The Canadian Press had a team of seven reporters in Rio to cover the Olympics. Here is a collection of some of their most memorable moments and experiences from the Games:
ORGANIZED CHAOS
The streets of downtown Rio can seem rather chaotic to outsiders not used to the ferocious vehicle pace, weaving cyclists and aggressive taxi drivers.
Everything still seems to flow despite cars regularly cutting each other off and motorcycles riding along lane lines in the narrow slots between vehicles.
If one plans to jaywalk, it's best to do it with speed.
The bustling activity doesn't faze everyone though. One local man was recently spotted crossing the busy main drag near Copacabana Beach at a most casual pace.
He strolled across the lanes in flip-flops with a big bag of groceries in one hand and a cellphone pressed to his ear with the other.
Naturally he blended right in to the chaos and had no issue reaching the other side.
— Gregory Strong
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BUDDING SUPERSTAR
Just four years into the sport, and making a remarkable Olympic debut, Andre De Grasse proved to be fearless in the glare of the Games spotlight.
The 21-year-old from Markham, Ont., chased Usain Bolt — the world's greatest sprinter — in three races, and three times stood on the medal podium with the big Jamaican.
The 200-metre semifinal was perhaps the most memorable. De Grasse closed the gap on Bolt to try to tire him out for the final, and as he pulled alongside him, De Grasse turned and flashed Bolt a huge grin. A roar of laughter went up among reporters waiting to interview the sprinters.
De Grasse's coach Stuart McMillan called the young Canadian a "cool customer." Bolt learned that that night as well.
"I think (Bolt) is used to athletes rolling over for him a little bit," McMillan said. "And there's a reason why Andre now has two Olympic medals (he would add a third in the relay), because he doesn't roll over, he's not intimidated at all."
— Lori Ewing
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SISTERHOOD
The tears that followed the bronze-medal win by the Canadian women's soccer team spoke volumes about the sacrifice and commitment of the players from 17-year-old Deanne Rose to 34-year-old Rhian Wilkinson and Melissa Tancredi. Also their close bond.
For Wilkinson and Tancredi, the 2-1 win over Brazil in Sao Paulo may well have been their last game for Canada. And the younger generation on the team knew it.
Rose scored a goal and set up captain Christine Sinclair's winner. Wilkinson, for one, will never forget her heroics and those of the other youngsters.
"(Coach) John (Herdman) reminded them that this was probably my game and Melissa's last game," said Wilkinson, who played in three games but watched Friday's finale from the bench. "And these girls, they did it for themselves but I really felt the love and they brought it home for me, personally.
"And I'm just so honoured to have shared the field with them, I really am."
— Neil Davidson
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GRIDLOCK
The majority of the venues in Rio were located at Barra Olympic Park in the city's west end. Like all major Games, buses shuttled media from hotels to the main press centre, more than an hour from Copcacabana, but rarely showed up on time.
Buses would arrive 15 minutes early, 15 minutes late or not at all.
Some drivers got lost, while others raced along the narrow, congested roads like they were trying out for a part in a remake of the movie "Speed."
— Joshua Clipperton
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CLASS ACT
In an environment where it often seems all about the medals, race walker Evan Dunfee of Richmond, B.C., sees a bigger picture.
After he was upgraded to bronze and then reversed back to fourth in an appeal in the 50k, Dunfee said he couldn't have celebrated the medal in any event. He said his Japanese competitor shouldn't have been disqualified in the first place.
"I think the opinion that matters most is of the athletes that were on the race course that day," he said. "Ninety-nine per cent of them would have agreed with me that it shouldn't have been a DQ. Those are the guys I have to go and train with and work with. Their opinion matters quite a lot to me."
— Donna Spencer
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RISE UP
Not only is Emilie Fournel a great athlete, she showed that she's a great person.
The paddler had high expectations for the Rio Games, but her dream fell apart when she didn't qualify for the K-1 500-meter final.
Still feeling raw from the disappointment, she took time to answer reporters' questions, reliving her nightmare over and over.
But instead of falling apart, she picked herself up to help her teammates in the K-4 500. The women were the surprise of the Games in canoe-kayak, unexpectedly qualifying for the final, thanks in part to their classy veteran teammate.
— Frederic Daigle
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THE OTHER NATIONAL SPORT
Soccer is to Brazil what hockey is to Canada.
But the passion for volleyball in the Olympic host country is also fierce. It's something you notice as soon as you walk into the Maracanazinho.
The 11,454-seat volleyball venue was packed for a preliminary round opener between Canada and the United States early in the Games.
It didn't matter that two North American teams were on the court. Spectators were loving the matchup and hung on every point.
They also had a great view.
The unique arena is often called the "Thunderdome." It's an appropriate nickname as the boisterous fans are right on top of the action.
— Strong
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CRUEL, CRUEL WORLD
Andrew Yorke of Caledon, Ont., wrecked himself and his bike in a crash in men's triathlon.
The 27-year-old crossed the finish line in 47th lamenting that he didn't get the chance to show how hard he'd trained for his Olympic race.
"There's nothing crueller than sport. It'll break your heart. It's why we do it. There's nothing better than it either."
— Spencer
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MCCABE'S POISE
While more than a few Canadian athletes ducked the media after disappointing performances, rower Conlin McCabe showed poise in the wake of his Olympic nightmare.
The 25-year-old from Brockville, Ont., fielded a number of pointed questions after the men's four finished a stunning sixth at Lagoa Stadium.
At the heart of the matter was Rowing Canada's decision to shelve the storied men's eight boat following the London Games in 2012 in favour of the quadruple sculls, which didn't even make the final in Rio, and the four.
While high performance director Peter Cookson avoided reporters until the following day, an emotionally drained McCabe insisted that even though the regatta in Rio was a failure, the program was still on the right track.
— Clipperton
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CONTAGIOUS SMILE
All business on the wrestling mat, Erica Wiebe's smiles is infectious off it.
The 27-year-old from Ottawa bounded into the ring for the gold-medal match of the women's 75-kilogram category on the way to dismantling her opponent in convincing fashion.
Wiebe flashed that trademark grin seconds after the result before carrying coach Paul Ragusa on her shoulders in celebration.
— Clipperton
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A CELEBRATION TO REMEMBER
Instead of the traditional lap victory lap with the flag, Japanese wrestler Sara Dosho put her coach on her shoulders and let him fly her country's colours while she ran circles around the wrestling ring after winning the 69-kilogram division.
A day later, her teammate Risako Kawai did the same after winning the 63-kilogram event.
— Spencer
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BBQ HEAVEN
When reporters are on the road away from home, they often congregate at the same bar or restaurant most nights for the duration of the assignment.
A barbecue joint in Copacabana became just that for a number of Canadian journalists in Rio.
Known only as "the barbecue place" to most, it had the feel of a 1960s diner with friendly staff who always greeted patrons with a smile.
Halfway through the Olympics, one of the two waiters knew most of our orders by heart — usually the steak or chicken — and didn't even bother handing out menus.
— Clipperton
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WARM WELCOME
For many, the Rio Games were a first taste of Brazil. And despite warnings of the Zika virus and danger in the streets, the Olympics proved to be a compelling advertisement for the country.
I will remember the excellent coffee, brilliant smiles and warmth of the hosts.
The Brazilians were friendly and proud of their homeland. If having fun was an Olympic sport, Brazil would win every time. Many have little but seem to celebrate so much.
We could all learn from that.
— Davidson
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.