olympic gold medal came in

gymnastics in Sydney in 2000. Lebanon has a Brisley unborn

naturalised judoka -- a Brazilian born judoka. He was already

decorated champion for Brazil, but he made the tough choice three years

ago and makes his Olympic debut at home for his adoptive country. Much

was made of Lebanese emigration to the country, and there is the link

between the two. Lebanon have not won an Olympic medal since 1980.

Liberia is Africa's oldest republic. Their flag was modelled on that of

the United States because the country was founded by freed African

and Caribbean slaves, hence the name of the country. That is a bold

outfit. One of Liberia's most famous sons is an ex-Chelsea footballer who

will be standing for Liberia President. Libya, seven athletes in

total including one woman swimmer, only the eighth woman to represent

Libya. Military action right now in the north of the country. This is

the second Games since the uprising in Libya five years ago. The unrest

continues there. They have seven athletes. The tiny principality of

Liechtenstein between Switzerland and Austria. They have the same tune

for their anthem as God Save The Queen, but we are unlikely to hear

it in Rio. They have never won a medal. 81 years, the longest wait of

any association. Two swimmers during a tennis player. All of them believe

good things come to those who wait. They did win a Winter Olympic gold

in 1980. Lithuania is the largest and most southerly of the three

Baltic states. There is Gintare Scheidt. Commentators have been

taking great care for five games now over that name. Lithuania's swimming

medallist is now the world record-holder. She starts on Sunday

in the 100 metre breaststroke heats. Good luck to her. Gilles Muller

leads out Luxembourg, tucked between Belgium, Germany and France. They

have had Winter Olympic success. An incredible island, Madagascar,

without a 5% of all the species on Earth and a 24 million human

population represented by six athletes in Rio. But probably best

known now for some cartoon animals in the film. They have never won an

Olympic medal. Eliane Saholinirina was there like bearer. -- flag

bearer. Leading Malaysia out is Chong Wei Lee. Expect another

blockbuster against China in the men's singles. They can't meet in

the final as they have in the last couple of Olympics because they have

been drawn to meet in the semifinals this time. The vivid orange of

Malaysia. Malawi are not too far to the west of Madagascar, one of the

smallest countries in Africa. A third of its size is taken up by the

enormous lake Malawi. Appropriately, they have two swimmers, including a

20-year-old sprinter whose Facebook page and read simply, just swim and

get your life right. The Maldives are also led out by a swimmer in

Aminath Shajan. Made up of around 1200 islands and 26 atolls, which

are coral reefs surrounding lagoon. It is the lowest country in the

world, line 1.5 metres above sea level. Their flag bearer says she

was astounded when she first flew into Rio and saw the mountains

tumbling into the sea. She had never seen anything like it. Marley is a

landlocked country in West Africa through which the River Niger flows.

Timbuktu is in Mali. 17 million people are waiting to see if Mali

can get their first gold medal. The flag of Malta has the St Georges

cross in the corner, which was awarded to the people of Malta in

1942 by George VI for their efforts in the Second World War. Andrew

Chetcuti carried the flag, bury that Maltese Cross. The Pacific Islands,

named after John Charles Marshall with Tom Gilbert, he of Gilbert

Islands fame. They only made their Olympic debut in Beijing in 2008.

That standard beachwear favourite, the bikini, was invented by a

Frenchman and named after one of the Marshall Islands, the bikini atoll,

the site of the nuclear test in the 1940s. Morocco, the north African

country, home to 34 million people, represented by 51 here. They have

had great success in athletics. Hicham El Guerrouj did the double in

Athens. Distance running is a speciality for

Morocco, middle-distance running in particular.

Behind them comes Mauritius, to the east of Madagascar in the Indian

Ocean. The last sight of the dodo was in Mauritius. The last one was

killed in 1681. I think the Portuguese again had something to do

with that. They visited the island. Subsequent economised by the Dutch,

French and British before independence in 1968 and their flag,

known as the four banz, was first flown. Mauritania, and other West

African country and another of Africa's big oil-producing

countries. Under two person team, one man, one woman, Jidou El Moctar

carrying the flag for a country bordering the western Sahara, where

temperatures can reach 50 Celsius so I think 25 he will be a pleasant

change. Mexico get perhaps the largest cheer of the evening so far.

Representing a population of 122 million, the largest

Spanish-speaking country in the world. Their most successful Games,

as these things tend to go was when Mexico City hosted them in 1968. The

big cheer, despite the fact the Mexican football has caused misery

for Brazil, beating them in the football at Wembley 2-1, and they

will defend their title here, the one Brazil grave so much as it is

Brazil's bogeyman, Peralta, who scored both of Mexico's goals then

and he is in the squad again so look out. Mozambique, which stretches up

the Indian Ocean from South Africa to Tanzania, like Brazil, Portuguese

speaking. For four surgeries, it was the Portuguese rule and their great

sporting star was Maria Mutola. All the athletes have to live up to the

exploits of that one eight from -- wonderful 800 metres champion, their

only medallist. She won gold in Sydney, bronze in Atlanta, Maria

Mutola. Slightly tart and, as we move onto Moldova. A country of just

3.5 million, located between Romania and Ukraine. A team of 23. In their

ranks, Dorchester born Aaron Cook in tae kwon do, trying to win Moldova's

first gold in any sport. The former Britain was overlooked for the 2012

Games despite being number one and was approached by Moldova to compete

for them last year. Interesting choice. Monaco, the second smallest

independent state in the world after Vatican City and also the most

densely populated. When you think of the number of high-level sportsmen

and women who live there who could compete them, they -- compete for

them, they could do OK. No medal so far. No nation has appeared in as

many Olympics without winning a medal and they beat Lichtenstein to

that dubious honour by 16 years but they have got medals from the Winter

Games. Filling up inside the Maracana and we are deep into the M.

