From London 2012 to Rio 2016

As London comes to a close, everyone is wondering if Rio will be ready to host the Summer Olympic Games in 2016. London will definitely be a hard act to follow, the transportation to the volunteers made the London Games one of the most remembered Games in Olympic history. With the closing ceremony came the passing of the torch to Rio and spectators all around the world were given a glimpse of what to expect. Samba dancers, models, iconic music artists from Brazil, and even Pele joined in on the festivities during the closing ceremony, and the show seemed like a big party on the beach. Rio is already known for its famous carnival, which is actually known as the “greatest show on earth”, however, Rio hopes to fill huge gaps in its infrastructure.

Rio was host to the Pan-American games in 2007, however, there were many problems with traffic jams and venues have been deserted since the Pan-Am Games. Many Rio 2016 Olympic Committee members have been pushed out or have left, which leaves many to wonder how much politics is in play. The IOC knew it was taking a risk when choosing Rio, however, one of our speakers, Dick Pound (an IOC member), said they were willing to choose a South American city because they know it will help revitalize the city and economy. It will be interesting to see what legacies will be left behind in Rio, this was always a hot discussion around London because it was truly a success with the revitalization of East London. The clock is definitely ticking for Rio, but I think they will succeed because of their observations from the London model and also because of their rich culture.

-TBB

Posted by olympian on August 14, 2012 | Filed under: Olympics.