[RP thread] Games of the XIV Olympiad

[The Royal Kingdom of Quebec]

Auld Lang Syne

PART 7B.125 (24.125) - Memories

On the backstage...

'Well, only fifteen minutes 'til you step on the gala Ash.' said Myeong-Yoon, reminding her best friend that the moment has yet to really kick in. Being a professional athlete whose legends have travelled all the way from Cornwall to Kingston and back and forth one more time, Myeong-Yoon was used to attending all these socials. But she wasn't sure if Asher was ready to really go back into social settings, after being out and about for a solid year. 'How you feeling today?'

'I feel like...it'll just be the same? The usual stuff you have to do when running shows like this? Lots of smiles, lots of acknowledgement, and of course, lots of just appreciating what's out there.' He slowly responded, trying not to make an error with pacing so early in the day. Myeong-Yoon couldn't help but to chuckle a couple of times at that, which didn't make his mood improve. 'You know. Running functions like this is never fun, especially when you know who's who and when they know who you are and what you do for work...it's all tedious and that.'

'Oh, come on,' snorted Myeong-Yoon as she peeked into the curtains. She was not impressed with his friend's timidity even after a solid weekend of them hanging about and seeing their friends. Being the daughter of certain Maureen Turner, she always liked the idea of keeping things cool, fun and going. Of course, her heading to Queen's College, her parents' alma mater where her father was a legend of own and her eventually carved her own as well, was partly to do with that. 'Don't be afraid. There's a reason why you're here and it's for everybody's sake. Think of it like that and enjoy- in the end it'll be alright!'

'Better be.' Asher nodded once, before walking a couple of steps around the backstage. 'Who would have thought that all the alumni, or at least those who could make it in person, would come to a Midtown high school's athletic gala? And not just basic folks- Alexandre Browne-Hahm's, Riley Jeon-Keane's, the Ahn siblings', etc...just a perfect setting for any terrorists to contemplate a kidnapping incident...'

Asher couldn't help but to fathom such thought, as he looked at how the theatre was filled with at least eight hundred people. They consisted of a diverse mix of people, from the athletics alumni to former and current coaches and teachers, as well as at almost two-hundred current students who are currently Erskine CI students. It was quite a sight. The list of prolific there, of course, were pretty impressive, as Asher and Myeong-Yoon looked around- one table had the Browne-Hahm brothers sitting with their children and what appeared to be the current hockey coach, while another pair of tables had Joh Hye-Gyeong, Felix Ahn and their partners chatting. The others also had at least two people they could recognise, and the more they looked, the more weary things were becoming. Sometimes, not knowing too much about the alma mater is a good thing.

'At least they aren't expecting a ton...' Myeong-Yoon said, as she tried to look further into the crowd. 'Riley (Jeon-Keane) seems quite excited to see the slideshow, else she may be too distracted with a call. Might be a key one from Basketball Quebec, who knows- they may have just put her to spy me around.'

'Maybe that's a bit silly...' Asher chuckled in reply while imagining such possibility. The thought of Riley Jeon-Keane only being here to make sure Heo Myeong-Yoon, the starting point guard, weren't slacking off on rehabs and being careful....just couldn't be any further from the truth. If those were true and she were the spy, then Asher and everybody else may as well be a voyeur and call 'lol' to that. 'They aren't gonna remove you off the olympic team eh?'

'I don't know,' Myeong-Yoon shrugged. 'Would rather not think about that. Anyhow, I'll let you be in your peace....you can do it, lover boy Ash.' She tapped him on his shoulder, before heading out of the backstage.

And a few minutes later, it was his turn to go. Out in the stage, Asher was feeling...splendid. Sure, he had coordinated conferences and presentations before, but this was nothing like anything he had gone through before. As mentioned earlier, the rented-out theatre was feeling all the glitz and ritz with the splendour of colours and attitudes coming from the legendary school's past hundred years of athletics and those who brought it, as the spectrum of lights empowered them all. For those who were coming from the 1960s and 1970s and likely needed some walking aid, this was a good way to bring back to the struggling years of the nation and the Commonwealth, when the professional sports were getting expanded and everybody was anticipating more and more every passing year to forget the sense of loss. Asher had heard a fair bit about those days from the St-Croix alumni not long ago on that.

Asher knew a lot has changed since then, and that it's probably because of their sacrifice that things really kicked off since the glorious 1980s. During the 1980s and 1990s, there were lots of immigration and demographic changes, as well as a couple of major political purges of far-righters, which affected the educational demographics. Yet their alma mater was still standing proudly, making its name known and appreciated by those well beyond the Greater Kingston Area...and that's because of the alumni. Those like the impeccable Heo siblings, but also himself, who have made their names known academically, athletically and through bonding together.

All the weird mix of feeling was flowing around him over the podium, as he slowly brought his attention to the paper, before returning to the wild applauses of the fellow Erskinians. Sure he had avoided Kingston as much as possible since his brother graduated, and he had enough excuses to do so- his high school memories there still left him in loss over Eileen, his parents moved back to Quebec City, and not to mention him bumping into somebody whom he knew, every day. Those things all made him run away. But then...maybe what he needed was a way to reconcile with those memories and get over with the losses.

'Mesdames et messieurs, tout le monde ici....' Asher opened his mouth, setting himself en route to what was going to be a fucking amazing night of coordinating the situation as the MC.

[Liventia]

This is the penultimate RP cutoff, for Day 15.
Here's some inspiration ahead of the closing ceremony on Day 16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssc5eLjLoMQ

EDIT TO ADD: THE RP BELOW FROM IOUDAIA HAS BEEN COUNTED FOR DAY 15.

[Ioudaia]

Men’s 10 m Platform preliminary round
Orean Olympic Aquatics Centre
Orean, Liventia
Day 14

Or Natan Ialmenes ben Anidor stood on the platform, stomach tying itself in knots, trying to take deep breaths to relax. Iiinnn... Ooout. Iiinnn... Ooout. Iiinnn... Ooout. Better. Best goes first He stepped to the edge, raised his hands, and leapt into his strongest dive, a forward double somersault with two twists.

The first plunge into the pool broke his tension, and he dove five more times, once for each of the required techniques. He blinked as the final scores. "I qualified? I qualified!" He jumped up and down like he'd won the event. "Oh, this great! I never thought I'd make it!"

Day 15

Or Natan Ialmenes ben Anidor stood on the platform, stomach tying itself in knots, trying to take deep breaths to relax. Iiinnn... Ooout. Iiinnn... Ooout. Iiinnn... Ooout. Better. Best goes first. This worked yesterday. Just dive. He stepped to the edge.


Runcast

This is Runcast, and I'm your host, Gabi Charis. This is Edition 14.25 of my video podcast, for Day 14 of the XIV Olympiad. Today, Ioudaia fielded all four relay teams for the first time. None of them did especially well, but I'd like to take a close look at the passing, since as my long-time listeners known, I'm a passing nut. Passing the baton is simply the most important part of a relay, and is what makes the relays really worth watching.

Let's start with the men's 4x100. The passing is pretty good overall, but the handoff between Mehrdad Anidor Parsozhad and Shachak ben Scaios is perfect, just perfect! Here it is in 5x slo-mo: Mehrdad comes in at top speed, right on his side of the lane. Shachak is already accelerating into his sprint on his side, Mehrdad extends the stick to him, he closes his hand and around it, and Mehrdad waits all of .2 – a whole fifth of a second! – to verify he's got it, and Shachak zooms away with it. The timing was beautiful! All it needs is a soundtrack, and it could be a movie!

I sent both of them texts asking for interviews about the pass. Shachak just sent back a text saying that he was nervous about passing because he's a sprinter, so he practiced with Mehrdad. But I got a short call with Mehrdad, which I've spliced in:

Gabi: Hey, Mehrdad, great passing in the 4x100 today! That was the best I've seen from all of our Olympic teams, and I wanted to know how you and Shachak did it.

Mehrdad: Thanks! Shachak kept saying he was worried about dropping the baton because he hadn't run relays since high school. 'I don't want to screw up the team', he said. So, we decided to practice it. We must have spent a week working on walking through the pass, then a few more days jogging through it, and then twice a week since, we were getting in extra practice just with our legs.

Gabi: It really shows! Do you think you two found any special secret to it?

Mehrdad: Yeah, the jogging practice. That really got us together as a team, and let us just glide into it at full speed. Everybody does walk-throughs, but I think the jogging was key.

I hope everybody got that and will give it a try. If it worked for those two, in the Olympics, it should work for everybody.

There wasn't much passing to see in the women's 4x100, since Barkan bat Deipyle fell down about half-way through her leg. I can't tell if there was contact between her and the runner in the next lane, but since the team didn't file a complaint, I'm going to keep my opinion to myself. The 4x100 always has things like that happen. In this Games, about a quarter of both the men's and women's teams either didn't finish or were DQ'd, mostly for... yeah, you guessed it! Botched passes outside the zone.

Still, the one pass between Stratonice Sher and Barkan was above average. I'm not going to compare it to the Mehrdad-Shachak pass, but to the same leg in the men's 4x100, the first pass between Mori Agetos and Mehrdad. Here they are side-by-side in slo-mo, and we can see that both pairs are about the same. The men have the edge in overall hand-off time, shaving .03 off the women's pass time, but I like the Stratonice and Barkan make the handoff at exactly the right spot in the box.

