Brazil goes medal mad
Successes lift nation as expectation builds for soccer final
LIKE the “Brazilian time” that most of Rio employs when it comes to deadlines, Brazil’s success stories at the Olympic Games took their sweet time getting here. But, when they did, they were well worth the wait.
Rafaela Silva started it a while back, when she won the first home gold in the women’s judo. It was announced with a huge “Stop Press” style gusto in the media centre, on radio stations, on television, and anywhere else they could put it.
But a week in the Olympics is a lifetime, and so Thiago Braz da Silva’s pole-vault victory felt like another first. The crowd booed his opposition away, and carried Silva beyond 6m, an Olympic record to go with a night to never, ever forget.
Yesterday, in the women’s 49er FX sailing pairs, Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze sparked wild celebrations on Guanabara Bay as they sneaked in ahead of the Kiwi pair jostling for the gold medal.
In spite of the huge levels of paranoia about the water, they both jumped into the notorious Guanabara Bay, soaking in another magical moment for the host nation.
It was Thursday afternoon but it may as well have been a public holiday, as thousands lined the shore, and shouted Brasil! Brasil! Brasil! in honour of the duo.
Every single medal matters for the hosts, because it lifts the decibel count just a little higher each time. But the medal they truly want is still to be confirmed.
Tonight, at the Maracana Stadium, Brazil’s men’s football team, the men handed the responsibility of bringing honour back to the symbol of a nation, meet Ger many in the men’s final.
It is a massive match, a huge responsibility, but also the dream that has kept the Olympic flame burning across Brazil.
The football started slowly, but it has found its momentum now.
The rampant 6-0 drubbing of poor Honduras has lifted the mood around the team even more.
Fans held a vigil outside the team hotel just to catch a glimpse of Neymar and to wish the side well on their way to immortality tonight.
The one snag is that a German team with nothing to lose stands in their way, and would love nothing more than to break Brazilian hear ts once more.
Although it is under-23 football, it is still Brazil against Germany, and a first meeting since that wicked night at the World Cup, a little more than two years ago.
On that night, the Brazilian flag was at half mast. A nation wept in dismay as Germany put seven shades of shame upon them, on their own turf and in front of their own people.
The Olympic title is the only one missing from Brazil’s chest of glory.
And that is why Neymar missed the Copa America, to ensure that he was fit and firing for this mission.
Finally, they have their shot, and woe betide if they do not take it.
They will never, ever have a better chance to do it. And, if they somehow contrive to lose, a nation may never, ever forgive them for it.
The sheen on all the other gold medals that Brazil has won in the Olympics may lose a bit of its shine. Incredibly, it really is that serious.
Brazil have the opportunity to let their people for ever look back on the Olympic Games with a smile. They are 90 minutes away from redemption.