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Tag: Rio

  • Brazil Olympics Prep Off To A Bad Start

    Brazil Olympics Prep Off To A Bad Start

    The Brazil Olympics are set to take place in Rio in 2016. While the Summer Olympics may be two years away, it’s only just enough time to make sure the city is ready to host people from all over the world. The only problem is that Brazil is hosting another huge sporting event this year and those plans are already hurting its Olympics preparations.

    CNN reports that the International Olympic Commission is none too pleased with Brazil’s preparations for the Summer 2016 Olympics. John Coates, the International Olympics Vice President, recently visited Rio to see how preparations were going. He came back unimpressed and even said that the preparations were the “worst [he’s] ever experienced.” To help move things forward, the IOC says it will be sending its own people to Rio to make sure Brazil puts on a good show in 2016.

    So, what’s the problem in Brazil? Well, the main issue that the Olympic Committee can blame is Brazil putting priority on the World Cup happening this year. After all, it makes more sense to focus on a large sporting event happening in 2014 than a sporting event set to take place in 2016. Despite that, the IOC feels that Brazil should be putting equal if not more emphasis on the upcoming Olympics.

    While it may be focused on setting up Rio for the World Cup this year, the Olympics committee in Brazil says it remains focused on delivering “excellent Games that will be delivered absolutely within the agreed timelines and budget.” It notes that this is the first time the Olympics have been in South America and it can’t afford to screw this one up. The eyes will be on Brazil and South America as a whole in 2016. It’s the continent’s chance to truly shine in the eyes of the world so the pressure is on to deliver Games that the world will admire.

    Brazil is under a lot of pressure to deliver in 2016 and the International Olympic Committee says that it will be there to help them meet its goals:

    “The Rio 2016 Olympic Games have great potential for being a very exciting event which leaves many legacies,” said IOC Coordination Commission Chair Nawal El Moutawakel. “But although progress is being made, each decision that is postponed and each subsequent delay will have a negative impact on delivery. Total focus and dedication are therefore required. The Olympic Movement stakeholders will continue to actively and constructively assist the organizers towards their short and long-term objectives.”

    The International Olympic Committee may be concerned now, but Rio will hopefully not screw this one up. If its introductory video is any indication, Rio at least knows what it’s doing:

    Image via Thinkstock

  • Michael Phelps Making An Olympic Comeback?

    After the 2012 London Olympics, and winning a total of 18 gold medals (22 medals in all) during his Olympic swimming career, Michael Phelps decided to retire at the age of 27.

    But has he changed his mind?

    Many began to wonder if Phelps would stay out of the competitive world of swimming after being vague about his future with swimming during an interview at the FINA World Championships in Barcelona last June, and even more so when he rejoined the US Anti-Doping Agency and underwent doping tests in November of last year.

    Now there is even more speculation that Phelps will be swimming in the 2016 Olympics in Rio, and it comes straight from the mouth of Phelps’ swim coach, Bob Bowman. Coach Bowman said ever since Phelps rejoined the testing pool nine months ago, he has been training and attending afternoon practices at the North Baltimore Athletic Club “four-to-five times a week.”

    Phelps is now eligible to compete since he has completed the six month waiting period required by the USADA. The probable next step for Phelps would be to compete and earn a spot on the 2015 U.S. World Championship team, which would mean racing at the 2014 U.S. Championships in Irvine, California this August.

    “If he swims a meet in the next couple months and does well, he will probably give it a shot in Irvine. But he doesn’t have to do that to have a shot at the 2016 Olympics,” said Bowman.

    So will Phelps try to compete at Worlds, or pass go, collect $200 and go straight to Rio? Only time will tell.

    If Phelps does return to the competitive waters, Bowman said he will likely focus on shorter events like the 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle.

    Fans are excited about the news that Phelps could be competitively swimming again, and breaking more records.

    One person had a feeling that Phelps couldn’t stay retired after the London Olympics in 2012.

    Image via Bob Bowman, Twitter.

  • Anne Hathaway Attacked By Playful Blue Parrot

    Anne Hathaway voiced the character Jewell in the movie Rio. Jewell was a spunky and brave blue macaw who meets up with Rio and decides to help him get home to his owner.

    Hathaway was attending a Miami Walk of Fame ceremony on Friday when a blue macaw was placed on her shoulder. The colorful bird didn’t behave as expected and instead of sitting pretty, it decided to climb onto Hathaway’s head and began picking at her scalp and hair.

    Although Hathaway seemed to be caught a little off guard by the incident, she was not harmed and was able to find the humor in it. She smiled and laughed throughout the ordeal as the bird continued to peck at her.

    The blue macaw wasn’t the only animal that had a thing for Hathaway at the event, a white anteater also wanted to get close to her. The animal approached Hathaway and even nuzzled her. Although the look on her face suggested that she was a little nervous about the encounter, Hathaway smiled and squealed with excitement as it continued to demand her attention.

