The 31st Olympic Games officially begin in Rio, midnight BST on Friday with the opening ceremony at the Maracana Stadium.
Athletes from 207 nations are ready to compete in 31 sports.
However beyond the sports, Rio Olympics has been dominated by a Russian doping scandal, the Zika virus and issues with the city’s security, infrastructure and venues.
There will be 10,500 athletes from a record 207 nations competing in Rio, including the Refugee Olympic Team, while it will be the first time Kosovo and South Sudan have taken part in the Games. Competitions will take place across 32 venues in Rio, with football matches also scheduled for the cities of Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Manaus, Salvador and Sao Paulo.
The final rites of veteran broadcaster, writer, and lyricist Nirmala de Alwis will be held today at Peradeniya.
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