Last Olympics, the men's 4x400 team held a master class in passing, and this year was no different. Their passing is still excellent. Their running is a little better, but guys! It wouldn't hurt to pick up the pace!

The women, not so much. They had problems with passing during the last Games, and while the anchor hand-off between Dvir bat Thessalonike and Lahat bat Euodias shows promise, the other two passes need work. The slow first pass didn't help the overall time, and then oh, man! They dropped the stick in the second pass! Dvir lost six seconds picking it up and getting moving again. Sure, it's better than being DQ'd, but that's the difference between finishing seventh and third.

We've got two more days of Olympic running ahead of us, and that means two marathons, so we've got a lot to look forward too. But until then,

Keep on runnin'!

[Tikariot]

OK, this is not funny here! I'm supposed to be in the game, not out here, stuck in the bushes! This is not what I signed up for, I said! It's kind of dirty here, aren't the Olympics supposed to be nice and clean? Guess they missed a spot. *sigh* what now? Sounds like the game is still going. Maybe they go around after and look for everybody that got lost?

I wish I had lips, then I could at least whistle. Oh, what is that? People are getting louder? *sploush* *whack* *crack* Oh! Another ball! Hey buddy, are you ok? Hey! He's not talking. Wait, we can't talk. DAMMIT! Great, so now we're both stuck here. Do I hear someone coming? Yes! YES! We will be saved! Hold on there, I'm over here! I - AM - OVER - HERE! Why are you picking up him and leave me here? Hey you #*#$#*!! Don't make me call my union! Yes, we're organized! We'll file a grievance over this! You know what? We'll go on strike! We will boycott your stupid little game! How you like that? Huh?

OK, what now. I tried calling, I tried threatening, what's next. Bribing? I don't have anything to bribe with. Come on, come on, come on, THINK! OK, it's official, that thing in me is NOT a brain. It's getting so quiet... Are they leaving? They are leaving! What the #$@&^?? You can't just leave me here! Oh come on! Really? I am an Olympic soft ball! I have rights, you know? I'm supposed to be given to a fan or signed or signed and given to a fan or auctioned off and proudly displayed in a case or a museum! Not left to rot in a bush behind the stadium.

Oh great, now it's getting dark. What else could go wrong? They didn't tell me that in the factory! I guess this is the dark side of softball. Used, abandoned, forgotten. Sure, you'll be a softball, they said. You'll be in the Olympics, they said. You'll be in the final even, they said. Coming to think of it, all of that DID come true. Great, not even wallowing in self pity is working today. *sigh* Alright, you got what you wanted, ok? I give up. Was that your goal after all? There you have it. Now do whatever you want with me, I don't care anymore. You took my pride, my cleanliness.

For how long have I been laying here? I'm getting bored. And I'm sure I broke something when they whacked me. Do softballs have health insurance? I have to talk to my union about this. Nananaaanaa, nananaaanaa, hey, heeey, goodbye. No, not that stupid song. Great, now I'm stuck with this. Nananaaanaa-- NO, NO, NO! This is torture! This was not in the handbook.

What's that now? Oh great, rain? What else could go wrong? I'm siiinging in the rain. I'm getting royally p$%$ed at the rain. Guess that's it. I hit rock bottom. The end.

We all live in a yellow submarine... Guess it could get worse. This is gross now. Getting all muddy.

What's happening? Leave me alone, I'm sleeping. Stop licking me, it tickles! Wait! Licking me? What the - Ow! Get your teeth off me, this hurts! What is this? Oh! A dog! I'm free! I'M FREE! Ugh, that slobber. Gross! But I'm free! Yes, bring me to your human, maybe he can see me for what I am!

Yes, human, you're right, I'm an Olympic softball! Now take me home! You are? Cool! Just could you please take me out of your dog's mouth? He is slobbering all over me and those teeth hurt, ok? Come on, I'll be a good ball!

[Kriegiersien]

The Olympics are coming to an end. Time to take a brief look how the different sports did:



Ball team sports:

The hope for a medal in the core sports Soccer and Rugby were fast gone, only the Football ladies reached the quarter finals.
The Rugby men, even though Gold medal winner in Republica didn’t show good results in the two international tournaments before and lost in the Round of 16.
The Handball ladies played a diverging tournament and in the end lost against Main Nation Ministry in the round of 8, also not able to defend the title.
For the failing of the softball team, who reached the quarter final, the blame was partly taken to the Softball union for Softballs from Tikariot.
A surprise was the female Volleyball team that reached the quarter-final and the ladies hockey team, that survived the group stage.

Only bright spot was the Water Polo team of the women. The world champion reached the final, winning the only medal. Gold after a most dramatic penalty shoot-out against the host Banija.


Gymnastics:
After some initial difficulties the gymnasts won 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze. For the young team, that still has a future, this results were acceptable, even though not everyone felt that way.

A coach blowing off steam on his beloved bassoon

Equestrian:
The ponies had a bad competition. Some times only close missing a medal, in the end they had nothing to bring home. Is this the end for a Pony only squad from Kriegiersien? Or can the Jumping—Team final save them?

Shooting:
Maybe some of the biggest disasters was the one on the shooting range.
Only a few finals, one Olympic record, but no medals were a shock for the NOC.
Maybe the nation needs a bigger conflict again, witch much shooting in it. The soldiers and other men and women representing Kriegiersien here flopped on a new level not seen in decades.


Swimming:
Nova and Alf Swimtob delivered in the way expected. 2 Gold and 3 Silver. However the two showed few emotions and were isolated all the time after the start. This let the gossip factory work. How long will the two Superstars dominate the local scene?


On the water with boats and other swimming things:
There was not much expected from the new, underfunded fleet, but some embarrassments added up. Many of the canoes had often not enough men and women on board and were disqualified before able to start.



Cycling and things with bikes:
Hopes that the Triathletes or one of the old Tour Kriegiersien winners could snitch a medal on a perfect day vanished fast. The low exceptions were confirmed.

Athletics:
2 medals, silver and bronze and a few good results until now.
The Athletics, part of the biggest and most important event in the Olympics, are staying to be disciplines with big backlog demand.


Fighting sports:
Before the Olympics a special brutal and unforgiving qualification mode brought only the best of the best to the final contest. Murderous Arena fights let just the strongest of the toughies advance and survive.
Boxing, Judo, Karate, Taekwondo, Wrestling, Shooting and Fencing saw some of the most brutal, dangerous and best Athletes of the whole Multiverse competing for Kriegiersien.

Kriegiersien athletes as always fair and respectful to their opponents

At least 16 Gold, 10 Silver and 15 Bronze here.
3 Gold, 4 Silver, 5 Bronze in Judo made this the biggest ‘medal factory’ of the delegation.
Taekwando 1 Gold, 1 Bronze
Wrestling 3 Gold, 4 Silver, 4 Bronze
Karate 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze
Boxing 6 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze until now
Fencing 1 Gold, 1 Bronze.
Even though fencing isn’t counted on the same level as the other “fighting” sports, the booty was worth the investing in swords and foils.

Skateboarding was seen as a big chance for at least one medal, but none of the heavily favoured Kriegiersien athletes could win a thing in the hard fought contests.

Tennis.
Basti Falk and Tim Tim flopped soon and after that it didn’t got better. Amanda Acemonster seemed at some times able to perform, winning one match 6:0, 6:0 just to lose straight in the next round.
Likewise table tennis saw none of the players get into the medal round, what was a huge disappointment after the many good years. Esther Ada and Rainer Claas alone wasn’t enough any more.


Weightlifting:
Once a medal surety now brought nothing to the medal table, but most had expected that Kriegiersien now misses muscles here.


Golf, Modern Pentathlon, Sport Climbing, Badminton and Beach Volleyball only brought fun and entertainment. The beach volleyball team Dig/Block reaching the semi-final being closest to a medal.

[Diarcesia]

A technicality that is often left unexplained by marathons is the wear and tear the run can leave to the runners. After a hard session, a worn out metabolic engine can put the one at risk for injury.

For Emer Castell, the worst part of her current phase of career was still ahead of her. The truth was that she had no idea how her future would turn out. In her mind, it felt like she barely made any headway.

"I wish I had managed my body better," Castell said in a TV interview. "I can do better." She sounded frustrated. "I knew what I need to do to win the marathon, and I didn't execute well."

Her coach was calling the shots. She didn't know how Emer would perform in the marathon. The truth was that the runner wasn't just used to the new training regimen. Her plans for the preparation did not come to complete fruition to the team.

"The hardest part will be the recovery phase," said the coach, Dr. Khan. "We're talking about a major lifestyle change for Emer. She'll be back in our training facilities for future races. She'll need to recover to continue to do what she loves."

Emer was asked what the most important piece of advice she'd give to an aspiring female marathoner. The crowd laughed. It was hard to think that a woman with Emer's background could run such a demanding race.

"Stay true to yourself," said Emer. "Every week, put the effort in. You can't expect instant results. Trust the process."

[Banija]

The late afternoon was turning to evening at the Istria Olympic Stadium. The last day of the XIV Olympiad- the time for the Closing Ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games. It would be a very different ceremony, in nature, to the Opening Ceremonies, of course- instead of explosively welcoming the start of the Olympics, it would be Istria's goodbye to the biggest sporting event in the world.

