Congratulations to all Our Olympics 2016 winners!

Emilie Torres (New Zealand), an up and coming artist, is designing the medals this year and they are still in the process, but will be posted on Facebook and sent to the winners when they are finished. Here is a preview of the initial concept sketch:

Gold Medal: Japan (Stephanie Terusa)

Prize: Medal and Brazil Bear

Silver Medal: Australia (Elyse Jarvis)

Prize: Medal and USA Bear

Bronze Medal: France (Mary Blake Morehouse)

Prize: Medal and France Bear

Gold Spirit Award: Hungary (Maddie Des Jardins)

Prize: Medal and Roman Laurel Wreath Necklace

Middle of the Road Prize: TIE - Mexico (Brittany Vergara) and Turkey (Ryan Vergara)

Prize: Sticker of Toucan

Random Drawing Prize: Kazakhstan (Kathy Smith)

Prize: USA Flag Beach Towel

Coal Prize: Ireland (Sarah McNamara)

Prize: Phelps Face Sticker

Here are the official standings for all competitors:

Rank	Country	Representative	Total Points
1	Japan	Stephanie Terusa	682
2	Australia	Elyse Jarvis	602
3	France	Mary Blake Morehouse	566
4	Hungary	Maddie Des Jardins	563
5	Germany	Lori Cress	530
6	South Korea	Kim Klingaman	495
7	Italy	Pam Keller	487
8	Spain	Amy Brennan	451
9	New Zealand	Emilie Torres	407
10	Netherlands	Tina Torres	393
11	Kenya	Gary Keller	367
12	Cuba	Elvin Miali	323
13	Kazakhstan	Kathy Smith	308
14	Azerbaijan	David Rathel	302
	Denmark	Martha Joy McGee	302
16	Brazil	Brian Cress	280
	Jamaica	Michael Anderson	280
18	Ukraine	Jessica MacDonald	273
19	Georgia	McCaulley Family	262
20	Canada	Lisa Blair	242
	Switzerland	Liesl Olson	242
22	Mexico	Brittany Vergara	222
	Turkey	Ryan Vergara	222
24	Romania	Graydon Cress	218
25	Sweden	Erin Cress	212
26	Czech Republic	Fran & Kids Anderson	210
27	Croatia	Chloe Coppedge	200
28	Uzbekistan	Brett Speakman	190
29	Ireland	Sarah McNamara	188
30	South Africa	Steve & Danielle Keller	155
31	Poland	Elsie Coppedge	145
32	Argentina	Joanna Coppedge	140
	Belarus	Lucy Coppedge	140
34	Colombia	Sean MacDonald	120
35	Greece	Troy Townsend	110
	Thailand	Caleb Froehlich	110
37	Ethiopia	Laurie & Aileigh Blois	100
38	Slovenia	Iona Blois	95
39	Norway	Sophie Coppedge	90
	Slovakia	Marshall Cress	90
41	Lithuania	Rachel Froehlich	85
42	Finland	Amber & Emma Speakman	80
43	Mongolia	Billy & Blake Coppedge	70
44	India	April Rathel	55
45	Tunisia	Harrington Speakman	45
46	Trinidad & Tobago	Isaac Blois	35

Congratulations everyone to a great 31st Summer Olympics! I had a spectacular time hosting and loved interacting with each and every one of you! 

Best of luck and see you in 2018 for PyeongChang!

The final medal tally and a look at the prizes will be coming onto the blog later tonight after the European broadcast has completed their viewing of the Closing Ceremonies.

St. Andrews Bonus!

Every time a country wins a medal in Golf, it is worth triple the points!



Gold - South Korea - 45 Bonus points
Silver - New Zealand - 30 Bonus points
Bronze - China

However, since we do not play with the high scoring countries, the random drawing of points will go to Maddie Des Jardins (Hungary) for 15 Bonus points!

Every time the USA or GB win a gold medal, you win points!

The USA took home gold for Wrestling for Men's Freestyle 97 KG!

Kyle Snyder - Croatia (Chloe Coppedge) - 5 Bonus points

Every time the USA or GB win a gold medal, you win points!

The USA took home gold for Boxing for Women's Middle 75 KG!

Claressa Shields - Denmark (Martha Joy McGee) - 5 Bonus points

Every time the USA or GB win a gold medal, you win points!

The USA took home gold for Basketball for Men's Tournament!

DeMarcus Cousins - Argentina (Joanna Coppedge) - 5 Bonus points

DeAndre Jordan - Slovakia (Marshall Cress) - 5 Bonus points

Carmelo Anthony - Poland (Elsie Coppedge) - 5 Bonus points

DeMar DeRozen - Uzbekistan (Brett Speakman) - 10 Bonus points (featured)

Jimmy Butler - Turkey (Ryan Vergara) - 5 Bonus points

Draymond Green - Spain (Amy Brennan) - 5 Bonus points

Harrison Barnes - Georgia (McCaulley Family) - 5 Bonus points

Klay Thompson - Italy (Pam Keller) - 5 Bonus points

Paul George - Kenya (Gary Keller) - 5 Bonus points

Kyrie Irving - Thailand (Caleb Froehlich) - 5 Bonus points

Kyle Lowry - Switzerland (Liesl Olson) - 10 Bonus points (featured)

Kevin Durant - Brazil (Brian Cress) - 5 Bonus points

Stephanie Terusa (Japan) sent in photos of her reaction to the Olympics coming to a close!

