Residents celebrate after Rio de Janeiro won the 2016 Olympics. Photo: Reuters
IOC President Jacques Rogge announces the winner of the 2016 Olympics bid in Copenhagen. Photo: Reuters
Brazil has been celebrating the decision to award the 2016 Olympics to the city of Rio de Janeiro. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the victory held special meaning for his country, which will be the first in South America to stage the games. Rio beat surprise finalist Madrid in the last round of voting by the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen. In an astonishing start to the voting, Chicago, the odds-on favourite, went out in the first round, despite receiving unprecedented support from United States President Barack Obama and the first lady. It was a rebuff for Mr Obama, who had become the first sitting US president to address an IOC session. Tokyo was eliminated in the second round. Rio had played heavily on the fact that South America has never previously hosted the games, while Europe, Asia and North America have done so repeatedly.