Even the makeup of the dignitaries was far different. At the opening ceremonies, there were all sorts of foreign heads of state and government, high-ranking cabinet ministers from other countries, all in this celebration of the Games that were about to commence. But as it was the closing ceremonies, it would be a totally different sort of crowd. Out were all the invitations to Banija's foreign friends and allies, and those abroad breathing in the flair of the Opening Ceremonies.

Here, at the closing ceremonies, there would be none of that. Of course, the guest of honor would be Banija's partner in these Games, Liventian Foreign Minister James McNulty. And, of course, there would be your smattering of officials from the Olympic Council. But otherwise, the dignitaries at the closing ceremonies would be all-Banijan. Politicians, business leaders, clergy, etc... Especially from Istria but from all across the country, were coming to the Closing ceremonies at Istria Olympic Stadium.

Earlier that day, of course, the gold medal matches for both men's and women's soccer were played there- the ladies at 11 AM, the men kicking off at 2 PM. It made for a short turnaround period- the grass would certainly need replacing after a day like this, but that was a worry for another hour. Ousman Kaba, the Chairman of the Olympic Committee of Banija and the Co-Chair of the Istria/Orean Host Committee, was the man of the hour, of course. Shaking all sorts of hands, everyone congratulating him on bringing the Games to the Banija.

There were other stars as well. The Kabaka, of course, due to his status. The Mayor of Istria, Miremba Okello, the first woman to hold the position, was a star here as well. Kausu Sonko, the Premier of the Moravica Region, of course was getting plenty of plaudits as well. Both of their stars, but especially Okello's, were shining brightly as a result of these games. As everyone took their seats at the stadium, with the late fans still filing into the stands, the closing ceremonies commenced.

The story of Banija, of course, was enacted at the Opening Ceremonies. This one was going to be short and simple- "an ode to Banija." The dancers came onto the center of the pitch and told the story of the Games- dancing enactment of various Olympic sports, and them some traditional Banijan dances. This ceremony, of course, was to be short and sweet.

For the closing ceremonies, it would be the senior co-hosts of the Olympiad who would lead out the closing parade of nations- and their flagbearer waved the red flag proudly. Then, in alphabetical order, each nation came out with their flagbearer, with the Banijans in the rear. Kiggwe Okello, winner of three gold medals in track, would be the Banijan flagbearer for the closing ceremonies. He came out, of course, to thunderous applause, as he had used these games to vault himself to superstardom.

The next part was the demonstration of a popular Banijan kids game- Kwepena. Shown with dancers, and then, of course, the big screen went to an actual live performance of it at the stadium itself, with a local Istria elementary school being brought in to play a few rounds of the game. It was applauded vigorously by Banijans.

A fireworks show was then followed by a montage of the games, one of those four minute montages, to an instant classic of a song. The last highlight on the montage, of course, was Mustafa Okello's swimming gold medal- him jumping around, his emotions getting the best of him, the thunderous applause. At the end of it, the stadium lights shined upon him.

Then, of course, the makeshift podium was brought up, and the three medalists from the Olympic men's marathon were brought up. The Olympic Council, as well as Kabaka Mwanga, awarded the three men's marathon runners their medals- the Kabaka put the bronze medal around the bronze medalist, while the Olympic Council official put the medals around the necks of the silver medalist and gold medalist. The respective national anthems then played.

Lastly, of course, they went to the flagpoles. The Liventian flag and the Banijan flags rose high into the sky, representing the two hosting nations of this Olympiad. When their two national anthems finished playing, then came the final part of the ceremony. Liventian Foreign Minister James McNulty waved the Olympic flag 8 times, and then passed it to Mayor Okello, who waved it 8 times. She then passed it to the Olympic Council representative, who waved the flag 8 times.

The Olympic Council representative gave his necessary speech, and then declared the Games closed. The Olympic Council rep, Foreign Minister McNulty, and Mayor Okello then extinguished the Olympic flame- the Olympiad was now complete.

[Waisnor]

We Got Fourth Bronze (And Probably Last)

After the penultimate day, Waisnor had a reason for joy - another medal was won, another bronze. This medal was taken by Maria Solovyova in the women's marathon.

After two fourth places in walking 20 kilometers in the marathon, the women had high hopes for medals. In addition to Maria, the country was represented by Victoria Kozlova and Sabina Bazaeva. As for Bazaeva, she was clearly considered an outsider and were predicted for the places at the very end, but she was able to show that she was a quite capable athlete and took 39th place, an excellent result, considering who she was considered to be before the race. Victoria and Maria were considered approximately equal in ability to athletes, but the result they showed quite different - Victoria finished 19th, and Maria, as you already understood - 3rd, but could well qualify for gold. Maria immediately started in the top five and on the way overtook two more athletes and began to fight for the gold medal with two more athletes - Malvina Brennan from Ancharmunn and Victoria Saborio from Taeshan. Somewhere on the 20th kilometer, Solovyova even pulled ahead and held the lead up to the 22nd kilometer, after which she was first overtaken by Malvina, and then by Victoria. Solovyova managed to keep the 3rd place, but it was already an excellent result for the Waisnorians. Maria lost to both her rivals by only 1 second.

OTHER RESULTS
Innokentiy Kobyalko placed 12th in modern pentathlon
Evgenia Bushinskaya placed 8th in gymnastics rhythmic individual final
Anton Gaidukov qualified to semifinals from heat 4 of cycling men's keirin, but was relegated in semifinals
Yuri Taranikhin finished 5th in canoe C-1 1000m
Maria Naumova finished 6th in high jump final

[Liventia]

OOC: The Orean closing ceremony will be RPed tomorrow, after the close of the Games.
IC follows below

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Orean organisers confirm medallists to be honoured at Closing Ceremony
OREAN— Olympic Games organisers have announced that no medal ceremonies will be held immediately after the three finals scheduled for the final day of competition in Orean.

Organising Committee for the Olympic Games in Orean (OGOCO) chairman Javier Rosario said podium proceedings for the women's group rhythmic gymnastics, women's modern pentathlon, and women's karate kata would all be held as part of the Closing Ceremony in the evening.

Traditionally, the Closing Ceremony incorporates the victory ceremony for the men's marathon, normally held on the last day of the Games. However, with that event taking place in Istria, Rosario said a decision was taken to recognise the medallists of all three events that remain on the calendar in Orean.

"There aren't that many events left here, and of course it just so happens that all three are women's events. We're very proud to be able to put these great female athletes on the pedestal that they deserve at the closing ceremony," he told a scheduled press conference traditionally held by organisers to mark the end of a Games.

"We spoke to the competition managers for all three sports and then to the venue managers, and received unanimous support for the idea," he added.

Asked to provide details on the ceremony, and whether it would be as formal as the Opening Ceremony, Rosario expressed his belief that "people will be surprised".

"There will, of course, be the formalities. The prime minister will be there, and Istria will be represented by two members of the Banijan royal family. But at its heart, a closing ceremony is always about celebration of the last 17 days of sport."

It has been announced that Liventia's flagbearer for the Orean ceremony will be BMX cyclist and gold medallist Abigail Steele. In Istria, 20 km race walk champion Brandon Westwood will have the honour.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Banijan Ministry of Defence Building, Busukuma, Banija

The Siovanija & Teusland delegation at the high-level meeting on the findings of the report of the Joint Inquiry into the Banija-Farfadillis Nuclear Incident returned to the table after a few minutes of intense conversation.

Shock would probably be the best way to put it. Throughout the process of the investigation and the drafting of the report, most of the names in the room on the United Republics’ side of the table were aware of the growing consensus that actors from Farfadillis had been involved in the event. Now, however, the entire report was laid out for all to see - and the depth of the foreign involvement made quite clear.

Amongst the Siovanija & Teusland delegation there were split opinions on what to do here. “Close our embassy over there,” said one advisor who wanted to get his voice heard at the table. “We don’t even have an embassy in Farfadillis. No one does - the country’s been an anarchy for a decade now” replied General Alois Charvat. “Things are changing though, and we’ll have the opportunity to build a relationship, which is why what we decide with the Banijans here today is extremely important,” said Chancellor Dominik Meier.

Meier was right. There were two key questions - what information to make public, and what information to disclose with Farfadillis? For the entire break period, the delegation hotly debated these topics. By the time the team returned to their seats and President Magdalena Hoskova rose to speak, however, a consensus had been reached.

The President stood up. “Welcome back everyone. FIrst of all, I’d like to comment on the report. And I’d like to thank the men and women of the Banijan military intelligence community, and of course our own Siovanija & Teusland Central Military Intelligence Agency, for their hard work on this report and keeping our nations and subregion safe. As for the report itself, we find the conclusions to be quite shocking, yet true. We are glad that the incident was not intended as an attack on either nation - yet we struggle to think of possible motives.” The President glanced to the right. “Now, Minister Horacek will address the topic of publicity.”

“Thank you, Fraulein President,” began the Foreign Affairs Minister. “Within Siovanija & Teusland, our Committee on the report will determine what information is made publicly available and which is kept classified - and the publicly-available information will be read in the National Chancellery, of course.” The Minister briefly collected his notes before continuing.

