The Rio de Janeiro Olympics kick off on August 5 for some two weeks of competitive games drawing athletes as well as audiences from around the world. As they prepare to cover the event, Reuters photographers look back on their favourite pictures from past Olympics where they captured the action on the ground as well as the participants' tears and joy that followed. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

“Monorail Subway, Capitol To Senate. The Car. Senators Swanson And Townsend As Passengers, 1916”. (Photo by Harris & Ewing Collection). (Please click to enlarge)

Pedra da Gavea highline, 850 meters above the city, 100 meters direct exposure, March 24, 2013. Brian Mosbaugh on the line. Carefully tiptoeing almost 3000 metres above Rio de Janeiro on a thin wire got a bit too much for this adrenaline junkie – so he decided to have a LIE DOWN. Fearless Brian Mosbaugh is so used to the perilous heights he decided he deserved a short break and proceeded to kick back and relax over the famous Brazilian city. (Photo by Scott Rogers/Caters)

P.S. All pictures are presented in high resolution. To see Hi-Res images – just TWICE click on any picture. In other words, click small picture – opens the BIG picture. Click BIG picture – opens VERY BIG picture (if available; this principle works anywhere on the site AvaxNews).

Ziripot, a traditional figure stuffed with straw, is helped up during Carnival celebrations in the Navarran village of Lantz, on February 16, 2015. (Photo by Vincent West/Reuters)

Actress and model Emily Ratajkowski arrives for the 2016 CFDA Fashion Awards in Manhattan, New York, U.S., June 6, 2016. (Photo by Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

A Sotheby's employee poses with a “Return of the Jedi” promotional C-3PO Helmet 1983, estimated at £15,000-£25,000 created by George Lucas' visual effects company during a photocall at Sotheby's in London, Britain on December 6, 2019. (Photo by Thomas Mukoya/Reuters)

A woman crosses the street on a foggy morning in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, October 29, 2021. (Photo by Michael Probst/AP Photo)

English social media influencer Grace Keeling, aka GK Barry, won over jungle viewers on I'm A Celeb with her down-to-earth personality to finish in fifth place. Grace went from being a normal student to having more than 4 million followers on TikTok. (Photo by Mark Hayman)