Rio: Peking Opera faces spotted on cyclists’ helmets in Rio

China claimed its first cycling Olympic gold on Friday after Gong Jinjie and Zhong Tianshi won the women’s team sprint in the Olympic Velodrome in Rio de Janeiro. As well as the athletes’ performance, the race drew attention to the helmets of the duo, which were painted with the faces of Peking Opera characters. The repertoire of Peking Opera is often based on Chinese history, folklore and the lives of well-known Chinese historical figures.