Rio to Host 2016 Olympic Games

![Brazil won the Olympics 2016 bid, thereby bringing the Games to South America for the first time. AP](/content/images/Rio_AP.jpg "Rio 2016")

Brazil won the Olympics 2016 bid, thereby bringing the Games to South America for the first time. AP

Toting the slogan “Live Your Passion,” Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was selected as the host city of the 2016 Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee voted for Rio on October 2nd.

Despite the common prediction that Chicago and Rio would be the final contenders, Chicago was eliminated in the first round of voting. The voting procedure eliminates the nominee receiving the lowest number of votes in each round until one city prevails. Madrid and Tokyo rounded out the four-nation ballot. The selection of Rio brings the games to South America for the first time in the history of the Olympics.

The Rio 2016 website boasts that “Rio is Ready.” A strong and improving economy, world-class venues, ongoing renovations, and Brazil’s commitment to sport make Rio a well-prepared location for the Games.

Additionally, the 2016 Olympics will debut new additions to the roster of sports. Rugby and golf have been added to the list of sports to appear in Rio and the city maintains that it is prepared to accommodate the new sports with excellent facilities.

With the athletic events centered around four main areas of the city, visitors will be able to see a great deal of what Rio de Janeiro has to offer. These four clusters include the Copacabana beaches, the famous Maracana stadium, the lush Deodoro forests, and the Barra area. According to plans, each site will be transformed to offer the most modern and unforgettable experience. Rio will serve as an impressive city with world class accommodations for these games.

Rio stands out for its natural beauty—beaches, mountains, and a lush green landscape create a beautiful background for the competitions. Beauty paired with many tourist opportunities, such as the “Christ the Redeemer” statue and Sugar Loaf Mountain, means that Rio 2016 should be exciting for the visitors and athletes.

The city should also provide an ideal environment for athletes as the tropical winter conditions of minimal wind, limited rain, warm days and cool nights will be valuable for peak performance. Importantly, the climate will also keep spectators comfortable.

To connect to spectators outside of Rio, the city is developing the “Our Olympics Live” initiative to improve the Olympic experience for both athletes and fans. “Our Olympics Live” will use technology and satellite sites to bring the games closer to the world. Rio hopes that it will bring a sense of connectedness to the fans worldwide.

Excitement has definitely been generated for bringing the Games of the 30th Olympiad to a new continent. The plans that have been set should allow for both competitors and spectators to “Live [their] Passion!”