“We agree that it is not necessary to name Farfadillis as the foreign power involved in the conflict. You are completely correct in believing that this could cause us more problems in the future. Firstly, on the international stage, it will look as if two nations are attempting to cover up their own mistakes by blaming the situation on a country which cannot, at the moment, respond to the accusations against it. This would be a negative mark on each of our countries worldwide.”

“Furthermore, such an act could also influence our relationships with other countries in the subregion in the future. Timuria and the Busoga Isles were two nations mostly opposed to the Banijan proliferation of nuclear weapons, and making this public may look as if we are shifting the blame and perhaps opening the door to an uncertain future. And with Farfadillis, certainly, as the nation goes through a transformational period. Will a new government be friendly and establish working relationships with our countries if we have just blamed them for this incident?”

Minister Horacek finished up. “Therefore, we believe that making public that an unidentified foreign power was responsible for the incident is the best case scenario. We have enough information in these pages to prove that neither of our nations was at fault, and enough to prove foreign activity without naming names.”

The Minister sat down as Chancellor Meier now took his turn to speak. “Thank you, Minister. I’d also like to echo President Hoskova’s thanks to the intelligence agencies of both countries for their hard work on this. As the Minister said, we believe linking the information publicly to Farfadillis is a bad decision. However, as you have mentioned, what we share with Farfadillis itself will be of great importance.”

Chancellor Meier scanned his notes. “Now, as you have mentioned, currently there is no real chain of command in the country, or any place to share the information. We understand, however, that there have been considerable developments on the ground and that the situation is improving. Therefore, there is a good chance that our nations will be able to build new relationships with Farfadillis in the near future.”

“We believe that this sort of information - especially due to the impact it would likely have on the development of the ‘new’ Farfadillis - should only be shared with those with authority and the support of the people. We also agree that this is something that we will need to do together, presenting them with the report.” Chancellor Meier now sat down.

President Hoskova rose to close out her side’s responses. “We hope that a consensus has been reached here by our countries. We remain committed to our nations’ relationship, as well as peace and security in southwestern Atlantian Oceania. We leave the floor open to any other comments on your side. We look forward to the rest of these Olympic Games, and thank-you again for the invitation to this meeting.”

[Graintfjall]

Selection of articles posted on the In Brief section of the GTV.græ/olympics website.

Closing Ceremony Flagbearers Named

Græntfjall’s flagbearers for the Olympic closing ceremonies were chosen by an internal vote of athletes remaining in the Olympic Village, Ólympíusamband Græntfjalls said last night. The move continues Græntfjall’s tradition of sporting democracy which sees the national football team elect its captain before each game and national ice hockey team, which elects to suck ass. In Orean, sailors Lucia Alexandersdóttir and Jana Jorisdóttir will jointly carry the banner, while in Istria, team table tennis captain Styrgerður Petersdóttir will lead the procession. Although many events have now finished, a significant number of Græntfjaller athletes have remained in the Villages and those in Istria are expected to turn out in droves to watch the handball gold medal match against regional rivals Tikariot.

Græntfjaller Scouts At Basketball Tournament As Restructuring Rumors Persist

Despite the Super Wolves’ early exit from the basketball tournament, scouts with several Græntfjall clubs have been seen attending games and practice sessions, potentially with an eye to signing some foreign talent as rumors grow that the AGM of the country’s MSKs will see a vote to split off a separate basketball league. Historically basketball has just been another sport as part of the MSK system, but its rising popularity and the perceived difficulty of attracting and retaining star players to a relegation-format league have led to suggestions of a city-based franchise system being formed.

Medals Expectations ‘Vastly Exceeded’, Says Vernerisson

Græntfjaller Olympic chef de mission Göpf Vernerisson said the expectations of him and the whole Ólympíusamband Græntfjalls organization had been ‘vastly exceeded’. “We could not be happier with the results,” he said. Initially modest hopes of three total medals were passed within three days of competition and Græntfjall may end up being the smallest delegation to make the unofficial medals table top ten. “We don’t like to think of ‘countries winning medals’, that’s not what the Games are about,” said Vernerisson, a keen traditionalist advocate of Paripanan ideals. “But obviously seeing the blue-and-white on the podium and hearing Hjálparleysi Blús ring out, it’s hard not to get excited.” Victory in the women’s K-4 500 m canoe sprint competition completed an unofficial medals target of golds in sailing, cycling, and canoe sprint, the three disciplines targeted by ÓG officials coming into the Games, while shooter Jvars Börkursson will leave with three gold medals and three Olympic records.

[Vilitan Union]

Vilitan Union: 3 Stars of the Games

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Ciprimo Hutraskk - Mens Welterweight Boxing

Vilitan Boxer Ciprimo Hutraskk climbed back atop the podium to earn their second career Olympic Gold Medal in the Men's Welterweight division. Hutraskk burst onto the scene at the XII Olympic Games in Kelssek & Vekaiyu by earning the first ever Gold Medal for the Vilitan Union in Men's Boxing when they defeated Marc-Andre Gillis of the Royal Kingdom of Quebec in the championship bout. It also made Hutraskk just the second Vilitan athlete of all time to win a Boxing gold medal after Women's middleweight fighter Juki Juki Argarua had previously accomplished the feat during the XI Summer Olympic Games.

Hutraskk proved that their Gold Medal in the XII games was no fluke by returning for the Republica games and once again advancing to the Gold Medal Final. This time, however, Hutraskk was defeated with all three judges giving David Murillo a 30-27 points advantage across all three rounds in a unanimous decision. While it was a crushing defeat for Hutraskk, as a back to back Olympic Gold Medal Finalist, it quickly established the Vilitan as the face of Men's Welterweight Boxing. With unfinished business from Republica, Hutraskk returned once again for another shot at glory. With defending gold medal winner Murillo not qualified for Orean & Istria, Hutraskk was without question the favorite for the Gold Medal.

The Vilitan opened up competition in the Round of 32 making quick work of Enzo Mein before earning an equally lopsided result to move through Gennady Lebedev in the Round of 16 to set up a Quarter Final matchup against Radek Pletanek of Siovanija & Teusland. It would prove to be the first real challenge of the games for Hutraskk who narrowly escaped in the most closely fought bout of the round. A 10-7 result over Jorrit Alvardo of Kelssek would send Hutraskk through to an unprecedented third consecutive Men's Welterweight Gold Medal Bout. The Vilitan's opponent this time around would be Kriegerstan's Adept Spacemarine who had advanced to the final by defeating Sargossa's Esteban Aguilar. Hutraskk would not let this bout be decided by the judges, coming at the Spacemarine with the full fury of a now three-time Olympic Medalist. Hutraskk landed a number of blows to knock Adept off their feet and the referee ultimately intervened to stop the match. With that, Ciprimo Hutraskk was back on top of the boxing world, an Olympic Gold medalist for the second time.

---

Lkana Morala - Canoeing

Morala had already set themselves apart as one of the greatest Vilitan Olympian's of all time when they left the Republica games with a total of five medals including Gold in the Women's K-4 500m. However it was her shortfalls in the individual events that led to her return for the Orean & Istria games. A Silver Medal in the Women's K-1 Sprint and Bronze in the C-1 Sprint. Of the 9 overall Medals Morala had earned in Olympic Canoeing, just one was an individual Gold Medal - her very first. Despite Morala's success in the games, the field of Olympic caliber Canoeists in the Vilitan Union is not massively deep making the veteran's return for Orean & Istria less of a surprise. Morala, however, was no longer focused on quantity of medals but Quality of them. This time, she was looking out for herself first and foremost. Morala spent the entirety of her offseason training for the individual events and she would be rewarded for it with a Gold Medal performance in the Women's K-1 Individual Sprint. It was the same event that Morala had won her first Olympic Medal during her debut games and could end up book-ending her career in perfect storybook fashion. While no one would be surprised to see Morala back for another games, it was clear that the Vilitan Union's all-time winningest Olympian was satisfied looking back at her career while standing atop the podium alongside runner up Jasmin Emiliosdóttir of Graintfjall and Bronze medalist Augusta Sammon of Krytenia whom Morala had watched come up through the ranks within Atlantian Oceania and whom Morala had competed against in K-1 Final in Republica where Morala took Silver and Sammon was last to complete the course of the 8 finalists.

While Morala is unlikely to hold the flag for Closing Ceremonies, having already been given that honor after her incredible 5-medal haul in Republica, she is certain to be near the front of the pack enjoying every minute of what could be her final games, with the Vilitan Union's lone Canoeing gold medal from the XIV Olympiad around her neck.

---

Lumaka Forestiala - Golf

It was a difficult battle for all of the Golfers at the Museveni Country Club in Banija who struggled with ever-changing weather conditions from day to day and even hour to hour as Golfers from around the multiverse braved the conditions in search of a rare olympic gold medal. Golf was still a relatively recent edition to the official ledger of Olympic events and to win Olympic Gold in Golf would be to put yourself in a very short and exclusive list of names. Vilitan Union golfer Lumaka Forestiala had not really come into Istria & Orean with an expectation of competing for a Gold Medal. While she had seen her game improve in recent years becoming one of the top female golfers in the Vilitan Cove region, her previous Olympic Experience had not been a good one finishing 12 strokes off the medal podium in Republica. While she put in a decent opening round, Day 2 of the Olympic Games was one to forget for Forestiala. A trio of Triple-bogeys and just one birdie on the day saw the Vilitan Union golfer end the round with a score of 86. Having concluded Day 2 tied for 67th in the standings and already 10 strokes behind the leader, reality began to set in. As a result, she had free'd herself of the burdens and stress of achieving an Olympic Medal and returned to the course for Day 3 just looking to enjoy the challenges of the conditions at the Museveni Country Club.

