Rise of the wonder women
More female athletes than ever are displaying their power, grace and skill on the world's greatest sporting stage
At the opening ceremony of the Paris Games, a female knight in gleaming silver armor, draped in the Olympic flag, made a grand entrance on a white horse. Riding across the Seine River with the flags of competing nations fluttering behind her, she was strength and elegance incarnate.
Her courageous and graceful demeanor was merely a precursor to the resilience, glory and embodiment of the Olympic spirit displayed by a pantheon of female athletes who have dazzled the world in the past 10 days. However, it's not just their outstanding performances and skills that have captured spectators' attention, but also their elegant makeup, intricately styled hair, and even artistically painted nails — juxtaposing not only the unique power, but also the delicate beauty of women athletes.