Team GB celebrates historic Rio Olympics as torrential rain blights closing ceremony
THOUSANDS of athletes and spectators from around the world came together to bid farewell to the Rio Olympics Games.
Closing ceremony best bits: Fireworks and LED shoes
The curtain came down on the Games in the Brazilian city and so did the rain as Team GB celebrated its most successful games, surpassing London 2012.
The colourful ceremony included celebrations of Brazil’s wildlife and diversity along with traditional music as athletes from the 207 competing nations made their way into the Maracana Stadium.
But the famous Maracana was not full as plenty stayed away from the ceremony.
Team GB celebrated the end of the Rio Games
Rower Polly Swan showed off Team GB's light-up shoes
It was Team GB's most successful Olympic Games
Team GB won an incredible 67 medals across 22 different sports, including 27 golds during the two weeks of competition.
Mo Farah produced an historic ‘double double’ by claiming 10,000 metre and 5,000 metre golds.
Power couple Jason Kenny and Laura Trott hoovered up an incredible five gold medals in track cycling.
..@TeamGB have found another use for the shoes pic.twitter.com/c7kpTcSwMr
— Helen Glover (@Helenglovergb) August 22, 2016
Rio put on a carnival ceremony despite the stadium not being sold out
British athletes donned light-up shoes which changed colours to represent the famous red, white and blue on the GB flag.
Captain of the triumphant hockey team Kate Richardson-Walsh carried the Great Britain flag into the stadium as a buoyant GB team celebrated their achievements.
Gymnast Nile Wilson certainly enjoyed the ceremony
Through the torrential rain organisers made a rousing tribute to the thousands of volunteers who helped make the games work.
Carlos Arthur Guzman, the head of the Rio Olympic organising committee said: “The Brazilian fans have won the gold medal.”
IOC president Thomas Bach said it was “a marvellous Games in a marvellous city” which brought loud cheers from the Brazilian crowd.
The flame was passed onto Japan where Tokyo will host the next Games
The carnival of a ceremony concluded in fireworks around the top of the stadium but not before Rio’s organisers could hand over the Olympic flame to Tokyo who will host the Games in 2020.
The segment of the ceremony dedicated to Tokyo saw the inclusion of Japan prime minister Shinzo Abe appearing from a green pipe as Nintendo character Super Mario before depicting the Tokyo skyline through the medium of dance.
Brazilian legend Pele was impressed by the ceremony, tweeting: “I waited for my whole life to see Brazil win gold at football and now my dream came true.”