Opening Ceremony ignites Olympic Games for Tigers

In a brilliant performance rooted in the country’s heritage and natural wonders, Brazil welcomed the world to the 2016 Summer Olympics on Friday night.

For a few hours, Brazil put aside the controversies and concerns leading up to the Games and celebrated its culture. Following a series of dances and songs tracing Brazil’s indigenous and immigrant history, 207 teams streamed into the Maracanã Stadium, one of the country’s largest soccer venues.

Notable flag bearers for delegations in the parade of athletes included British tennis star Andy Murray and 22-time American Olympic medalist Michael Phelps.

For many of the Tigers in attendance, the spectacle, though well-executed, was not the first Opening Ceremony of their athletic careers. In fact, eight of the University’s 13 Olympians – students and alumni included – competed in the 2012 London Games, which had a much higher budget than the Rio version.

Looking ahead, the Tigers, who represent the US and Canada, have a busy schedule ahead of them. In the coming week, Princeton will see especially strong representation on the water. To begin, Gevvie Stone ’07 and Kate Bertko ’06 will compete through several rounds for the women’s single sculls and lightweight pair, respectively. Additionally, Lauren Wilkinson ’08 will row for Canada’s women’s eight team.

On the men’s side, the duo of Tyler Nase ’13 and Robin Prendes ’11 will race in the United States’ lightweight four boat, while Glenn Ochael ’08 will participate in the men’s eight.

Ashleigh Johnson '17, one of the Tigers in attendance at the Opening Ceremony, will protect the net for the US water polo team. Johnson and the rest of team USA will face Spain on Tuesday and then China on Thursday.

Turning to the ground sports, Diana Matheson ’08 will continue competing as Canada’s soccer team battles through group play. Matheson already played through 69 minutes in these Games when Canada defeated Australia 2-0 on Wednesday. The Canadians will now prepare to face Zimbabwe on Saturday.

Princeton’s medal count of 55 will likely see an increase with the trio of Julia Reinprecht ’14, Katie Reinprecht ’13, and Kathleen Sharkey ’13 competing for the US in field hockey. First in line for the four-time Ivy League champions will be Argentina on Saturday.

Finally, current student Katherine Holmes ’17 will compete in both the individual and team epee fencing competitions for the US. The solo tournament will take place on Saturday, with the group one taking place on Thursday.

Follow the Prince online and on Twitter (@PrinceSports) for live updates on these competitions.