COPENHAGEN - Rio de Janeiro has been chosen as the host city for the 2016 Olympic Games after an International Olympic Committee vote in Copenhagen.

The Brazilian city beat Madrid for the right to host the Summer Games after Chicago and Tokyo were eliminated in earlier rounds.

Carlos Osorio, general secretary of the Rio bid, said: "Overwhelming, spectacular, unbelievable.”

In an astonishing start to the voting, Chicago, the odds-on favourite, went out in the first round, despite receiving unprecedented support from United States President Barack Obama and the first lady.

It was a rebuff for Obama, who had become the first sitting US president to address an IOC session.

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