"Final medal count has USA almost double the closest country's medal count!"

"When the Olympics are over and all you have left are the memories..."

"I'm not ready for it to be over!!"

15 Bonus points to Stephanie! Way to have spirit!

Amy Brennan (Spain) sent in an article about Puerto Rico and Olympic Sovereignty.



http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2016/08/21/490670613/monica-puig-puerto-rico-united-states-statehood?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20160821

2 Bonus points to Amy!

Pam Keller (Italy) sent in this article about highlights and lowlights from Rio.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetorch/2016/08/21/490369971/olympic-moments-the-highlights-and-lowlights-from-rio

2 Bonus points to Pam!

Maddie Des Jardins (Hungary) sent in an article about the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/olympics/pyeongchang-2018-winter-olympics-think-k-culture-ice-n634256

2 Bonus points to Maddie and 5 Bonus points to South Korea!

Stephanie Terusa (Japan) sent in this article about Rio in the future and the legacy of the Rio games!

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/aug/21/rio-2016-olympic-games-brazil-legacy-party

2 Bonus points to Stephanie!

Amy Brennan (Spain) sent in an article about BBC’s unconventional commentary!

https://www.buzzfeed.com/scottybryan/a-couple-got-very-intimate-in-the-background-of-the-bbcs-oly?utm_term=.ipEleVjP6#.qs1xYj6MK

2 Bonus points to Amy!

In addition, I have my own habit of writing down the best commentator’s quotes of the game. Here they are:

"First triplets to run - hey, maybe they can just run a third of a Marathon and no one will notice"

"Ruddy - that really is his name. I'm not being rude."

"Here comes Honduras with the Russel Brand look alike."

"Johnston was probably playing with Pokemon while Boudia was liking to drive fast."

"All your life you are bummed you are bald, but after that, I mean that ball just missed his head."

"We're about to see Uber gymnastics from Simone Biles and I don't mean that she is going to take a ride in a car."

"This athlete has a new strategy and it is all about winning!"

"You're mom was a rhythmic gymnast. Yeah, she had a lot of black eyes."

Stephanie Terusa (Japan) sent in a photo of her Japanese inspired lunch on the last day of Olympic competition!

10 Bonus points to Stephanie Terusa (for the photo and for the food)!

Elvin Miali (Cuba) sent in this picture of his son, Enzo, supporting Team Cuba!

5 Bonus points to Elvin for the photo, 5 Bonus points to the team for Enzo and 5 Bonus points for dressing up - way to show spirit!

Elyse Jarvis (Australia) sent in this article about a Olympian who accomplished what his mother wasn't allowed to.



http://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/16/sport/wayde-van-niekerks-mom/index.html

2 Bonus points to Elyse!

Graydon Cress (Romania) sent in this video of "When the Olympics Take Over Your Life." He said,

"If I do this throughout Paris tomorrow (on the metro, etc), can I get some more bonus points? Do I get extra if I wear a unitard and a wig??"

https://www.facebook.com/BeBoxMusicUK/videos/vb.85497258494/10154024757303495/?type=2&theater

2 Bonus points to Graydon! Please do this on the metro tomorrow :)

Amy Brennan (Spain) sent in an update about the LA 2024 bid!

http://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/la-sp-oly-la2024-presentation-20160820-snap-story.html#

2 Bonus points to Amy!

Stephanie Terusa (Japan) sent in a video about the artistry of making an Olympic medal!

https://www.facebook.com/cnninternational/videos/10154388749879641/

2 Bonus points to Stephanie!

Pam Keller (Italy) sent in an article to inspire those who want to be Olympians and the easiest sport in the Olympics.



http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160819-whats-the-easiest-sport-to-win-a-gold-in

2 Bonus points to Pam!

Maddie Des Jardins (Hungary) sent in an article about what will happen to Rio's stadium after the Olympics end.



http://www.vox.com/2016/8/21/12562770/rio-olympics-2016-stadiums

2 Bonus points to Maddie!

Elyse Jarvis (Australia) sent in this article with emotional photos of Olympic parents!



https://www.buzzfeed.com/cassiesmyth/overwhelming-emotional-pictures-of-proud-olympic-parent?utm_term=.imE87X0kb#.rw3qj3pR2

2 Bonus points to Elyse!

Stephanie Terusa (Japan) sent in an article about Brazil winning the Football gold medal! Stephanie said, "Cue the crying!"



https://www.buzzfeed.com/annamendoza/jogo-bonito?utm_term=.ikE8P1mNR#.mfP50ok4Q

2 Bonus points to Stephanie!

Amy Brennan (Spain) sent in an article about a U.S. Army Soldier who thought he was DQ'd when he was given back his silver medal!



http://www.npr.org/sections/thetorch/2016/08/21/490818967/u-s-army-soldier-wins-olympic-silver-loses-silver-gets-silver-back?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20160821

2 Bonus points to Amy!

Maddie Des Jardins (Hungary) sent in an article about trying to visit 10 Olympic sports events in one day!



http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/posnanski-can-it-be-done-visiting-10-olympic-events-single-day

10 Bonus points to Maddie (One for each of the sports!)

Pam Keller (Italy) sent in an article about Stefan Henze who was an Olympian until the very end. Though his story could have ended in tragedy after a fatal car accident, he donated his organs and saved four lives.



http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/rio-2016-olympics-stefan-henze-german-canoe-slalom-coach-dead-saves-four-lives-organ-donor-a7195516.html

2 Bonus points to Pam!