Michelle Obama glitters in gold on eve of Olympic vote

By James Toney, Sportsbeat, in Copenhagen

AMERICAN First Lady Michelle Obama glittered in gold but Chicago is not an Olympic winner yet.

GOLDEN GIRL: After a hard day of campaigning for Chicago, Michelle Obama, dressed in all gold, enjoyed a night at the ballet on the eve of the 2016 Olympic vote

It was all smiles in Copenhagen's Royal Opera House as delegates of rival 2016 bids attended the opening ceremony for the 121st IOC Session and Olympic Congress.

The Brazilian President hugged Pele and back-slapped the King of Spain while ballet lover Mrs Obama enjoyed a night of song and dance alongside chief Chicago cheerleader Oprah Winfrey.

But after a frantic day of lobbying, Chicago - while still the frontrunner - has seen an already tight race contract even further.

Rio and Madrid are making positive noises about their support, although Tokyo, whose campaign has redefined understated, do appear to lack crucial momentum.

The bell boys in the lifts at the Copenhagen Marriot, the IOC's official hotel, were working overtime as members were courted by bid teams in a whirl of last-minute campaigning.

SHARING A JOKE: Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, lead delegates for Chicago 2016, at the IOC Session and Congress opening ceremony in Copenhagen (Getty Images/Pool)

Not a single minute was wasted as Mrs Obama held meetings in her two-room suite, while Rio officials commandeered any available space for private, and sometimes not so private, conversations.

While bid leaders enjoyed a night at the theatre, their campaign teams were putting the finishing touches to their 70-minute presentations on which much could swing tomorrow.

There was a time when such presentations were predictably dull affairs - a tourist board video followed by equally dull speeches in which the words ‘youth of the world' figured prominently, even though they were almost always delivered by a middle-aged white man.

London's dynamic presentation in Singapore four years ago changed all that and lifted a bar this year's candidates will need to clear to be competitive.

And with the race so close, the quality of presentations could be decisive.

Chicago has drawn the short straw and will open up, followed by Tokyo, Rio and Madrid while the result will be known by 6.30pm UK time tomorrow evening.

"This is a very, very close race between four outstanding bids," said British IOC member Sir Craig Reedie, who is campaigning himself in Copenhagen as he runs for a place on the all-powerful Executive Board next week.

"Because the bids are so good and because it is so close the last few hours are going to be even more exciting than usual."