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U.S. women’s basketball team visits Christ the Redeemer statue

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Members of the United States basketball women team visit the Christ the Redeemer statue during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

RIO DE JANEIRO >> A visit to Rio wouldn’t be complete without a trip to see the famous Christ the Redeemer statue.

The U.S. women’s basketball team visited one of the new seven Wonders of the World after practice Thursday. They were in awe of the breathtaking views offered from the top of Mount Corcovado. The men’s basketball team had gone to see the statue a few days earlier.

“Going up there I had no idea it was going to be that huge in person,” Elena Delle Donne told The Associated Press while sitting and waiting for the tram back down to the bottom of the mountain. “I had a lot of fun getting different photos up there, pretty amazing to see. If you google a picture imagine that but 50 times bigger, maybe a 100 times bigger. It was just beautiful and not only just the statue but everything around it and being able to see all of the views of Rio is just awesome.”

While taking their own photos, the players also posed for pictures with other visitors to the statue. They even photobombed a few unsuspecting tourists, who smiled at the added attraction of one of the best women’s basketball players in the world jumping into their picture.

Diana Taurasi didn’t just photobomb people, however, she also made a few new friends with a bunch of Argentinians who were near the statue. She chatted them up and then took photos with them.

This wasn’t the first time that a U.S. women’s basketball Olympic team has visited one of the world’s most famous sites. Tamika Catchings was on the 2008 squad that went to the Great Wall in China.

“It’s amazing. Thinking about all the places basketball can take you and all the things you can see,” Catchings said. “Being able to experience it with people you care about and love. Coming out here today after practice, you’re like you’re tired, but coming here you get rejuvenated. Down there it doesn’t look as cool as it does up here.”

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