Tales And Highlights From The Rio Olympics

One week into the Rio Olympics we’ll look at the biggest surprises and how Rio’s coping.

Week one down at the Rio Olympics. So far, so good. Fiji’s happy. They won gold in rugby and declared a national holiday. American athletes, doing very well too. Michael Phelps, incredible in his fifth Olympic appearance.  imone Biles, electric and loaded with gold in gymnastics. Katy Ledecky, Simone Manuel – stunning. We’re digging into the Olympics this hour – the athletes, the green pools, the coverage, Rio.  This hour On Point, we go to the Olympics. -- Tom Ashbrook

Lourdes Garcia-Navarro, South America correspondent for NPR News. (@lourdesgnavarro)

Tim Burke, editor and video director at Deadspin. (@bubbaprog)

Shira Springer, investigative and enterprise sports reporter  for the Boston Globe. (@ShiraSpringer)

NPR News: In Rio's Favelas, Hoped-For Benefits From Olympics Have Yet To Materialize -- "In the opening ceremony of Rio's Olympic Games, Brazil's favelas or shantytowns were showcased as the birthplace of a lot of Brazil's culture. That was showbiz. In three of the most iconic communities, the reality of how these Olympics are affecting favela residents is more complicated."

Deadspin: Simone Manuel Becomes First Black American Female Swimmer To Win Individual Gold Medal -- "Simone Manuel swam a blistering final 50 in tonight’s 100m freestyle to earn a gold medal alongside Canadian Penny Oleksiak, who swam an identical Olympic-record 52.70 in the event. Both surpassed world record-holder Cate Campbell, who led the race after the first 50 meters and ended up missing the podium. Manuel becomes the first African-American woman to win an individual swimming medal in U.S. history."

Boston Globe: It’s tough to match Brazilians’ national pride — "Sometimes it’s easy to forget that life goes on outside the Olympics, even in the host city. About 4 miles and a world away from the Olympic Park, I’ve seen families out enjoying picnics, playing soccer, jumping rope at a typical municipal park."