Rio beats Madrid to win 2016 Olympic Games

By James Toney and Gerard Meagher, Sportsbeat, Copenhagen

RIO De Janeiro has won the race the stage the 2016 Olympic Games - beating Madrid in the final vote in Copenhagen.

CELEBRATION: Joy of football legend Pele as Rio secure the right to stage the 2016 Olympic Games in Copenhagen

Members of the International Olympic Committee clearly heeded a passionate plea by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva - who claimed it was time the Games were finally awarded to South America.

The decision sparked wild and joyous scenes, with football legend Pele celebrating alongside three-times French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten, while tearful bid leader, Carlos Nuzman, hugged President Lula in triumph.

The news was greeted with equal glee as thousands watched on big screens in Rio - 100,000 people crammed on Copacabana beach while City officials even declared Friday an optional public holiday, so more people could participate in the festivities.

Rio were inwardly jubilant after frontrunners Chicago were eliminated in the first round of voting - perhaps the biggest shock in the history of IOC elections pitted with improbable results.

It established them as the new favourites, and their case to bring the Games to a new continent clearly resonated.

Figures later released by the IOC revealed that Rio totally dominated the voting – polling 66 votes to Madrid’s 32 with one abstention.

Perhaps IOC officials had been listening to Barack Obama's call for change - and just interpreted it differently.