By Nick Butler

Brazil will perform much better than at previous Games on home turf in Rio, it is hoped ©AFP/Getty ImagesBrazil is aiming to win between 27 and 30 medals on home turf during Rio 2016, according to a leading official at the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB), which would mark a huge increase on the 17 medals they secured at London 2012.


Marcus Vinicius, executive director of sport for the COB, has revealed that the 2016 hosts will spend a record $600 million (£353 million/€445 million) in a combination of public and private funds to train athletes in the four-year cycle leading up to Rio.

This comes in comparison with spending of about $350 million (£205 million/€260 million) for the previous four-year cycle.

Ever since they were awarded the Games in 2009, Brazil have been vocal about using them to generate sporting improvements, and they are now hoping to emulate the success of China and Great Britain, who each enjoyed vastly improved fortunes when recently hosting the Games.

China won 63 medals in Athens in 2004, but improved to 100 four years later in Beijing, while Britain secured 65 medals on home turf in London in comparison with 47 four years earlier.

Vinicius said the goal was to finish in the top 10 position in the medals table, which would mark a considerable leap from the 22nd place they achieved at London 2012, with three gold, five silver and nine bronze among their total.

To do this in London, they would have needed to win seven gold medals, as Australia did when finishing in 10th position with a 35 medal total haul.

Brazil's women's volleyball team won gold at London 2012 ©Getty ImagesBrazil's women's volleyball team won gold at London 2012 ©Getty Images




As well as the gold medal won in the women's volleyball, Sarah Menezes secured under 48 kilogram judo glory, while Arthur Zanetti won the rings event in artistic gymnastics.

Medals were also won in swimming, football, boxing, sailing and modern pentathlon.

Vinicius added that Brazil would send a squad of around 400 athletes to Rio and were targeting their strongest sports, like all of these, once again, as well as additional disciplines such as canoeing and athletics. 

"Our idea for Olympic power is not focusing on some three or four sports," he said.

"It's more open for more sports, for us, Olympic power is being competitive in 10 or 12 different disciplines."

This comes as Brazil's preparations for the Games have been somewhat overshadowed by concerns over the organisation of the first South American Olympics, particularly with regard to the slow progress of the construction of many of the venues.

But, with the recent FIFA World Cup in the country having been hailed as a general success, hope is now high that the public will get behind the Games in exactly the same way.

All that is left is for Brazilian athletes to excel to a higher degree that the Brazilian football team did in recent weeks, after they exited the competition at the semi-final stage with a humiliating 7-1 defeat to eventual winners, Germany. 

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