The project will see the venue renamed as the Lagoa Stadium and will include the construction of a brand new finish tower, as well as redeveloping the existing boat houses.

Other work that will be undertaken comprises of building a network of underwater structures which will be engraved into the lagoon bed to support the lane markings, timing equipment and television cameras.

Constructors insist all structures will adhere to environmental rules and will meet the regulations of the international sports federations.

"These improvements will elevate the course from being at a level adequate for local competitions to being capable of hosting any kind of rowing or canoe sprint competitions in the coming decades," Rio 2016 venue management director Gustavo Nascimento said.

"The new system will be the most modern available but will cause minimal environmental impact."

The renovation work is set to be completed in time for the rowing test event in August
©Getty Images



A key theme of the project is to ensure the venue is ready on time for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the Brazilian city next year, but the work will also look to substantiate a legacy so that the stadium can continue to be used in the future, it is claimed.

"All of the work is being done with the legacy in mind," Rodrigo Vieira, Secretary of Special Projects for the state government, added.

"We did a study of the soil and the water depth in order to discover the best materials to use and the best way to execute the project."

The work is expected to take three months and constructors are planning to have it ready for the rowing test event, scheduled to take place in August of this year.

Rio 2016 has been immersed in concerns over some of the venues, most notably the golf course and the condition of the Guanabara Bay, which still contains vast amounts of rubbish, sewage and debris just 17 months before the Games begin.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
November 2013: Exclusive: Challenges lie ahead in preparing Rio to host Olympic rowing, admits next FISA boss Rolland