    Maybe Hathaway should add animal whisperer to her list of accomplishments. Aside from her animal companions, Hathaway’s costars from the movie Rio also attended the event. Later in the evening, the cast attended the Rio 2 premiere event at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami.

    A carnival band entertained the crowd and Monae, who sings one of the songs on the movie’s soundtrack, even gave a live performance. Hathaway wore a blue and orange dress to the event and Tracy Morgan brought his fiancé and newborn daughter to join in the celebration.

    Rio 2 was released internationally on March 20 and opens in theaters in the United States on April 11.

    Did you like the first Rio film and do you plan to watch the second one?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Bruno Mars To Lend His Voice To “Rio 2”

    Bruno Mars To Lend His Voice To “Rio 2”

    Rio 2 director Carlos Saldanha has added a new voice to the mix, in the sequel of the popular animated movie Rio.

    Bruno Mars, the pop superstar who rocked the stage during this year’s Super Bowl, will be joining the cast of Rio 2 as a macaw bird named Roberto.

    Saldanha first became interested in casting Mars for a voiceover after seeing him host Saturday Night Live in October 2012. Despite having to make a few revisions to the character, Saldanha felt that Mars was a perfect fit for the role.

    “He pushed it in a way that said ‘this is the character’ and we felt we could push it,” Saldanha said.

    Not only will Mars be taking on a role in the film, he will also be contributing some songs to the soundtrack that will be released on April 11th, the same day that the film will open in theaters. Another pop star, Janelle Monáe, will be lending some songs to the soundtrack as well.

    The music in Rio 2 will be a little different from the first movie. The 12 songs on the soundtrack will be traditional folk songs rooted in Brazil.

    “It’s a different kind of music from the first one, which was mostly samba,” Saldanha said. “It’s multicultural and represents Brazil and the USA. We looked at folk dancing and folk songs of the region. Sergio and Carlos have great ears and they make sure everything is done (rhythmically) the way it’s done in Brazil.”

    While there may be a few new voices joining the cast, original cast members Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, and Jamie Foxx will be reprising their roles.

    What the official trailer for Rio 2 below:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Usain Bolt ‘The Fastest Man Alive’ Races Bus

    Twenty-seven-year-old Usain Bolt is world-renowned for being the fastest man alive. The Jamaican sprinter sought to prove the title when he raced against a number 59 commuter bus while visiting Buenos Aires to participate in the 80-meter exhibition race. The athlete has six gold medals under his belt after winning three relay races (100m, 200m and 4x100m) during the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.

    Bolt spoke about his aspirations for a win during the 2016 Rio Olympics “One of my main goals is to go to the Rio Olympics, as I was saying, to do it again. To defend my titles and it’s never been done three times so, for me, that’s me trying to set the bar as high as possible. To just push the barrier.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_0cBiFGhk0

    Usain Bolt later won the 120-meter race against fellow Jamaican sprinters Mario Forsythe, Kimmari Roach, and Daniel Bailey. After defeating a bus, winning the 120-meter race should not come as a shock; however, only Bolt knows which race was the hardest to win.

    Bolt won the IAF Male Athlete of the Year Award in November of this year and had this to say, “This season will be the one to go for the (200m) World record. I want to get ready to attack the World record.” Previously, Bolt won World Athlete of the Year for the following years: 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012.

    [Image Via Wikimedia Commons and Courtesy of Steven Zwerink]

  • Michael Phelps: Getting Ready For Rio?

    On Thursday, the sporting world was awash with the news that Michael Phelps rejoined the US Anti-Doping Agency where he underwent doping tests, the strongest indication that he is returning for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Phelps underwent the drug testing twice between July 1 and September 30 of this year. His Coach Bob Bowman has actually confirmed that Phelps rejoined the testing pool late in the second quarter, meaning that the American champion would be eligible to compete again as early as March 2014. Last month, Bowman wrote to the Associated Press where he said, “He is occasionally training with the group to get back in shape.”

    However, the coach still remains non-committal on the subject by repeatedly saying that Phelps’ return to training is only for fitness purposes “to get in shape.” When asked to respond to the speculations, Phelps said, “Nothing is set in stone. If I decide to keep going and swim again, then I’ll compete…If I don’t, I guess I’ll re-retire. Just don’t compare me to Brett Favre [who made several comebacks].”

    FINA, the world governing body for swimming, requires one to be tested for at least 9 months before taking part in competitive swimming activities. This also gives him plenty of time to prepare for the 2015 world championships in Russia where top swimmers are expected to take part as a stepping stone to the 2016  Rio games.

    This is not the first time that Michael has been dropping subtle hints about a comeback, yet it has only been about a year since he retired from the sport.  The 28-year-old American retired from the competition after winning his 18th Olympic gold medal during the London 2012.  And now Phelps has returned to training under his coach Bowman at North Baltimore. Phelps holds an impressive collection of 58 gold medals, 11 silver gold medals and 3 bronze medals in his swimming career so far.

