The politics didn't stop there: The world-famous Manguiera school, who eschewed nudity for resplendent costumes, performed a tribute to the Sao Francisco River, the subject of an intense irrigation dispute.

NPR: Carnival in Rio: A Party Like No Other

On a day when countless eighth graders across the country saw their orthodontists and fretted over potential dates for the middle school graduation dance, Guan calmly played in the world's most famous golf tournament in a threesome that included Ben Crenshaw, the 61-year-old former Masters champion who is old enough to be Guan's grandfather.

WSJ: Guan Tianlang: A Schoolboy Steals Day One of the Masters