Weekend in pictures: Awesome Olympics opener, Peaty grabs Gold, Man Utd Community Shield success

Holly Thackeray | August 8, 2016

Weekend in pictures

It’s been a weekend to remember for sports fans, as the past few days have seen thrilling boxing bouts, cracking Curragh contests and the annual Community Shield played out to a packed Wembley Stadium.

Oh, and there was also a rather spectacular event in South America dominating the headlines, as the Olympics got underway in Rio with a bang, seeing records broken and Team GB bag a first Gold medal.

Relive the weekends most memorable moments in pictures below…

Olympics

The 2016 Summer Olympics began in spectacular style, providing spectators with an awe-inspiring opening ceremony before a weekend of superb sporting feats, with Team GB tasting success thanks to Adam Peaty…

Rio welcomes the world with carnival atmosphere

A bouncing Maracana Stadium in Rio, Brazil, was lit up in a flurry of fireworks as part of an inspiring Olympic opening ceremony, which featured the lighting of the famous flame plus hours of colorful entertainment. It was only going to get better from there on out…

A first for Kosovo as Kelmendi triumphs

Kosovo gained their first ever Olympic medal thanks to Majlinda Kelmendi, who saw off Italy’s Odette Giuffrida in the Women’s -52kg Judo to claim a historic Gold. Kosovo were only recognised by the International Olympic Committee in 2014, meaning Kelmendi represented Albania before.

Record-breaker Peaty strikes Gold

Team GB tasted triumph on day two of the Olympics, as 21-year-old Peaty claimed Gold in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke in just 57.13 seconds, breaking his own world record along the way. His success is the first in 28 years for Team GB in men’s Olympic swimming.

Carlin swoops for Silver

Peaty wasn’t the only star of the weekend putting medals on the board for Team GB, as Jazz Carlin made it two by securing Silver in the Women’s 400m Freestyle soon after.

Historic Phelps fires USA to Gold

Records were being smashed elsewhere in swimming events too, as most decorated Olympian ever Michael Phelps improved upon his historic haul of 22 medals by adding an incredible 23rd and 19th Gold after the United States claimed the Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay.

Boxing

Ward sets up Kovalev clash

Andre Ward comfortably overcame Alexander Brand with a 12-round shutout in his hometown of Oakland, California, setting up a light-heavyweight title showdown with reigning champion Sergey Kovalev on November 19th.

Horse racing

Caravaggio cut for Guineas glory after Phoenix Stakes romp

Caravaggio extended his unbeaten record to four with a facile success in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh and is now 11/4 favourite (from 3/1) with Coral for next year’s 2,000 Guineas.

The Aidan O’Brien trained colt is set to be seen next in the Prix Morny at Deauville on August 21st after cementing his position at the top of the juvenile tree with a four length success over stablemate Courage Under Fire.

Rest Of The World team triumph in thrilling Shergar Cup

The Rest of the World team secured the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot after a thrilling finish to the competition which went right down to the wire.

Heading into the final race of the day, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint, the Rest of the World team were leading on 63 points, 13 ahead of their nearest rivals Great Britain and Ireland. Europe were languishing on 40 points at the foot of the table but a one-two in the last, courtesy of the Thierry Jarnet-ridden Kadrizzi and Flying Pursuit, the mount of Pierre-Charles Boudot, saw them end the day on 65 points.

However, a fourth placed finish by Kenichi Ikezoe on Suqoor earned the Rest of the World team a valuable five points, which was enough to secure victory.

Football

Mourinho guides Man Utd to Community Shield success

Jose Mourinho made an official winning start to his post as Manchester United manager by clinching the Community Shield, as the FA Cup winners sank Premier League champions Leicester City 2-1 at Wembley.

FA Cup goal hero Jesse Lingard picked up where he left off with a superb solo goal to put the Red Devils ahead, before Jamie Vardy drew the Foxes level after the break. It took a moment of magic from superstar summer signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic to split the two Premier League teams, with the Swede’s headed goal handing Man Utd the first silverware of the season.

Related

Check out previous editions of weekend in pictures in Coral’s extensive archive.