Brazil celebrates Rio's choice as 2016 Olympic Games city

It’s party time in Rio de Janiero as the Brazilian city celebrates its selection, against the odds, as the venue for the 2016 Olypmpic Games, the first to be held in South America.

The 115 members of the International Olympic Committee made the decision in Copenhagen from three other contenders – Chicago, Tokyo and Madrid. The US city was the bookies’ favourite but was eliminated in the first round, followed by Tokyo and finally Madrid.

The choice of Brazil is fitting as that country is finally delivering on its long-promised potential as the world’s next emerging super power – after China and India.

It is now among the top 10 world economies and on of its key arguments was that South America’s 160 million people under 18 provided a new fan base for the Olympics that would prevent it being seen as only a European or North American event (some parts of Asia excepted).

New Zealand’s Buenos Aires-based South American trade commissioner, José Prunello told the Go Global conference in Auckland this week that Brazil would expand faster than most world economies next year.

He said it was expected to have GDP growth of 4.5%, was barely scathed by the world recession and was “a perfect match” for New Zealand as the continent became the “next major food basket of the world.”

Mr Prunello described Brazil’s President Lula, as he is popularly known, as a charismatic leader. This obviously worked to his country’s advantage before the IOC members.

Helping Brazil’s case was its hosting of the 2014 soccer World Cup and a government budget of $US14 billion, far more than any other bidding city. Most of it will be spent on improving Rio’s infrastructure, including high-speed trains. -source

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It will really be a carnival party for Rio de Janeiro! It really helped that they are hosing the World Cup too. Thiss is going to be a big boost for their economy! Onwards to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.