Olympics set to samba as Rio wins

RIO DE JANEIRO claimed a stunning victory in the race to host the 2016 Olympics as favourites Chicago slumped to a crushing defeat.

Brazil will become the first South American country to host the Games, following an historic vote by the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen last night.

The announcement that Rio will host the summer Games – just two years after Brazil host the 2014 football World Cup – led to wild celebrations among the 50,000 people at a party on Copacabana beach.