    This speculation has led many to compare Phelps to Brett Favre because Phelps had earlier announced that his goal was to retire before he turned 30. Last December, the retired swimmer had said that “there is no point in coming back” having done everything he wanted to do.

    (image via YouTube)

  • Pope’s Car Makes Wrong Turn, Hits Mob

    Pope’s Car Makes Wrong Turn, Hits Mob

    The LA Times reports that Pope Francis’ car took a wring turn yesterday and ended up smack in the middle of a mob of people.

    Pope Francis has been in Brazil for several days, celebrating World Youth Day and visiting different areas. He was headed to a stop in Rio de Janeiro, along an established and secure motorcade route, when his driver made a wrong turn. Pope Francis, with his secretary riding shotgun, found themselves surrounded by thousands of fans, and the vehicle was unable to move.

    Reports say that his secretary was quite shaken up by the whole ordeal. But the pope himself rolled his window down and shook hands and kissed babies.

    Vatican spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the pope never feared for his safety.”His secretary was afraid, but the pope was happy, with his hand out the window waving,” Lombardi said.

    “There are no concerns for security. The concerns are that the enthusiasm is so great that it’s difficult to respond to so much enthusiasm for the pope. But there is no fear and no concern,” Lombardi told reporters.

    But CNN had reported that there was an explosive device found in another area where the pope was to travel.

    Security was non-existent for this particular scare. No uniformed policemen were around. The pope was in his ever-popular Fiat, not the bulletproof “popemobile” that has been sued ever since Pope John Paul II was shot. The Vatican acknowledged that there were lessons to be learned from how the whole incident happened and was handled. But they insist that the pope was never in any real danger.

    There are anti-government protests coinciding with the Pope’s visit.

  • Goldie Hawn Tweets About Birth Of Granddaughter

    This goes to show that social media is not just for the younger generation! The 67-year-old, Goldie Hawn, “tweeted” about the birth of her fifth grandchild, and first granddaughter.

    The Hollywood actress has three children, Wyatt Russell from her present long-term relationship to Kurt Russell, and Oliver and Kate Hudson from her previous marriage to Bill Hudson.

    Hawn must have learned her “tweeting” skills from Oliver. The proud father “tweets” photos of his boys camping in their backyard.

    Baby Rio makes the third child born to the “Rules of Engagement” star, Oliver Hudson, and his wife, Erin Bartlett, who were married in June, 2006. Wilder Brooks Hudson was born on August 23, 2007, and Bodhi Hawn Hudson on March 19, 2010, to the couple. The “Raising Helen” star, Kate Hudson, also has two children, 9-year-old Ryder Russell Robinson and 2-year-old Bingham ‘Bing’ Hawn Bellamy.

    Hawn is best known for her roles in “The First Wives Club”, “Death Becomes Her”, “Overboard”, and “Private Benjamin”. Her most recent roles were in “Town & Country in 2001, and “Banger Sisters” in 2002.

    Hawn’s spends the majority of her time now working on The Hawn Project, which she developed 10 years ago to help children’s overall well-being and mental health. “Keep your heart open and your MindUP™ for children!” said Hawn.

    Assembling a team of educators, neuroscientists, positive psychologists and experts in mindful awareness training, the academy award winning actress, producer, author, child advocate and philanthropist created the evidence-based MindUP™ as a social and emotional literacy curriculum and training program. For 10 years, it has grown as the signature initiative of The Hawn Foundation and currently serves children and schools across five continents.
    -thehawnfoundation.org

  • Angry Birds Rio: Exclusive For Android Devices & Amazon Appstore

    The next installment of Rovio’s uber-popular Angry Birds saga, Angry Birds Rio, will be an Android exclusive release, but you won’t be able to get it from the Android Market. If you’re left scratching your head about how you can get the game, don’t fret, as it will be available via Amazon’s Appstore for Android… exclusively.

    Do you think more apps will release exclusively with Amzaon? Tell us your thoughts.

    @amazonappstore
    Amazon Appstore    We’re all atwitter over #AngryBirdsRio for Android, launching exclusively in the @AmazonAppstore. http://amzn.to/gh0vMz 4 hours ago via Amazon Publisher · powered by @socialditto

    Aaron Rubenson, category leader for Amazon Appstore said…

    “Amazon is thrilled to work with a leading developer like Rovio in offering our customers Angry Birds Rio for Android exclusively in the Amazon Appstore… We think Angry Birds Rio is sure to be an instant customer favorite.”

    Angry Birds Rio, developed in conjunction with Twentieth Century Fox, sees the original cast of characters kidnapped and taken to the magical world of Rio, where they eventually escape their captors and begin the quest of saving their friends.

    “The Amazon Appstore will be a great new way for consumers to download all their favorite Android apps, and we’re excited to offer Angry Birds Rio as one of the first pieces of content to be made available to consumers through this new store”, said Peter Levinsohn, president of new media and digital distribution for Twentieth Century Fox .

    Angry Birds Rio will be available for download at http://amazon.com/angrybirds.