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Rio de Janeiro to host 2016 Olympic Games

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-10-03 01:05

COPENHAGEN: Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Olympics after winning a landslide victory over Madrid in the final round of voting among International Olympic Committee members on Friday.

Brazilian President, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, reacts during a news conference after Rio de Janeiro was chosen to host the 2016 Olympic Games at the 121st International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Copenhagen October 2, 2009. [Agencies]

Carlos Osorio, general secretary of the Brazilian bid, told Reuters: "Overwhelming, spectacular, unbelievable."

The Brazilian delegation broke into singing their "Marvellous City" song, all waving flags and hugging each other.

The announcement, which was delayed by several nervous seconds as IOC president Jacques Rogge struggled to open the envelope, left Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and much of the rest of the Brazil bid team in tears of joy. "Like in every competition there can only be one winner," Rogge said.

"Tonight I have the honour to announce that the Games of the 31st Olympiad are awarded to the city of Rio de Janeiro," Rogge said.

In the final round of voting, Rio polled 66 votes to 32 for Madrid.

Carlos Nuzman, Rio bid leader, hugged President Lula, both in tears and said: "We did it, we did it."

Former tennis champion Gustavo Kuerten, a bid ambassador, said: "This is an amazing result. We are going to be working from tomorrow to make it happen. Brazil will do the best it can from this great opportunity."

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero told Reuters: "Rio was a great candidate. We put up a great fight."

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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.

Obama had become the first sitting U.S. president to address an IOC session.

Tokyo followed them out in the second round, leaving Madrid and Rio to slug it out in the final round.

Rio will be the first South American city to host the Games.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge announces Rio de Janiero as the winning city bid for the 2016 Olympic Games during the 121st IOC session in Copenhagen October 2, 2009. [Agencies]

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