Check out some of the main Rio 2016 competition venues in detail

With construction works finished, the Rio 2016 Olympic Games venues went through a visual adjustment process last month. The temporary stands and tents were assembled, essential for the staging of the mega events. Aerial footage recorded show details of the Barra Olympic Park, Deodoro Olympic Park and the Olympic Golf Course.  

BARRA DA TIJUCA

Stage of 16 Olympic and 9 Paralympic sports, the Barra Olympic Park is already showing its final looks, with which it will play host to the world's best athletes starting on 6 August, the first day of competitions, after the opening ceremony the day before.. Provisional structures may be seen already, like the Rio 2016 Committee MegaStore, support tents and the Water Stadium's indoor warm-up pool.

The Olympic Park was built through two partnerships. A public-private-partnership (PPP), between City Hall and the Rio Mais Group, enabling the building and maintenance (for 15 years) of the Olympic Park infrastructure, in addition to Arenas Cariocas 1, 2 and 3, the MPC, the IBC, the hotel and infrastructure at the Olympic Villa, which was also put up in Barra.

In addition, to enable the building of the other venues – Aquatic Centre, Tennis Centre, Velodrome and Futuro Arena -, City Hall has signed a technical cooperation agreement with the federal government. The federal government provided the resources and City Hall was in charge of conducting the construction works.

Rio Olympic Arena

Picture: Miriam Jeske/ brasil2016.gov.br

Built for the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio, the Arena was designed for artistic gymnastics. The venue is located in the Barra Olympic Park, five minutes away from the Olympic and Paralympic Villa. It will be the stage of the artistic, rhythmic and trampolining gymnastics competitions. In the Paralympic Games, it will also be the stage of wheelchair basketball. The venue's capacity is of 12 thousand fans. The venue, which has been used regularly for big sport and cultural events, in addition to concerts. This vocation will be kept after the mega events.

Maria Lenk Aquatic Park

Picture: Miriam Jeske/ brasil2016.gov.br

The Park was built for the 2007 Pan American Games and was designed to meet the International Swimming Federation standards for international competitions and thus, went through only some minor modifications for the Rio 2016 Games. It will be the stage of the diving, synchronised swimming and water polo (group stage), and has capacity for 5 thousand people. After the mega events, the facilities will be completely integrated to the Olympic Training Centre (COT), working as a centre of excellence for all water sports, in addition to being used in regional and international competitions.

Olympic Tennis Centre

Picture: Miriam Jeske/ brasil2016.gov.br

For the Olympic Games, a total of 16 courts were built in a 9 hectare area. Temporary facilities and stands will be used to support the permanent infrastructure and meet the Games' requirements. The central court has capacity for 10 thousand people. The venue will be the stage of tennis matches at the Olympic Games, as well as wheelchair tennis and 5-a-side football at the Paralympics. At the end of the Games, nine courts will be kept as legacy for the future COT.

Water Sports Olympic Stadium

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The stage of the swimming and water polo, the Water Sports Olympic Stadium was built using a nomad architecture concept. At the end of competitions, both pools will be disassembled and used in other areas in Rio de Janeiro. The metal structure will also be reused. For the Games, the venue will have capacity for 18 thousand fans.

Arenas Cariocas 1, 2 and 3

Picture: Miriam Jeske/ brasil2016.gov.br

The three gyms that use integrated architecture are in the Barra Olympic Park. NBA stars will take to the court at Arena Carioca 1 in front of 16 thousand fans in the basketball competitions. Judo, which usually brings Olympic glory for Brazil, as well as wrestling will be held at Arena Carioca 2. In Arena Carioca 3, 10 thousand spectators will watch the taekwondo and fencing events. At the end of the Games, the idea is for the three arenas to be integrated to the Olympic Training Centre, with areas for the practice of 12 Olympic sports.

Futuro Arena

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Built based on a nomad architecture concept, the Futuro Arena will host the handball at the Olympics, and goalball at the Paralympics. With capacity for 12 thousand people, the venue will be taken apart after the Games and according to the Rio de Janeiro City Hall will be turned into four municipal schools.

Velodrome

The permanent venue has capacity for 5 thousand people and will host the track cycling during the Games. The 250 metre long track is made from Siberian pine and designed by German expert Ralph Schürmann. The track supporting structure is imported from Germany. Around 55 kilometres of wood were used, as well as 94 trusses and 1.2 tons of nails. The type of pine used is less susceptible to humidity and heat, making the track more durable. The venue's configuration may be changed, allowing Rio de Janeiro to host other international competitions after the Games.