Thats when something magical happened. As her opponents once again struggled, Forestiala found a groove. A birdie here, a birdie there. Just one bogey on the Par 5 fifth hole and then back on track. Her score of 74 at the end of the day was the best round by any competitor thus far in the games. In one swoop she gained an average of five strokes on the field and leaped to 4th place overall just three strokes behind the leader, Monique Cha of the Royal Kingdom of Quebec. Just like that, Forestiala was back in play. However, being back in contention meant the nerves returned as well. Forestiala was in the second pairing near the end of the draw and opened her day with a double bogey on the Par 4 first hole. It was, perhaps, the set back she needed to lead her through to an unexpected Olympic Gold. She would rally from that point and put in a comparitively safe score of 81. Crucially, she bested each of the golfers ahead of her in the standings, gaining one stroke on Tikariot's Justina Parra while Cha's 88 had set her out of contention altogether from the lead. It meant that after 72 holes of play, Lumaka Forestiala and Justina Parra were tied atop the leaderboard. There was also a tie for third meaning that two groups set out for three hole playoffs in one of the most exciting conclusions in the history of Golf at the Olympic Games.

The three holes for the playoff were some of the most diverse at the Museveni Country Club. Starting off with the Par 4, then the longer Par 5 and then finishing it off on the Par 3 with the chance of a Hole in One lingering out there to win the Olympic Games. After Edith Morgenstern had earned the Bronze over Mariqqa Binti Farifidim, it was time for the Gold Medal Playoff.

Forestiala got the upper hand sinking a 25 foot put for Birdie to take a one stroke advantage into the Par 5. It was here that the Vilitan got a boost of confidence watching her opponents opening drive skitter off into the Brush. It would take Parra three strokes just to find a sand trap on the edge of the green and she was unable to get out of the trap cleanly resulting in a bogey on the hole for the Tikariot player. Due to the error by her opponent, Forestiala incredibly took a three stroke lead into the Par 3 final hole of the 3-hole playoff. As a result, she knew that a par would be good enough to secure Olympic Gold. Forestiala laid up for the safe approach while Justina Parra went for it knowing her best shot would be a hole in one. It was a valiant effort as the crowd held its breath watching Parra's opening drive skip once, twice, over the hole before rocketing across the back of the green and down the hill into the brush on the back side. Lumaka Forestiala, the Golfer from the Vilitan Union, this time calm and collected, finished out her hole at Par to earn Olympic Gold for the first time and become a household name in the Golfing world both within Atlantian Oceania and throughout the multiverse.

---

Entering the final day of competition, the Vilitan Union had secured 8 gold medals in the Fourteenth Summer Olympic Games. Overall, it had been perhaps below the expectations of the Vilitan Union Olympic Delegation and Organizing Committee after achieving 15 gold and 50 overall medals at the Republica games, though there were still a handful of medals left on the table that the Vilitan Union would be competing for on the final day of competition including the prestigious Men's Football Final at the Olympic Stadium in Istria.

The Vilitan Union got their first Gold Medal of the games from an unlikely place, the Equestrian Dessage Competition. Sukamont Isladorbel led the way for the Vilitan Delegation beating out athletes from The Sarian and the Terremaran Union to earn the first Vilitan Equestrian gold. Altogether, of the 8 total events that the Vilitan Union had earned gold thus far in Istria & Orean, five were by first time medalists. Isladorbel was first in the Equestrian while Forestiala in Golf was the last; in-between saw first time medalists Amalala Entares & Sinpo Reanka claim gold in Badminton, Mogafeme Wilkai claiming joint-gold in the Men's High Jump becoming the first ever Vilitan athlete to earn a medal in the High Jump competition, and finally an outstanding performance by Tyranora Iggnariiki in the Modern Pentathlon that included an Olympic Record for the 200m Freestyle portion of the event, culminating in a laser run finish where Iggnariiki out-gutted Dimitrioff Friberg of Chromatika to ensure the Gold Medal 10 seconds ahead of the nearest competitors.

Joining Hutraskk and Morala as repeating Gold Medalists from prior Olympic Games was the 4x100m Womens Medley Relay Swim team of Inflipia Kulafin, Ali Morala, Igizia Yuil’alao and Saki Sola. The Quartet finished on the podium for the third and possibly final time together though fell short of their personal best time of 03:52.53. Altogether 35 Athletes have earned themselves an Olympic Medal for the Vilitan Union in these games across 26 medal-earning events along with the Men's Field Hockey Team which fell short in their Gold Medal final against Mattijana. While entering the final day of competition it appears that the Vilitan Union's overall medal haul will not meet the expectations of the delegation as a whole, no one will be able to take away the title of Olympic Medalist from those who did persevere and find themselves on the Podium at these games.

[South Newlandia]

The Marathon. The most storied event, the event with the longest history. The reason we are here. Tomorrow, a whole bunch of athletes will attempt to run over 42 kilometres as fast as they can. Today, the women did, and for the South Newlandians, it went okay. All three of them finished, and that’s about it, to be honest. Anyway, tomorrow, three South Newlandian men will attempt to create history. Arguably, Luca Harwood has already done that, finishing with the silver medal in the triathlon, as one of the few athletes to compete in both. Luca may have some outside chances, about the same as Terrel Moose has. Terrel, he can run non-stop. This guy never seems to get tired, ever. He was born to a poor family, when Ruditown was much poorer than it is today, and his family never owned a car. He didn’t have a bike, either, so he had to walk the multiple kilometres to school every day, since the bus wasn’t driving in a useful direction for him. He grew up around having to be fast on long distances. He only found his way into organized sports much later, just as he only found most of his friends later on in his life. “I was teased as a boy, because I could never really afford anything. Time have changed since then, but that was what it was” He is often renowned for his kindness, and is already working for more than one charity organization, especially the one that attempts to give every South Newlandian the possibility to go to school easily and without having to walk for more than an hour. The project is almost done, only a few rural areas around Jagomir are lagging behind. The real South Newlandian favourite, however, is Gregor Jenks. Born to rich parents in Newport, he had the choice to attend a great school within comfortable walking distance, but he was driven anyway by his parents. He chose to become a long distance runner, and his personal coaches gave the talented boy all the knowledge they could. From a young age, he was often dominating South Newlandian long distance competitions for his age group. Thanks to his parents, he had all the time to train; he has never worked a day in his life. At the time, schooling laws were more lax then they are today, and some former friends have called him an “entitled clown as smart as a bag of bricks”. He is fast, though. Very fast. He could be the fastest. Tomorrow, everyone will start at the starting line at the same time. Everyone gets the same opportunity. Istria will see an exciting Marathon, for sure, but it might be about more than that for South Newlandia.

[Ioudaia]

Women's 10000m

Chita bat Cythereia ran steadily, heading into the final lap. Pace is good, distance is good. I might be able to take a medal. She spotted a lone Ioudaian flag in the stands, a single supporter waving it madly. Yeah, after this year, we'll be lucky to bring in any fans. She looked around, judging the runners around her. Gold is out of reach, maybe silver or bronze. Let's see how we do...

At 100m to go, she lengthened her stride as much as she could. Slowly, she gained on the leaders. This will work... Yes... Yes! Despite pulling out a bronze, she was too tired to celebrate, and simply walked off her run.

After the medal ceremony, Chita found herself mobbed by people thrusting mics and phones in her face. "All this for me?"

A half-recognized woman holding a phone firmly said, "You're our only runner to win a medal. Only person in all of athletics. How does that make you feel?"

"I... Well, I knew we weren't doing well, but I hadn't thought about it. I guess I feel pretty good, but I wish more of us could have medalled. But if I'm the one to save the Olympics for Ioudaia, I'm not gonna mind." Chita chuckled, wondering how many running shoe companies would suddenly 'discover' her.

A reporter poked a mic in her face. "Any thoughts about what the delegation should do for the next Games?"

Chita blinked at him. "I have no idea." She smiled sheepishly, realizing how that must sound. "Uh, we're gonna have to really see what worked and what didn't. Lots of studying. Maybe we need new practice routines. I don't know."

Abruptly, she felt exhausted, and waved the other reporters away. "Sorry, I need to collapse somewhere. Talk to you all later." She did accept a flag to wrap around her shoulders as she slowly walked away.

[Liventia]

For the final time, this is the RP cutoff.

[Krytenia]

CLOSING CEREMONY: Flag-bearers named

With fifty-three medals in the bag, and at least one more to come from the final day of competition, this is officially Krytenia's best-ever Games "on the road". The team are in a celebratory mood, and this will be reflected in their entry into the closing ceremony. Special sky blue tracksuits, personalised with the name of each competitor across the shoulders on the back, have been given to every single athlete in the delegation...almost. Those who participated in the infamous protest at the Opening Ceremony will not be present, whilst ringleader Stephen Perez, despite reaching the quarter-finals of the men's tennis singles, was told in no uncertain terms that he will not be picked again for an Olympic delegation and has already flown home.

