The 2016 Olympics are going to Rio de Janeiro, putting the coveted games in South America for the first time in history.
It was a surprise victory for the nation, who beat out finalist Madrid in the final round of voting.
In one of the most shocking defeats ever handed down by the International Olympic Committee, Chicago was eliminated in the first round — Tokyo was knocked out in the second. Rio played heavily on the fact that South America has never before hosted the games during its campaign. Now, only Africa and Antarctica remain as continents that have not been awarded an Olympics.
Nearly 50,000 on Rio’s famed Copacabana Beach cheered when Rio de Janeiro was announced as the host city.read more
