Full Court Press: Four Long Years

As we look back on the 16 glorious days of the 2012 London Olympic Games, it’s hard not to wonder what the future holds for Rio 2016. The U.S reclaimed their control over the total and gold medal counts, after a brief hiatus in Beijing. Here’s to hoping we can repeat that in Rio with the influx of promising young athletes in this country.

There will be a few major changes to the schedule come 2016, as Rugby Sevens and Golf have been added to the list of competitions, which brings the total to 28 different sports and 42 medal events. A few other sports were in contention, but eventually lost through presentations and a voting majority (baseball, softball, squash, karate, wake boarding, roller sports). 

What to look forward to - the beautiful venues and attractions of Rio de Janeiro:

Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, home to the rowing and canoeing competitions of the Olympic Games

A bird's eye view of the main Olympic Village and downtown area.

The Olympic Village beach and volleyball courts.

Copacabana Beach, which will host marathon swimming, triathlon events, and beach volleyball.

It's hard not to get excited for the the first South American country to host the Summer Olympic Games, and these next four years can't possibly move any slower. I'm hoping I can make the journey down to Brazil and enjoy the experience in person. Either way, it's sure to be an opportunity for more life-changing accomplishments, world record shattering performances, and inspiring displays of athleticism for athletes around the world. 

@hzedeck