Choosing the flag-bearers, though, was an easy decision. Both the Orean and Istria delegations have chosen those who honoured the nation by picking up multiple medals. Leading the team in Liventia will be triple cycling medallist Raphael van der Poel. He scored his third medal on Day Fifteen with a bronze in the keirin to add to his two medals in the individual and team sprints. The Banijan side of the delegation, meanwhile, will be headed by Katerina Kristensen, who helped the women's team to a first ever archery gold medal before teaming up with Ashton Jeavons to collect bronze in the mixed pair - results that doubled the country's all-time medal count in the sport.

Regardless of what happens in the final day of competition, this has been a Games of wonder and glory for Team Krytenia. When the youth of the world converge in four years, wherever that may be, this will be the benchmark of their success. Long may it continue.



Relive the best moments from Orean and Istria at www.kbs.kt/ondemand/olympics[/quote]

[Main Nation Ministry]

The Heat: Difficulty Tweaks

While Jessica and her friends were getting ready for the venue at Banija, Keller was busy doing stuff of her own. At a different part of the multiverse in the city of Orean in Liventia, Keller was training with an instructor at the Olympic Village, where she used the lack of contact as a way to focus her mind. Pounding away at a heavy boxing bag, she was practicing moves that would cause the mat to fly back from time to time, while an instructor was observing her to make sure she didn't get injured during practice. For Harrington, she wasn't here to really go for the medal. She knew that there would be some fighter more skilled at here to send her to the ground. However, she has already trained herself in close-quarters combat. For actual combat, she wouldn't hold back. However, for the Olympics, she had to make sure she didn't kill her opponent, even if said opponent wants to kick her ass. In hindsight, Keller needed to subdue her opponent without getting an international lawsuit from severely injuring them.

General Emmanuel Jones entered the room, as she was pounding away at the punching bag. "Training for the event?" Jones said, as she does a flying kick, where the bag rocked back. "What did you think I was doing? I wasn't going to do anything after I finish the event."
"You're going to attend the closing ceremony?"
"Only in Banija. I was going to head there to celebrate with Masami."
"Your boyfriend?"
"That dummy isn't my boyfriend! He's just a friend!" Keller perked up, as she grew frustrated.

"We still been scouting for the Leader. We did find a lead, but we're unsure if it's useful."
"What's the lead?"
"Truman was given intel, but he believes it's really shoddy. Some unregistered multiverse dwellers at the extremes of the cold in an unexplored area of the multiverse have found mercenaries lurking about his supposed location. We also gotten word from an anonymous tip from Fauntenheddo that the Leader might be in the path of a private military company operation."
"Any relations to them and the Leader?"
"Nothing at all. Fauntenheddo is a heavy anti-authority nation. They might threaten some action, if we try to probe into the matter."
"Well, he got himself into the mess. He's bound to find a way to get out."

"How can you be so sure?"
"Well... If he managed to burn down a skyscraper. Supposely on accident, then go on a minor chaos spree. I guess he is free from the wrath of karma. Unless I have a say in it."

Jones rolled his eyes, as he knew that Keller would again like to kick his ass again, where she let Keller continue to train.

[Banija]

The curtain closes on the XIV Olympiad as it begs the question- what's next for the Olympic Committee of Banija


Kiggwe Akello celebrates his first of three gold medals in Istria at the Olympiad

ISTRIA, MORAVICA- As the departure flights begin to leave Istria en masse, we look back- what did the XIV Olympiad mean to the City of Istria in particular, and to the Kingdom of Banija as a whole? What will be the lasting impact of these Games? These were the first ever games to be held in Istria, which had a real chance, some may say for the first time ever, to really show itself off to the world as a championship city in its own right. There are only a small number of cities across the multiverse that can say this about themselves, but Istria is now truly an Olympic city.

You talk about the impact on the City of Istria. They wanted themselves to be recognized as a global city, and recognized as Banija's premier city, ahead of our national capitol of Busukuma, which hosts most(but not all) sporting finals within the country, and the regional capitol of Herzegovina City, this country's oldest city and the birthplace and headquarters of Mormonism. And they showcased themselves for the world, and by all accounts, they did so well. Besides the usual complaints when the world descends on Banija about the stunning lack of coffee within the country, there were no real complaints about how the City carried themselves.

There is already recognition, even within Banija, about the primacy of Istria as the country's economic hub. Miremba Okello, the city's first female Mayor, has used the opportunity to announce that Istria will be opening the country's first ever stock exchange in six month's time. Already, the Regional Transit Corporation, Banija's largest and most famous corporation, has announced that they will move headquarters back from Eshan, after spending more than a decade in Rosaria for access to their stock exchange. A number of Banijan companies will be signing up, and it's a reflection of the continued growth of Banijan economic strength.

The stars of a lot of people have shot up. Miremba Okello, of course, being the organizing Mayor. Kauso Sonko, the Premier of Moravica, also looking good. It helps that the three key government elected officials- the city's Mayor, the regional premier, and the Katikkiro(Prime Minister), as well as his Minister for Culture & Sport, are all part of the same party. No room for partisan battles there, and nobody trying to score points by taking pot shots at each other- they all worked together seemlessly, and pulled this off. Not that they couldn't have if, say, the Mayor of Istria was part of a left-wing party, but you didn't have to worry about politics getting in the way of these Olympics. Politics isn't this magazine's purview, so we won't predict their future, but maybe they have future job prospects in Busukuma?

The person who's star has shot up the most, of course, is Ousman Kaba. The Chairman of the Organizing Committee in Istria, and the Chairman of the Olympic Committee of Banija, he has gathered people from all over the place and pulled off these Olympics. Of course, the Organizing Committee has a number of members, but Kaba is the face on the Banijan side. What does his future hold? There are rumors the longtime Chairman has seen this as the pinnacle of his career, and he'll step down and retire and go into something else. Organizing a Summer Olympiad is quite an accomplishment, of course. Maybe he'll pursue a role at the Olympic Council, or maybe, like Adama Sowe did of the RBSA, he'll enrich himself via things like consulting. Many career options.

What does this mean for the Olympic movement in Banija? It seems as if it is going to catch fire. There were criticisms levied at the Olympic Committee of Banija for not sending a full slate of athletes. 22 medals is strong, of course, but especially the lack of Banijan action in Orean- Banijans did not get to see their people watch. Ousman Kaba defended the strategy, saying that they won "22 more medals than they had ever won at the Olympics." But many have wanted to see what we can do if we can enter a full delegation. Should the OCB make it a priority to send a full and complete delegation to the next Games? That is likely to be the next goal of theirs, to do that for the first time ever as they pursue glory.

These games will likely change how Banija approaches the Olympics forever, and how the nations of the multiverse approach Banija forever. A success? Yes. We will see over the years just exactly what fruit these Games end up bearing on the city, the country, and the Banijan Olympic movement.

[Graintfjall]

Article posted on the In Brief section of the GTV.græ/olympics website.

Bouncy Wolves Take Gold In Most-Watched Olympic Event

The men’s handball final was the most-watched event of the Olympic Games, according to GTV Director-General Benóní Kristensson, and Græntfjaller viewers tuning in got the welcome sight of the Bouncy Wolves defeating rivals Tikariot in an exciting 24 – 22 match decided in the last two minutes of play. Auðunn Marvinsson sealed the victory after game MVP Jack Jockisson scored his 5th goal. The Bouncy She-Wolves took bronze in their game – the second most watched event of the Games, according to Kristensson – as Birgit Kjartansdóttir’s 7 goals led a 32 – 16 rout of Main Nation Ministry. The twin medals more than vindicate the decision of Græntfjall’s handball teams to skip the World Cup and concentrate on the Olympics, said Bouncy Wolves left winger Isak Göpfsson.

Also on the site


• GOA Praise Olympic Hosts: Ólympíusamband Græntfjalls have deployed military-grade muffin baskets to thank Liventia and Banija, host nations of the 14th Summer Olympics
  
• Bar Has Been Set High: Vernerisson says the ‘bar has been set high’ for future Græntfjaller Olympic performances, adding ‘but not for our high jumpers, they’re shit’
• Aqua Wolves Sink To Fourth: Græntfjall’s water polo team began the tournament as the team to beat, and Taeshan did exactly that

[Kelssek]

A triumph in the women’s handball gold medal final rounds off the Olympics in Orean and Istria for Team Kelssek. This is the first time Kelssek have been Olympic champions in the women’s event, after having previously won silver in the 5th and 10th Olympics and a bronze at the 10th Olympics.

In a 28-23 win against Chromatika, Kelssek played a physical game and were deadly on fast break opportunities. Lexi Hudon-Baynes and Andrea Pointer scored four goals each to lead the team to the victory.

Skateboarder Jenna Houston will be the closing ceremony flagbearer in Orean, as the Kelssek Olympic Committee gives a nod to so-called non-traditional sports. Houston’s gold medal win in the women’s park event was one of the most-watched events in Kelssek according to the KBC’s online viewing figures. Swimmer DeShawn Mitchell, Olympic champion in the men’s 1500m, will carry the flag in Istria. Mitchell is the first Kelssek swimmer to win gold in a distance event in four cycles.

