Olympics 2016 goes to Rio de Janiero!

It’s final. Rio de Janiero will host 2016 Olympics as announced by the International Olympic Committee on Friday, and it brought tears to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. “Our hour has arrived,” he said. “It has arrived.”

Confetti flies in Rio de Janeiro after the IOC announces the city will host the 2016 games. Jubilation erupted at the world-famous Copacabana beach, where thousands of people gathered to hear the announcement.

Rio organizers promised to start working immediately on the 2016 Olympics to make the games a success.

Before getting the favorable decision, Rio has to beat Madrid, Spain in the final round. In earlier rounds, Chicago, Illiois, and Tokyo, Japan were eliminated.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said in the news conference afterward that in addition to its excellent bid, Rio had the “extra added value of going for the first time to a continent that’s never had the games.”

Chicago was eliminated, hours after US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, delivered personal pleas to the Olympic committee.

“You can play a great game and still not win,” Obama said after returning to the White House. “Although I wish we had come back with better news … I could not be prouder of my hometown.”