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The gold medals and moments high of drama are all very well, but what about the strange little details that have marked out the Rio Olympics? Here are some of the curiosities and lesser-spotted oddities witnessed so far at the Games.
US gymnasts' leotards are bedecked with thousands of crystals
Simple lycra is not enough for Team USA. At this tournament, many of the women gymnasts' leotards are adorned with close to 5,000 Swarovski crystals. 'Obviously, sparkles are not an element in the scoring,' former Olympic gymnast Samantha Peszek, told the New York Times. 'But it's part of the 'look good, feel good, do good' aspect.' In the last century, Olympic leotards didn't differ much from the outfit your sister would wear to ballet class. Then the sparkling fad began. In 2008, Nastia Liukin's leotard for the Beijing games had 184 crystals on it. By 2012, Gabby Douglas had 1,188 on hers. Now that figure has nearly quadrupled. 'We're in a crystal arms race,' Swarovski's Alexander Wellhoefer has said. The cost of those dazzling Team USA outfits? About $1,200 (￡912) each.
There are lifeguards at all Olympic swimming events
No bombing, no diving, no petting - you wouldn't think Olympians would need to be told all this. Or that Adam Peaty or Simone Manuel might need rescuing. But Brazilian law insists that swimming pools over a certain size are watched over by lifeguards. There are about 75 on duty at the various Olympic centres during swimming, diving, synchronised swimming, water polo and white-water kayaking events. Some 150 lifeguards were also in attendance same at the London games in 2012. There isn't really very much for them to do, and onlookers have commented how bored many of them look. You may think they would be pleased to have a prime seat for the games, on the other hand it's reported they get paid just ￡260 ($341) for a fortnight's work.
The mysterious squiggly trophies
At previous Olympics, athletes who made the podium were handed a bouquet of flowers. But for this year's games they have been scrapped, apparently because they are 'not very sustainable'. It seems most were just tossed in the dustbin. Now, along with their medal, competitors are handed a multi-coloured object with a green base. At first this baffled spectators, and some competitors, such as Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui.
“傅园慧此刻脑子里想的跟我们一样” There was much speculation on social media. Was it a paperweight? A napkin holder? In fact, it's a 3D model of the official Rio Olympics logo, and it reportedly doubles as a medal holder. Although it looks more than capable of weighing down a sheaf of A4 paper as well if necessary.
US athletes have to pay tax on medals
Olympic glory comes at a cost - if you're American, at any rate. Michael Phelps's five gold medals from Rio, plus his one silver, could cost him up to $55,000 (￡42,000) in taxes, it has been estimated. This is mainly because the US Olympic Committee awards prize money to medal winners - $25,000 (￡16,000) for gold, $15,000 (￡10,000) for silver, and $10,000 (￡6,000) for bronze - and this is considered taxable income by the US Internal Revenue Service. Many other countries give medal bonuses - Singapore's Joseph Schooling, it's reported, will get $753,000 (￡573,000) for his gold. However, in the US the medals are also given a value and taxed, based on the value of the materials they are made of. According to Forbes magazine, a 500g gold medal from Rio is worth $564 (￡429), because it is mostly silver, plated with only 6g of gold. Silver medals are worth roughly $300 (￡228), and bronze medals, which are mostly made of copper, only about $4 (￡3). Members of the US Congress have made several efforts to make athletes' medal payments tax-exempt, but as yet to no avail. (责任编辑：voa365) |
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