In total, Kelssek’s athletes won 17 gold, 11 silver, and 12 bronze medals at the 14th Summer Olympics. While many fans will be extremely disappointed with the failure to reach the top three in both men's and women's water polo, those with a bit of a wider sporting horizon will see this as one of the better performances by Team Kelssek.

[Darmen]

Orean-Istria Games Declared "Most Successful Ever" for Darmen
DNOC Well Pleased With Performance

OREAN, LIVENTIA - Gaius Mac Thaidhg, Darmen's Chef de mission at these Games, declared the XIV Olympiad as the "most successful ever" for Darmen. Darmen won 27 medals overall, three short of the record set at the IX Olympiad, but the 14 golds won by Darmeni athletes this year far exceeded the previous record of just five.

Perhaps the biggest medal surprises came in the sport of swimming, where Darmen won five medals overall, three gold, in a sport where success is normally rare. Cruz Kruger was Darmen's most successful athlete of these Games, winning three medals overall including two golds. "I'm not sure we'll repeat this four years from now, but the wins are fantastic to have and enjoy while we can," commented Cruz.

Other sports to step up and contribute in big ways to Darmen's medal tally were canoeing and weightlifting. Simón Ó Damháin won two golds, kayaking his way to victory in the K-1 1000m and K-4 500m. In weightlifting, Iovianus Devine not only won the gold in the 81kg category, but he also set the Olympic record for combined score, lifting 373 kilograms.

Darmen's performances were disapointing in athletics and cycling, the two sports most popular among Darmeni Olympic fans. Although Darmen dominated the men's 1500m with Egbert Jerome winning gold and Anso McFarland claiming bronze and Max Bush in the 5000m race, medals went missing in the 10000m and Marathon. Kelcey Wehunt was the top finisher in the 10000m, crossing the line approximately 18 seconds behind the winner from Lovisa, Nick Sweeneg. In the Marathon, Godfrey Brodeur gave it his all, but came up painfully short, finishing in the "forgetful" fourth place, 22 seconds away from a bronze medal.

The disappointment was even bigger in cycling. No medals were run in the road races: Emil Saller finished fifth in the men's event and Annett Waterman was the top Darmeni women's finisher, in 56th position. Darmen won only three medals in its most popular sport: reigning world champion Sosimo Owens won gold in the men's mountain bike race to further cement his status as the multiverse's best men's mountain biker and Darmen was at least consistent in the Omnium event, winning bronze in both the men's and women's events on the track. Fergal Eaton was the medalist on the men's side and Sheila Boon for the women.

Darmeni Cycling Association President Milo van Pompey had this to say, "Our performance was disapointing to say the least. For Darmen to have its most successful Games and for cycling to have only a minor contribution is definitely not the best representation for us as a sport. Hopefully our domestic competitions we've set up for next year will help produce some great riders and give us the best chances in future Games.

Chef de mission Mac Thaidhg, while applauding Darmen's success, did observe that Darmen has some work to do. "We had only four female medalists. 29 men won medals. We've got a bit of work to do to improve the chances of our female athletes to win medals."

Mac Thaidhg congratulated both the host cities: Orean and Istria; and the host nations: Liventia and Banija, on delivering a fantastic games. "We knew Orean, based on their experience as a previous host, would do a fantastic job. We were really excited to see Istria also live up to the standards set by their co-host, they organized and delivered an excellent games."

OOC: My IC praise for the hosts does indeed reflect my OOC feelings. Many thanks to the both of you for putting on a great event.

[Liventia]

The fireworks lit up the night sky over the Grovers Park Olympic Stadium in eastern Orean as the crowd hummed and buzzed with excitement and anticipation.

Some minor entertainment – a bit of a stand-up routine, and a dance troupe – had been put on to keep them in check before the beginning of the official closing ceremony. Then, on the big screens in the stadium and projected onto the stadium floor, a countdown. Ten, nine, eight…

When it hit one, the crowd cheered wildly and the tannoy crackled into life. "Mesdames et messieurs, veuillez-vous accueillir les athlètes des Jeux de la quatorzième olympiades. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the athletes of the Games of the 14th Olympiad."

As per tradition, all the competing athletes – those who were still present in Orean, at least – filed into the stadium together; in theory not separated by country but in practice mostly sticking to their own cliques by nation, albeit with some exceptions by sport.

After what seemed like 20 minutes – in reality it was around half that – with upbeat dance music welcoming the athletes and keeping the crowd's energy high, it was time for the ceremony part of the night to begin. More fireworks marked the end of the athletes' entrance, and the public address system whirred up again. "Mesdames et messieurs, veuillez-vous accueillir le premier ministre de la république liventienne, monsieur James Morgan; la présidente de la association olympique liventienne, Pearline Jones; et représentant la Banija, leurs altesses royales Omugaba Immaculate et Omulangira Muteesa. Ladies and gentlemen, would you please welcome the prime minister of the Republic of Liventia, Mr James Morgan; the president of the Liventian Olympic Association, Pearline Jones; and representing Banija, their Royal Highnesses, Omugaba Immaculate and Omulangira Muteesa."

A roar went up around the stadium for the arrival of the dignitaries, who emerged in the VIP box in the stadium. The two Banijan royals – the sister of the King, and her husband – were applauded by both Morgan and Jones as they entered first.

"Mesdames et messieurs, merci de vous lever pour l'hymne de national de la république liventienne, interprété par le chœur symphonique national. Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the national anthem of the Republic of Liventia, performed by the National Symphony Chorus." That announcement was enough to send a silence and hush around the previously-roaring crowd. The spotlight flickered onto a group of maybe 20 singers in the middle of the stadium floor, who began a rendition of Liventia, Land of Hope.

After the anthem and the crowd had been asked to take their seats, a "best-of" highlights package began playing on the big screen and on the stadium floor, treating the specators and viewers to a recap of the previous 17 days of action in Orean. That was followed by four different musical performances from Liventian groups and bands of the past decade; for many in the audience it felt underwhelming. Liventian music was not big.

Then, time for the other athletes' entrance. "Nous avons maintenant d'honneur de vous présenter les portes-drapeaux des équipes participés des Jeux olympiqes quartorzième. We now have the honour of presenting the flag-bearers of the participating teams in the 14th Olympic Games." Led by a single volunteer carrying an Olympic Flag, followed by the Banijan flagbearer, the athletes entered with the countries' flags in alphabetical order in French, in a nod to Liventia's second official language. At the opening ceremony, teams had marched in in English alphabetical order. Liventia's flagbearer, BMX champion Abigail Steele, entered last.

After Steele had entered and placed the Liventian flag into its stand in the middle of the stadium, more fireworks were sent up. Then, prime minister Morgan gestured for the two invited royals to move to the front of the VIP box, where a spotlight was shone on them.

"Mesdames et messieurs, merci de vous lever pour la levée du drapeau banijien, dans le respect et la gratitude a nos amis et partenaires dans l'organisation des cettes Jeux. L'hymne national de la Banija est interprété par l'orchestre symphonique d'Oréan. Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the raising of the flag of Banija, in respect and gratitude to our friends and partners in the organisation of these Games. The Banijan national anthem is performed by the Orean Symphony Orchestra."

After the flag had been raised and the anthem finished, the mayor of Orean Ryan McDonald and the new Olympic Council president, Pearline Jones, took to centre stage to wave the Olympic Flag that had entered in the flagbearers' parade. That was followed by more musical performances, this time reaching further back into Liventia's musical history to appeal to the older audience.

Eventually, the lights dimmed again and a medal podium rose from the ground.

"Mesdames et messieurs, la cérémonie des vainqueurs pour la compétition de gymnastique rythmique, groupe, femmes. Ladies and gentlemen, the victory ceremony for the Rhythmic Gymnastics women's group competition."

The medallists entered, to huge roars, and the medals awarded to the Teremaran Unified Team, Farfadillis, and Main Nationa Ministry. The playing of the Teremaran regional team's victory anthem followed, with two subsequent medal ceremonies featuring women's modern pentathlon won by So-Ran Dae of Chromatika and women's kata karate won by Alize Simonic of Mattijana proceeding the first.

After the Mattijanan anthem died down, Jones stood at the podium once more.

"Mesdames et messieurs, le peuple d'Oréan, merci beaucoup du fond du cœur. Nous avons réalisé un autre rêve incroyable. Les Jeux olympiques 14ème ne seront pas oubliés rapidement," she said to raucous cheers. "Thank you to the athletes for giving us these lasting memories," she added as she switched to English.

"Thank you to the volunteers for making everything run so smoothly. And thank you, Orean, for another unforgettable Games."

When Jones finished speaking, the Olympic Flag that had been flying next to the Liventian and Banijan ones was lowered to the strains of the Olympic Hymn, and when it was lowered, the cauldron was slowly extinguished to audible groans before a big whooping cheer.