A huge country between China and Russia, Mongolia but a population of

under 3 million. Mongolia one of the new powers in judo and the judoka

leads them out who has won gold and silver at the last two Games and the

capital city but all comes from the Mongolian which means red hero.

Island and Paddy Barnes doing their bit for the tree-planting. --

Ireland and Paddy Barnes. Mongolia, perhaps the brightest so far this

evening. Very sunny indeed. It gets very cold in Ulan Bator.

A wonderful sight, 60,000 in here, slightly down on its usual capacity

of 80,000, with one end of the stadium being used for the

proceedings earlier. I say 60,000 in here, we are halfway through so

there must be 5000 athletes in here as we welcome Montenegro. This is

only the third Olympic Games for them after voting for independence

from Serbia and Montenegro in 2006. Montenegrin's women's handball team

are national heroine and they are trying to turn London silver into

Rio gold, the first ever medal for the country. Their first match

tomorrow is against Spain and their team talisman, Bojana Popovic

carries the standard, giving it a good old wiggle. Good on you. Milos

Raonic is originally from Montenegrin, the Canadian tennis

player but he is not here in Rio, as mentioned. Myanmar, also known as

Burma, in the south of China by the Bay of Bengal, quite a year

politically as they have sworn in a civilian president in March, the

first in over 50 years. Aung San Suu Kyi is now very high up in

government there and their chief hope for the medal is a shooter, who

honed his military skills when he was doing military service under the

previous Gintare Scheidt. Named after the desert in what was known

as the scrum for Africa, Germany took control of this part of the

continent, which is to be known as German south-west Africa. I noticed

that Namibia's talisman, Frankie Fredericks, the four time 200 metres

silver medallist, the greatest in the country did 200 metres with the

torch in Rio, just rotting. Namibia skated over by the director but now

Nauru, formerly known as the pleasant Island, one of the fact is

that it is officially the most overweight population in the world,

over 40% of the people have type two diabetes and the average weight of

an adult is 16 stone. It is extraordinary. Now, Nepal, which as

the only non-4-macro sided flag in the world, and still recovering from

the devastating earthquake of last year, really. -- the non-4 sided

flag. That Lady's father was tragically killed on Everest last as

well. She is a judoka. Nicaraguan, represented by five from a

population of almost six million. And for those of you who are house

of cards fans, I noticed that life mirrors art, the Nicaraguan

president has named his wife as his running mate and candidate for vice

president. Frank Underwood, eat your heart out! It is one of the poorest

countries after many years of civil war in the 20th century. Niger, the

largest country in West Africa, but 80% of its land is taken up by the

Sahara. They first competed at the Olympics in Tokyo in 1964. The

company that gave us the single skull Ravouvou learnt a row about 12

weeks before the road at Eton Thornely and he will leave the

limelight to his team-mates this time. In 19 72, they won their only

medal. Nigeria very different, just to the south of Niger, Africa's most

populous country with almost 182 million, and a significant world

economy. A 40-year-old table tennis player, Oliver Gay Ocean appearing

in this Games and significantly, another table tennis player will

become the first African athlete to compete in seven Games in any sport.

Congratulations to him. A bit of a racy number being worn by Norway as

they come into the stadium. They have won more Winter Olympic medals

than any other nation. And not too shabby in the summer because they

welcome back the shining stars of the women's handball team going for

a third straight Olympic gold and they have a role, 40 this year, back

for a sixth Games and maybe a third gold. He's got a bit of help this

time in the double sculls. There's a lot going on in that outfit! New

Zealand, a great sporting nation with a population of only 4.5

million but 207 athletes in Rio. The Kiwis had an awesome Games in

London, with six golds. Expect more of the same, in men's rowing, the

pair have not been beaten to six years. Skull rower Mike Drysdale was

the first athlete to get into the Olympic Village. Val Adams wants to

stand on the top tier of the shot put podium. Event Mark Todd at his

eighth Games and look out for the black lycra of the Kiwis in the

velodrome, in sailing and of course in Rugby sevens. Choice! Oman, on

the south-eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, the oldest

independent state in the Arab world, first attended the Olympics in 1984

in Los Angeles. Four of them have flown in from the capital Muscat to

compete. The Netherlands, not Holland but simply one region in the

west of the Netherlands. What the team this could be, six gold medals

in London and in their ranks, Dafne Schippers, who powered to a world

title over 200 metres last year, they have got Marianne Vos to beat

Lizzie Armitstead to road race gold in London and the hockey champions

are going for an unprecedented golden hat-trick and a word about

the men's gymnastics competitor who won in spectacular style and we