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Geral

Aug 05, 2016 11:55 AM

Today is the day. Rio reaches the opening day as the recipient of a series of robust investments

Airports, the mobility system, sports infrastructure, and a revamped port area reflect the transformation Rio has undergone following its successful application in 2009 to host the Games

5 August 2016 would be just an ordinary date in Rio's calendar if it were not for an announcement made on 2 October 2009. As Belgian Jacques Rogge – then president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – pronounced "Rio de Janeiro" with his foreign accent, he ushered in a challenging future. Being simply a beautiful destination would not be enough.

To fill the void of Olympics that had never been held in South America, Rio would have to reinvent itself. The title "Olympic City" conveyed some things that athletes are all used to: hard work, resolve, rising to challenges. Four major areas of competition were designated (Barra da Tijuca, Maracanã, Copacabana, and Deodoro), but the challenge involved the entire city.

 

You cannot summarize seven years in just a few lines. But all the achievements throughout this period speak for themselves. Visitors encounter a renovated International Airport upon arriving in Rio de Janeiro. The Galeão Airport now has 58 boarding bridges – the largest number in South America. Apron and check-in counters have been expanded, a new services mall now provides more dining, amenities and entertainment options. The airport's capacity increased from 17 million to 30 million passengers a year.

Santos Dumont airport has also been expanded, but maybe the most striking thing about it is not the airport itself, but the way you leave it. Right in front of the terminal is the Light Rail Vehicle (LRV) station. It dates back to the era of cable cars, but with all the technology and accessibility features that you would expect in the 21st century. The LRV network spans a total of 28 kilometres (17 miles) and 31 stops. It became operational in May and is being expanded gradually. It's handy if you want to see the attraction in Rio's city centre and port area.

Transformation

And getting to know the city centre and port are is not an invitation only to those who have never been to Rio. A 5,000 meter elevated area was brought down to give way to a revamped area covering 5 million square meters, which is now being used for entertainment and cultural activities once again. A new promenade along the beachfront that spans over 3km, two museums – Rio's Art Museum and the Museum of Tomorrow – and renovated squares are some tangible examples of the so-called Porto Maravilha (wonder port). Two thoroughfares (Binário do Porto and Expressa) and four new tunnels help organise and smooth out traffic in the area, which is the potential "epicentre" of the Olympics: this is where the Olympic Boulevard is located, with three stages for concerts, large screens, the Olympic Flame and various attractions to those wishing to follow the competitions outside the arenas.

Mobility

Mobility-related interventions were also triggered in elsewhere in the city. The BRT system in place with Transoeste and TransCarioca routes now has the Transolímpica route. This name is no coincidence: the new route connects the two primary areas of competition – Barra and Deodoro. The Transolímpica route will carry 70,000 passengers per day and reduce travel time by 60%. Spanning 25 kilometres (15 miles) and 21 stations, the new corridor will connect with the TransCarioca route in Curicica, and with the Transoeste route in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, and also provides integration with SuperVia trains. In the future, it will connect with the Transbrasil route in Deodoro.

Six train stations have been revamped for improved accessibility. The metro system doubled in length thanks to the new Line 4. In six years of construction works, another 16 kilometres (10 miles) were added to the Rio Metro as a result of the new line connecting Ipanema, in the south side, to Barra da Tijuca. Line 4 will be open to the public during the Olympic Games and will operate normally from September 19.

In six years of construction works, another 16 kilometres (10 miles) were added to the Rio Metro as a result of the new line connecting Ipanema, in the south side, to Barra da Tijuca. Line 4 will be open to the public during the Olympic Games and will operate normally from September 19.

The environment

When it came to the Olympic City, one of the hottest topics over the last few years was cleaning the Guanabara Bay. The clean-up rate jumped from 17% to 50%, but the goal was 80%. This challenge remains. The primary focus has been on the removal of floating waste, which is carried out by 12 green boats and 17 green barriers. According IOC President Thomas Bach, the water in Guanabara Bay's competition area complies with the acceptable levels set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The heart of the Games

Competitions will be taking place all over the city, but the location of the heart of the Games is quite clear: the Olympic Park in Barra da Tijuca. It will be hosting 16 sports, houses new arenas – both temporary and permanent – and the leading broadcast studios in an area covering 1.18 million square meters.

