Last Friday was the 2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremony marking the official start of the Games. This time around the Games are taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Records are being broken and new events are coming into play, and Team USA is helping in both of those scenarios.
1. A record number of countries are participating.
2. There are a record number of sports.
3. There will be 207 countries participating.
4. The Games feature a total of 28 sports.
5. A total of 10,500 athletes will be competing.
6. After a 112-year hiatus, golf is making a return to the Olympic Games.
7. Rugby sevens (a variant of traditional rugby) is making its Olympic debut.
8. There are 306 sets of medals being contested for.
9. This is the first time that the countries Kosovo and South Sudan are participating.
10. Rio de Janiero is the first South American city to host the Olympics.
11. This is the first time the Olympics are being held in a Portuguese-speaking country.
12. This is also the first time the games are being held entirely during the host country’s winter season.
3. It is the first time since 1968 that the games will be held in Latin America.
14. This is the third time the Olympics will be held in the Southern Hemisphere.
15. Team USA comprises a total of 554 members.
16. Team USA features 262 men.
17. And 292 women, making it the most women that has ever competed in a single Olympics for any nation.
For only the second time in history, Team USA has more women than men on the U.S. Olympic Team.
18. There are 189 returning Olympians on Team USA.
19. And 365 Team USA athletes are making their Olympic debut in Rio.
20. There are three six-time Olympians -- Phillip Dutton, Emil Milev and Kim Rhode.
21. Among the returnees, 106 are Olympic medalists.
22. Sixty-six returnees are Olympic champions.
23. Forty-three have won multiple Olympic medals.
24. Fifty-one of the returning Olympians are looking to defend their title from London 2012.
25. Nine of the newcomers have been featured in the Youth Olympic Games.
26. Team USA features the most decorated Olympian of all-time, swimmer Michael Phelps, with 22 medals.
27. Allyson Felix (track & field) is the most decorated American female Olympian, with six medals.
28. Forty-six states are being represented, plus three from the District of Columbia and one from the U.S. Virgin Islands.
29. Team USA features six sets of siblings.
30. Thirty-three participants have family members who have competed in past Olympics.
31. Twelve of them have parents that have competed.
32. Seventeen of the athletes have military ties.
33. Seventy-five percent of the 2016 Team participated in collegiate athletics at varsity and club levels.
34. On Team USA is equestrian Phillip Dutton, who at age 52 is the oldest member heading to Rio.
35. Separated by 36 years from Dutton, is table tennis player, Kanak Jha, age 16.
He is the youngest member and the first U.S. Olympic athlete to be born in the 21st century.
