The International Olympic Committee announced Rio de Janeiro today as the host city for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Rio de Janeiro beat out Chicago, Tokyo and Madrid through secret balloting of the 106-member IOC body at Copenhagen, Denmark. With the win, Rio de Janeiro will become the first city in South America to host the Olympics.

Chicago, eliminated in the first of three rounds of voting, earned the United States Bid City title for the 2016 Olympic Games on April 14, 2007. Along with the other finalists, Chicago was chosen as one of the four candidate cities by the IOC Executive Board at SportAccord in Athens on June 4, 2008.

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama headlined a star-studded delegation that traveled to Copenhagen to lobby on behalf of Chicago. The delegation included two-time Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist and AVP legend Kerri Walsh, men’s indoor gold and bronze medalist Bob Ctvrtlik, and Paralympian Paul Moran.

Despite Chicago’s defeat, the U.S. Olympic Committee complimented Chicago 2016 and the City of Chicago while also congratulating Rio de Janeiro for its winning bid.

“On behalf of the U.S. Olympic Committee, I’d like to offer my congratulations to Rio de Janeiro host city for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Stephanie Streeter, acting CEO of the USOC. “Rio de Janeiro and the people of Brazil will surely stage a spectacular Games.

“We thank Mayor Daley, the City of Chicago, [Chicago 2016 chairman] Pat Ryan and Chicago 2016 for their tireless efforts, along with those of thousands of athlete ambassadors, National Governing Body employees and members, corporate backers, private donors, and Multi-Sport Organizations. We are also extremely grateful to President Obama and his administration for their unprecedented support of the bid and the Olympic Movement.”

The Chicago bid consisted of three main components: using the Olympic movement to unite all humanity, a concept to deliver the Games within a tightly confined area of its lakefront parklands for ease of movement for the athletes and fans, and creating a legacy that will inspire young people to reach for better life through Olympic and Paralympic sport.

More than 300,000 Chicago youth have begun to realize the benefits of the Olympic Movement through World Sport Chicago, the bid’s legacy organization, and other activities and educational programs directly resulting from the bid, the Chicago 2016 Candidate City Committee said.

Prior to the balloting, each candidate city made a 45-minute final presentation to the IOC members today. Afterward, the IOC secret vote eliminated the bid city with the fewest votes each round.

Chicago was eliminated in the first round after receiving 18 of 94 votes. Tokyo was eliminated in the second round before Rio de Janeiro prevailed over Madrid by a 66-32 final vote.

Voting by Round:  

Round 1: Rio de Janeiro 28, Madrid 26, Tokyo 22, Chicago 18

Round 2: Rio de Janeiro 46, Madrid 29, Tokyo 20

Round 3: Rio de Janeiro 66, Madrid 32