CCTV9英语新闻：Famous Maracana stadium the focal point for Olympic Games

What do we know about the main venues being used for the summer Olympics? The famous Maracana will be acting as the city's Olympic stadium.

 

Having opened in 1950 an estimated 200,000 people crammed in to watch Brazil lose 2-1 to Uruguay in the world cup final. Still the highest attendance at a football match to this date.

 

Since then it has gone through a series of renovations most notably in 1992 when part of one of the upper stands collapsed killing 50 people.

 

Because of this the stadiums capacity was reduced to 87,000 with the biggest addition being a new roof which can cover 95% of the entire stadium.

 

All the seat were re-painted yellow and blue in the build up to the 2014 world cup to represent Brazil's national colours, however the Samba boys didn't play a single game of the tournament there.

 

The Maracana will be host to all the major track and field events and of course the football gold medal match which is still something that has eluded the men's national team.

 

Other notable spots include, the Sambadrome which will be home to the archery events and also a section of the Marathon, but aside from the Olympics it's main purpose is the Rio carnival where year Samba dancers from around the world show off their moves in a celebration of Brazilian culture and the strip is expected to be packed for the summer with 18,000 seats being put in specially for the games.

 

Making a return to the Olympics for the first time since 1904 is Golf after it's rapid growth caught the eye of the IOC.

 

The Reserva De Marapendi course will play host to some of the games finest, including Justin Rose and Jordan Speith who have both secured a place on the U.S. team.

 

The organising committee have stated that after the games the course will become a public facility in a bid to increase the sports popularity in what they say will be one of the biggest sporting legacies for sport development in the country.

 

All of this gets underway after August 5th when the torch at the Maracana will be lit after flying in from the handover ceremony at the marble Panathinaic stadium in Greece.