The 2016 Summer Olympics, officially branded Rio 2016, made history as the first Games held in South America and a Portuguese-speaking nation, taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 5 to 21, 2016. Announced as host city on October 2, 2009, Rio welcomed 11,238 athletes from 207 nations, including first-time participants like the Refugee Olympic Team. Competitors vied for 306 sets of medals across 28 sports, with rugby sevens and golf making their Olympic debut.
The United States topped the medal table, winning an impressive 46 gold and 121 total medals, including its 1,000th Summer Olympic gold. Great Britain achieved a notable milestone, becoming the first country to increase its medal tally immediately after being a host nation, while host Brazil celebrated its best-ever Olympic performance with 19 medals. Furthermore, several nations like Fiji, Kosovo, and Singapore secured their first-ever Olympic gold medals, highlighting the global reach and competitive spirit of the Games.