Then, the disco lights flashed on and the athletes were encouraged back onto the stadium floor from their seats. The Games were over. The party segment was on.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Live at the Watering Hole Bar

The Closing Ceremony had happened a hour ago, though some of the athletes were still enjoying their last night at Istria in Banija. While Keller was the one who did some trips every now and then, for some Ministrians, it was a bit of an experience in the heat. The venue that Madden found was the perfect place for everyone to be, even if admission was limited. At least, the stage was practically at the front of the bar. As Keller was drinking herself some water, her boyfriend Masami was nearby with some root beer. "Weren't interested in the medals?" Masami asked her, though he did admit it was a bit of a rude question. "Karate isn't my passion. I have other things in the nation to do."
"Well, at least everyone's celebrating. I'm sure your general friend Jones is at Liventia enjoying himself, also."
"Yeah. I just miss my neighborhood. A bit homesick, but I'm only been homesick on the last day. Madden should be up on stage any moment now." Keller said, as their eyes were diverted to the stage.

Off-stage, Jessica Madden and her band were getting ready for the performance, since they wanted to make a good impression to the fellow citizens of Banija. Charlotte "Charlie" Huxley was making sure the band was suited up and their instruments were tuned up good. "Guitar check?" Charlie asked Tony, where he strumed a bit, where his guitar sounded good. "Alright, you guys are good! Brenda already told me that she paid the owner that we're performing here."
"We managed to make ourselves known to West Phoenica and Free Republics, so let's add a third nation into the mix." Jessica motivated her band, as Gerald was drinking a concoction of honey and other throat remedies to help with his voice. "Alright. Tony, Frank. Make sure to give them a show. Gerald, don't hold back. Don't think your voice will go out. Even if it does, don't stop singing."
"Roger that, Madden." Gerald said, though even if he was the cynical and nonchalant one in the band, he was a bit nervous. "And Charlie?" Jessica said, where she delivered a kiss to her, as Charlie smiled as a response. "Go get em." Charlie said to her, as Jessica nodded.

On the stage, the band appeared on stage, all dressed in black leather jackets for one of their underdog Reap What You Sow. A major sleeper hit, but Jessica figured that a little rebellious attitude helps people. The audience was mostly those from Main Nation Ministry, but some foreign tourists and other locals were here as well. With the lights dimming, Jessica closed her eyes a bit, as the concert was starting.

In the Tune of My Chemical Romance - Desolation Row

Readying her mic and extending her arm to point towards the ceiling, Jessica proceeded to sing the first set of lyrics, while acting serious to fit the tone.

They found me cleaning knives
Washing with the gasoline
They got me all locked up
I wished I can't be seen
I say, now it starts with this slick
Getting out his large silver gat
He laid down several caps now
Turning me into a dead black cat

Holding the mic close to her with both hands, she sings the chorus with the band.

The carpet was stained with blood
I never got a chance to say a vow
Without a chance in life
Reap what you sow

Jessica acts more laid back in tone, as she sings the next verse. Jessica couldn't help but casually tap her foot at the beat of the music.

He didn't look like a sweetheart
"It's nothing personal, princess" he joked
Polishing the brains from his boots
Having the anger evoked
Then I found out his house, saying
"Life is unpredictable it seems"
The moment I pull out my blade
All I heard was screams

Cue the chorus where the band sings together. As a bonus, Jessica holds the mic towards the audience to have them sing the last line of the outro.

To think that he had forgotten
That he should have thought just now
Knowing I would be knocking on his doorstep
Reap what you sow

Tony performs a guitar solo to entertain the audience, where Jessica sings the third verse in a deranged tone that builds up from being calm.

Currently stuck in death row
With a murder charge over my neck
They get the seats ready
To watch me as a trainwreck
(As a trainwreck)
They need to bring out Old Sparky
With words while they tie my noose
"I regret nothing
Even when I'm out of use"

Singing the chorus and outro, Jessica adds a proficiency to compliment the crazed tone of the song. Nevertheless, the band joins in until the song ends.

The gallows should etch my name
Everyone's ready for the show
I'm glad he's not there
Reap what you fucking sow!

Now they be killing off the femme fatales
Sending them six feet below
If the revenge wasn't good enough
Reap what you fucking sow!

After the song ended and applause from the crowd, the lights turned a light blue, as Charlie started to get excited, as she was with the bar with Keller and Masami. "Favorite song coming up? I only heard recordings of it." Keller asked her. "Kinda fits me a bit. It's one of the reasons that I tried to do WorldVision. Wasn't high enough, but it's tradition for Main Nation Ministry to be different from the rest, right?" Charlie told Keller in return, where Keller knew that the song was meant to be a love song.
"I wonder if this song would give me the same feeling."

In the tune of Incubus - Stellar

After a quick keyboard opening, Jessica starts to sing while acting with a sad expression on her face. As she sings, the lights cover her to give her a ghostly appearance to the crowds.

For our fate to be one
I was left on the floor
Trying to get to you
My choice can't be undone
I never wanted this
We're more than fri-ends

After Jessica finishes the verse, the lights on the stage all go light blue, where Jessica acts more energetic.

I can be your ghost
Looking for a house to haunt
I can be your ghost
I know truly what you want

The next verse appears, where Jessica stands back in the center while only the blue spotlight remains on stage.

For our fate to be one
The faint breeze of air
Will let you know I'm here
I will arrive at the lowered sun
Along with Hallow's Eve
Which I can truly arrive to the darkest night - of the moon

Cue the chorus and lights.

I can be your ghost
Looking for a house to haunt
I can be your ghost
I know truly what you want
I can be your ghost
Looking for a house to haunt

The lights dim, where Tony and Gerald give several peaceful solos. The lights only dim for this part on stage.

I'm invisible to you

Cue the chorus, where Jessica acts more joyful. Being a bit of an actor, Jessica lets out some tears to make the last part emotional.

I can be your ghost
Looking for a house to haunt
I can be your ghost
I know truly what you want

For the outro, the rest of the band sing along where the crowd eventually does, also.

I can be your ghost
Looking for a house to haunt
I can be your ghost
Looking for a house to haunt

After the second song and the usual applause, Gerald gave Jessica his bass, where she did a little bass before heading up to the mic. "Now, this last song is going to be sung by our bassist Gerald. Wrote it by himself, so I'm giving you a performance with him being the host here." Madden explained, as Gerald was getting himself pumped up. "Give it up for Gerald and his song Heroes, everybody!" Jessica said, where the crowd cheered as Gerald stepped up to the mic. The lights were now at a very low dim, as Gerald had his head down to take a breath.

Sung in the tune of The Living Tombstone - Chosen

As the intro started, Gerald started to sing, as the lights were brightening, revealing the other band members. Frank had a verse for the drums, as he played.

How did we get ourselves here?
Top of the world
Why can't we disappear?
Is it because that we have become heroes, to them all away of old
Winners of might
Going for gold
The fame that we have obtained
Rewards for our worth

The energy of the song kicks in, where Gerald gave an energetic feel to the song.

The glory that I strive
Within my hands
The system which I thrive
Ideals I know
Rewards for the high hopes
Living it all
Yet, all impossible
Can it be because that we have become heroes, to them all away of old
Winners of might
Going for gold
The fame that we have obtained
Rewards for our worth

Tony stepped in with Gerald, as they sung the next three lines, as if the song is echoing.

Can it end? Can it end?
Can it end? Can it end?
Can it end? Can it end?

Serotonin fills up in my head
This world is for us to stay
My doubts can sway as we're part of the new display
This is the day
For us to replay

For the finale, the whole band sings along with the final verse-chorus of the song.

It's only because that we have become heroes, to them all away of old
You give us bold to make us bold
For the long hopes that we all hold
It's the record that will be told how we fought it all, yet the whole world will know

The stage lights go dark, where the crowd applauses the performances. The lights go back on, where the band gives a bow. Keller watched the whole thing and saw why she was underrated like what some people took her. Yes, the music has flaws, but Keller did enjoy it. Masami was having fun, so Keller might as well have some fun, also. As the night was moving to a close, Keller got a funny feeling about the Leader. She wondered on what she would have felt about the whole situation. However, he was far from home. Yet, Keller was starting to feel...pity for him?

---

Epilogue

"....Come on!" The Leader was trying not to curse out loud, as he was digging into his bag for the radio that he had for his self-expedition. "Where the hell is it?! Come on!" The Leader managed to grab it from the bottom of the bag, as he was trying to send out a distress signal. "Hello!? Hello?! Anyone can read this?" The Leader yelled into the radio, so that the transmission could pick up, so someone can hear him.

"Hello? Ok, the signal is up. -sigh- Look, whoever gets this, I'm about to do something horrible that might send some consquences to my own nation. The world or the whole multiverse is infinite than our expectations, but I intend to reach a certain point of it. If the calcutations are correct, since the rest of them were wrong...I might end up reaching a dimension or rather a different plane of reality that is impossible. I know what I'm trying to prove. It's heresy against many religions, but with the knowledge of science, I'm able to do the impossible. Now I need you to-"
BANG BANG BANG "-He's in here!"
"Damn! I want you to send this to Princess Keller Harrington, no matter who you are, if you receive this! I need you to tell her what I'm trying to do is for the right purposes of the greater good! Harrington, if you get this...I want you to know that some of the things I did for you were for a personal reason! Not out of hate, but for your sake!"

A loud rumble can be heard on the other end of the line, where suddenly there was a loud surge of white noise, as the transmission goes dead.

To be continued....for another time...