The Rio Olympics ended today amid a glittering carnival-inspired closing ceremony as the official handover to 2020 hosts Tokyo.
The biggest sports extravaganza on earth witnessed the participation of over 11,000 athletes from 206 countries. It was not only the platform that exhibited the creme de la creme of sports but it was full of moments that invoked best of human emotions and a message that we may be divided by the colour of our skin or geographical boundaries, our languages or culture but humanity binds us all.
Here are the most amazing moments of Olympics
1) The True Olympics spirit
One of the defining moments of Olympics was witnessed when (runners) Nikki Hamblin (of New Zealand) and Abbey D'Agostino (of the US) helped each other finish the race after after colliding in their heats during the women's 5000m. And for the American runner helping up her competitor, saying 'Get up, we have to finish, this is the Olympic Games', best describes the spirit of the Olympics and fair play.
2) The proposal
Chinese diver He Zi had just collected her silver medal in the 3m women's springboard final when fellow diver Qin Kai entered the podium presentation. He duly got down on one knee, produced an engagement ring and proposed. She said yes.
3) Brazil
Brazil exorcised the demons of their 7-1 defeat by Germany in the World Cup semi-final in Belo Horizonte in 2014 by beating them in a penalty shoot-out to win the Olympic gold medal.
4) Beating the legend:
The most decorated athlete in Olympic history Michael Phelps couldn't pull off one of his patented comebacks in the 100-meter butterfly, easily held off by a swimmer Joseph Schooling, a decade younger than Phelps.
5) Bolt from the blue
Halfway through the sprint, he pulled away from the pack, and as he neared the finish line, checked his right and left to ensure he was in first. That's when he gave a big smile to the cameras. Getty's Cameron Spencer caught the moment. Bolt made it look ever so easy even at the biggest sporting event of the world.
6) Divided by borders connected by soul
Olympic gymnasts Hong Un-Jong, of North Korea, and Lee Eun-Ju, of South Korea, met during a practice session in Rio and showed major camaraderie by posing for a selfie together. The two athletes are being praised for their sportsmanship despite tense relationships between their countries.
7) Holding hands
China's Sarah Lee linked arms with Australian Anna Meares after beating the latter in the individual sprint title event in Velodrome.Tthey cycled round the track after their sprint heat had finished.
8) Bolt again
Unperturbed Bolt, once again, shows his gregarious personality by pointing in admiration at Canada's Andre De Grasse as both men cross the line - in first and second place respectively - in the men's 200m semi-final. Bolt went on to win the final, of course.
9) Super Mario
In a dramatic entry, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appeared dressed as computer game character Super Mario, with the next Olympics being held in Tokyo in 2020.
10) The eternal joy
An Iranian woman had never won an Olympic medal, until Rio 2016.
Kimia Alizadeh become the first when she beat Sweden's Nikita Glasnostic 5-1 in the taekwondo under-57kg division.
"My daughter Kimia, you have triggered the happiness of all the Iranians, and particularly of the women. I wish you eternal joy," President Hassan Rouhani tweeted.
