The Highs And Lows Of The Rio De Janeiro Olympic Games
Margaret Sutherlin
Associate Editor
High: Puma & Usain Bolt‘s Big Win
Usain Bolt may have run his last Olympic race, but he’s still one of Puma’s MVPs. The track star won three gold medals — for the men’s 100-meter relay, 200-meter and 100-meter races — and the whole time he showed off his Puma kicks.
High: Under Armour‘s Athletes Dominate
Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian of all time at these games. Simone Biles took home four gold medals at age 19, and she won hearts for her go-getter attitude. While Under Armour, which sponsors the U.S. Gymnastics Team and Phelps, may not have been an official sponsor, the brand garnered important stories it can tell now and in the future about its star-studded athletes.
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High: Brazil’s Big Wins
Big applause goes out to the men’s Brazilian soccer team, which took home gold, as did the men’s indoor and beach volleyball teams. The victories were well-earned and a bright spot for the host country.
Low: Ryan Lochte’s “Robbery” Scandal
What is there left to say about U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte’s antics? The gold medalist lied about being robbed at gunpoint after a night of partying, all in order to cover up vandalizing the bathroom at a gas station. He then half-heartedly offered an apology. Host country Brazil, which was already dealing with the glare of security issues leading up to and through the games, was not happy, nor was the U.S. Olympic Committee. Lochte’s embarrassing choices have cost him, though. On Monday morning, Speedo, his top sponsor, announced it had dropped the athlete.
High: Boomer Phelps’ Freshly Picked moccasins
In case you missed it, Phelps’ son, Boomer, was stealing hearts and smiling (though sometimes caught snoozing) for the cameras at just 3 months old. Baby Boomer didn’t just rock his patriotic noise-canceling headphones at the races, but also wore some pretty sweet Freshly Picked moccasins while cheering on his swimmer dad. Talk about a gold medal-worthy moment for the baby shoe brand.
Low: U.S. Women’s Soccer Loss & Hope Solo’s Reaction
Fans were bummed that the U.S. Women’s Soccer team lost the chance to make it to the finals when it lost to Sweden in a shootout. What made the loss sting even more? Hope Solo’s less-than-sportsmanlike comments, calling the opposing team “cowards” after the game.
High: Nike’s Sponsorship Win
Nike was the official sponsor of the Rio Olympics, and it won in a big way with games that went off largely without a hitch and without much controversy once they got underway. On Monday, the company reiterated a five-year commitment to Rio de Janeiro dedicated to building sports programs and training coaches to help give young athletes in the poorest Favelas a place to gather safely. It didn’t hurt that it got major placement on the cover of Sports Illustrated with two Under Armour athletes wearing Nike apparel and was seen on the medal stands.
