2016 Olympic Announcement: Rio de Janeiro to Host Summer Games
Rio de Janeiro has been chosen as the host city of the 2016 Summer Olympics, beating Madrid in the final round of voting.
Rio’s bid will mark the first time the Olympics will take place in South America.
Copacabana was immediately filled with glitter, Brazilian flags and “absolute euphoria” upon the announcement.
Rio had pushed hard for a long time to receive the Olympic bid, with Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urging the Olympic Committee to give South America its first ever shot at the international games.
“It is a time to address this imbalance,” Silva said. “It is time to light the Olympic cauldron in a tropical country.”
The Olympic Committee apparently believed Silva’s pleas to be strong enough, and awarded Rio the chance to showcase itself on an international stage.
