Olympics Closing Ceremony 2016: TV Schedule and Preview for Rio Finale

A spectacular fortnight of sport will officially reach its end on Sunday evening, and the 2016 Olympics promise to go out with a bang at theMaracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.A grand total of 2,102 gold, silver and bronze medals have been handed out over the course of this year's Summer Games, per the official Rio 2016 website, coming to a head with Sunday's climactic sign-off.For the 17th time in its history, the United States finished atop the overall medal table with a final tally of119 medals, including44 gold medals,37silvers and 38 bronze awards.The top nation only counts for so much at this stage of the summer showcase, however, after millions of people from all corners of the globe have delighted in the unifying powers of sport across a multitude of events.Here's how the final medal table shaped up at the closing stage of Rio 2016:Read on for a preview of the closing ceremony, complete with viewing times and how you can watch the Olympics finish in style.Date:Sunday, Aug. 21Time:8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. local time and 1 a.m.BST on Monday, Aug. 22)Venue:Maracana Stadium,Rio de JaneiroTV Info:NBC (U.S.), BBC One (UK)Ceremony PreviewSome of Brazil's biggest celebrities and performers were on hand to play a role in the Rio 2016 opening ceremony, with model Gisele Bundchen among them, and the curtain call will aim to put on a show of similar quality.Sky Sports' Matthew Treadwellreported earlier this month that Brazil football legend Pele would not be able to attend the opening due to "poor health," but the former Selecao ace reassured fans he's attempting to make the finale:The men's marathon will reach its end shortly before the closing ceremony, and the gold medallist in that race will hear their national anthem played as part of the awards ceremony.As is the tradition, the Maracana will also play the national anthems of Greece, the origin nation of the Olympics; Brazil, this year's Olympic hosts; the Olympic anthem; as well as the anthem of 2020 Games hosts, Japan.Sunday will once again set the four-year countdown in effect as we're forced to wait another cycle before the next event, returning to Asia 12 years after Beijing hosted the Games in 2008.Tokyo 2020 is already building excitement, as 1964 hosts Japan prepare for the Olympic Games to make their way back to their borders:In addition to bringing a host of native Brazilian talent to the closing ceremony, all Olympians still in Rio will also walk in front of a massive audience once again for the closing parade.After winning one gold, one silver and two bronze medals in the swimming events, Canadian Penny Oleksiakwas deemed the best woman for the job, according to CBC host Gerry Dee:Any Olympics closing ceremony carries with it a sorrowful tinge, knowing the sporting drama we've watched unfold over the past two weeks won't be replicated for at least another four years.However, part of the Games' appeal is that they are so rare and thus celebrated all the more, with Rio de Janeiro poised to give its bastions one last applause before closing another awe-inspiring Olympics.
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