Olympic Golf Course

Picture: Miriam Jeske/ brasil2016.gov.br

Built on the Marapendi Reserve, it is located 5 kilometres away from the Main Press Centre (MPC). Ready, the place is having stands put up for 15 thousand fans, as well as service and operations tents, necessary for the Games. After the Games, the course will be operated as a public venue, with the main goal of promoting the sport in Brazil and South America.

Olympic Village

Picture: Miriam Jeske/ brasil2016.gov.br

The Olympic Village was officially delivered to the Rio 2016 Committee on 15 June. The village is able to cater for 17,950 athletes and technical staff members at Games time, divided in 3,604 flats. There are 31 buildings, all of them with adapted units for people with disabilities and reduced mobility. The doors are wider, the showers taller, the hallways larger and the lifts may take up to two wheelchairs at the same time.
Around 18 thousand people worked on the construction: 430 thousand cubic metres of concrete were used, which is the equivalent to 215 Olympic pools and 43 tons of steel. The infrastructure also includes 360km of pipelines (water, sewage and gas), 7.5 km of cables and wiring and 3.8km of cycle lanes.

DEODORO

The region will be the stage of equestrian, mountain bike, BMX, modern pentathlon, shooting, canoe slalom, hockey, rugby and basketball competitions at the Olympic Game. The venue, which was built for the 2007 Pan American Games, gained another three facilities: the Deodoro Arena, the BMX track and the canoe slalom course. The others underwent remodelling and adjustments in order to adapt to the Olympic standard.

Deodoro Arena

Picture: Andre Motta/ brasil2016.gov.br

The venue is less than 300 metres away from the Vila Militar railway station. Also known as Arena da Juventude, the venue has capacity for 5,000 people (3,000 temporary seats) and will host basketball and modern pentathlon competitions at the Olympic Games. In the Paralympics, the wheelchair fencing will be held there. After the Games, the idea is for the arena to increase the 2007 Pan Am legacy, being integrated to the Olympic Training Centre (COT).

Deodoro Stadium

Picture: Miriam Jeske/ brasil2016.gov.br

The Deodoro Stadium is a temporary venue and will host the equestrian and combined (shooting and running) events of the modern pentathlon, as well as the rugby competitions at the Olympic Games. The building was put up on the polo field, right by the Deodoro Arena and the Aquatic Centre. As the three structures are near to one another, it allows spectators and accredited professionals to move between them on foot. There are 15 thousand seats on the stands. At the Paralympics, 7-a-side football will be held there.

National Equestrian Centre

Picture: Miriam Jeske/ brasil2016.gov.br

The centre was built for the 2007 Pan American Games and designed following International Equestrian Federation (FEI) standards. The compound has an approximate area of 1,000,000m². The facilities were refurbished and increased for Rio 2016. The cross-country track, as well as the ones used for training, jumping and dressage were increased and adapted. A new veterinary clinic and lodgings for attendants and vets (72 three bedroom apartments) will remain as legacy after the Games.

National Shooting Centre

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Also built for the 2007 Pan American Games, it went through adjustments for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The centre has permanent facilities for athletes and technical staff, and it is fully equipped for all shooting events. The venue has the capacity for 7,577 place.

Modern Pentathlon Water Centre

Picture: Miriam Jeske/ brasil2016.gov.br

Stage of the modern pentathlon swimming, the pool was remodelled and new changing rooms, as well as stands were built for two thousand fans.

National Hockey Centre

Picture: Miriam Jeske/ brasil2016.gov.br

Deodoro has been the home of Brazil's national hockey squad since the 2007 Pan American Games. The new centre was adapted to meet Olympic requirements. The two courts were adapted and changing rooms were built, as well as permanent grandstands in the main court and an administration centre. During the Games, the centre will have 8,000 seats in the main court, 2,500 permanent and 5,000 temporary in the secondary courts.

BMX Olympic Centre

Picture: Miriam Jeske/ brasil2016.gov.br

The permanent BMX track was built, with courses between 300 and 400 metres. The support areas are temporary, as well as the stands for 7,500 people. The facilities will be kept after the end of the Rio 2016 Games as a legacy that may be used in high performance sport training and also for leisure.

Mountain Bike Olympic Park

Picture: Miriam Jeske/ brasil2016.gov.br

With different highly technical stretches, the Mountain Bike Olympic Park is one of three facilities at the Rio Radical Park, which will also host the BMX and slalom canoeing competitions.

Olympic Canoe Slalom Stadium

Picture: Miriam Jeske/ brasil2016.gov.br

With a 280 metre long permanent rapid course, the venue has already been adopted as a training centre by the Brazilian national squad. For the Games, the venue will have capacity for 8,424 thousand fans.

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