City Room™ - Metro - Chicago Brazilians Celebrate Rio's Victory

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Chicago Brazilians Celebrate Rio's Victory
Produced by Michael Puente on Friday, October 02, 2009

Members of Brizilian Mothers of Illinois celebrate the announcement that Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Olympic Games. (Photo by Mike Puente/WBEZ)

A group of Brazilian women from Chicago is celebrating today’s announcement that Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Summer Olympics.

When the announcement came shortly before noon, all went up for grabs at the Lincoln Park home of Mariana Sgarbi.

It continued on that way for several more minutes as friends of Sgarbi celebrated their native country of Brazil becoming the first South American nation to host the Summer Olympics.

Although she felt a bit torn over Chicago losing its bid, Sgarbi says hosting the Olympics will lift Rio’s image and have a lasting effect.

SGARBI: It’s a very exciting moment for Brazil. And I’m sure during the seven years they are going to work hard and with a lot passion for this happen and we’re going to be as good as the other ones were.

Sgarbi heads a group called Brazilian Mothers of Illinois. Member Maria Allemana believes the increasing number of Chicagoans who voiced opposition to the games may have doomed the city’s bid.