Rio's Olympic Bid Picks Up Steam

Rio, Madrid, or Tokyo could leave Obamas empty-handed this week

(NEWSER) - Barack and Michelle Obama arrive in Denmark tomorrow, hoping to win the 2016 Olympics for their hometown. The Windy City has an impressive bid, proposing events in the city's parks and a lakefront Olympic Village. But three other cities are lobbying hard, and any could get the Games come Friday.

• Madrid: Spain has valuable experience from the Barcelona Games, and events would take place in Real Madrid's famous soccer stadium. But after London 2012, another European city is a tough sell. And Madrid's 100-degree summers don't help.

Tokyo deemed insufficiently excited, while Madrid could be logistical nightmare

(NEWSER) - The International Olympic Committee appears to be bullish on Rio for the 2016 Summer Games, though Chicago, Tokyo, and Madrid remain in the hunt, CNN reports. In an evaluation of the cities released today to members, Rio’s presentation is deemed to be of the “very highest quality.” Chicago’s bid also received high marks, with the evaluation team calling the city’s $4.8 billion proposal “ambitious but achievable,” the Sun-Times reports. The final decision comes Oct. 2. More»

President-elect appears via video before selection committee, his first such push

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama made a surprise appearance today in a video address to the International Olympic Committee, pushing Chicago’s bid to host the 2016 Summer Games, the Tribune reports. The video, shepherded to Istanbul by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, showed Obama talking about his belief “in the Olympic movement,” and how he has “long supported hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in my home city.” More»

Madrid, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro also in the mix for Summer Games

(NEWSER) - Chicago is still in the mix to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, the Sun-Times reports, as the International Olympic Committee today winnowed the field of candidates to four. Vying against the Windy City are Madrid, Tokyo, and Rio de Janeiro. More»

(AP) - The 2016 Olympics are going to Rio de Janeiro, putting the games in South America for the first time. Rio beat surprise finalist Madrid in the last round of voting today in Copenhagen. Chicago was knocked out in the first round, Tokyo in the second. Rio had played heavily on the fact that South America has never previously hosted the games, while Europe, Asia and North America have done so repeatedly. More»