A public-private partnership involving the local government and the Rio Mais concessionaire is responsible for the construction and maintenance (for 15 years) of the park's infrastructure, the Carioca Arenas 1, 2, and 3, the Main Press Centre (MPC), the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) and the Media Hotel. For the Aquatic Stadium, the Tennis Centre, the Velodrome and the Futuro Arena, the federal government provided the funding and the local government was responsible for the construction works.

Of the nine facilities that make up the Olympic Park in Barra da Tijuca, seven will be continue to operate post-2016 – the Carioca Arenas 1, 2 and 3, the Maria Lenk Aquatic Park (which existed before and was renovated), the Rio Arena (which also existed before and it refurbished), the Velodrome, and the Tennis Centre. The Futuro Arena will have its structure disassembled for the construction of four public schools after the Games, and the Olympic Water Sports Stadium will house three public swimming pools.

Other areas of competition

The Deodoro Sports Complex is also major area of competitions. It will be the stage of eleven sports, hosted the 2007 Pan American Games and the World Military Games in 2011, and 60% of its permanent competition areas were already in place. The modernisation works were coordinated by the City of Rio and relied on federal funds.  The Shooting, Equestrian, Pentathlon, and Field Hockey Centres were all renovated, and the new facilities are the Arena da Juventude, the Canoeing Slalom Circuit, the Mountain Bike course, the Deodoro Stadium, and the BMX track.

The third area is called "Maracanã", but it spans the Sambadrome and Engenhão, in addition to Maracanãzinho. Often hailed as the iconic sport of the Games, the Olympic Stadium had its athletics track renovated, had its lighting system enhanced in the areas of field competitions, and also has improved accessibility. Engenhão's capacity was expanded to 60,000 seats, with 15,000 temporary seats. The streets around the stadium were reclassified and the Praça do Trem square across from the stadium is the newest entertainment area in the region. An Olympic Museum was built in a shed next to the square as an invitation to travel through the history of the Games.

In the fourth area – Copacabana –, people can have free admission to various competitions, such as triathlon, marathon swimming and rowing and canoeing in the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. The iconic Copacabana beach, a huge temporary arena was put up to stage beach volleyball, a sport where Brazilian fans can make the most difference.

Security and Defence

How many policy areas are associated with the Rio 2016 Games? Health, Tourism, Culture, Aviation, Energy, Communications... in such a mega event, you will be hard pressed to find an area bearing no direct or indirect relationship with the Games. However, the global scale of the Olympic Games, with representatives from 206 countries and an unprecedented team of refugees, makes the concern with security and defence all the more important, especially given the resurgence of terrorist acts.

A team of more than 85,000 professionals – from the Armed and Public Security Forces – has been deployed in the Olympic City and in the other five football host-cities (Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, São Paulo, Salvador, and Manaus)
Global Intelligence has joined forces and police cooperation has been enhanced. A team of more than 85,000 professionals – including the Armed and Public Security Forces – has been deployed in the Olympic City and in the other five football host-cities (Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, São Paulo, Salvador, and Manaus), with an experience gained in a cycle of major events that began with the 2007 Pan American Games. They believe that the achievements in 2016 are the culmination of years of work, as well as the dream come true of more than 10,000 athletes who will be putting on a thrilling performance for Brazilians and citizens around the world alike.

The 465 Brazilian athletes – who are part of a record delegation – have witnessed the Olympic cycle with largest funding in the history of Brazil. Multidisciplinary teams, competitions around the world, the Podium Grant, public sponsorships, new training venues, and more equipment capabilities across the Country. You cannot create a powerhouse overnight, but a partnership between the federal government and the Brazilian Olympic Committee was established for the athletes to prepare at a different level and came to 2016 with the best possible performance, fighting for the goal of featuring among the top ten in the medal table.

Tolerance, peace and a sense of creativity

Football was the opening competition on Wednesday (03/08), but the initial hallmark of the Games, the moment to be everyone's memory forever, is the opening ceremony. From 8 p.m. on Friday (05/08), billions of eyes will turn to the Maracanã. A tight budget for the party further spurred creativity. The sheer diversity of Brazilian people and culture is a key part of the show, but the message will have global appeal: peace, tolerance, care for the planet. These are notions that are consistent with the greatest sporting competition in the world. Here, the Olympic Games acquire a local spice, a good deal of Brazilianness and great potential to awe the four corners of the planet. Let the Games begin.

brasil2016.gov.br