Gisele Bundchen to participate in Rio opening ceremony

AFP, RIO DE JANEIRO: Ex-supermodel Gisele Bundchen will strut her stuff in her native Brazil next month, this time swapping the catwalk for the stadium hosting the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Rio.
Bundchen, who retired from modelling last year, will walk through a “futuristic gateway” at Maracana Stadium during the August 5 ceremony marking the start of the first Games hosted in South America, according to Extra newspaper.
Extra said the theme of the ceremony would be “the future.”
Rio 2016 organizers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Bundchen, now 35, who was once the highest paid model in the world, also participated in the prize ceremony for the 2014 World Cup final that pitted Argentina against Germany, in Maracana Stadium as well.
Extra said another highlight of the Olympics ceremony would be a performance by veteran samba singer Elza Soares, 79.
Soares, the widow of football player Garrincha, is expected to sing about Rio’s favelas.
Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, two living legends of the South American giant’s music, are also expected to participate in the ceremony.
They will be joined by funk singer Anitta.
“It’s very exciting to work for such a great event,” O Globo newspaper quoted her as saying.
And in this capital of the Carnival festival, the 12 leading school percussion bands will have the crowd bouncing to the music in the huge arena.
Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro is "ready to welcome the world" when the Olympics start in three weeks, the inspector from the International Olympic Committee said Monday.
Nawal El Moutawakel, head of the IOC coordination committee, said a final pre-Games visit showed that sporting venues and the athletes' Olympic Village are set for the starter's gun.
"From views of the Corcovado and Sugar Loaf Mountain to the new state-of-the-art facilities in Barra or Deodoro and the iconic Maracana stadium and Copacabana beach, I cannot imagine more spectacular backdrops for the world's top sportsmen and women to showcase their talents to a watching world," she said in a statement.
The August 5-21 Games will be the first hosted by a South American city.
Brazil is in the midst of a painful recession and a political crisis that could see the president, Dilma Rousseff, removed from office in an impeachment vote just days after the closing ceremony.

 

Gisele Bundchen to participate in Rio opening ceremony

AFP, RIO DE JANEIRO: Ex-supermodel Gisele Bundchen will strut her stuff in her native Brazil next month, this time swapping the catwalk for the stadium hosting the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Rio. Bundchen, who retired from modelling last year, will walk through a futuristic gateway at Maracana Stadium during the August 5 ceremony marking the start of the first Games hosted in South America, according to Extra newspaper. Extra said the theme of the ceremony would be the future. Rio 2016 organizers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Bundchen, now 35, who was once the highest paid model in the world, also participated in the prize ceremony for the 2014 World Cup final that pitted Argentina against Germany, in Maracana Stadium as well. Extra said another highlight of the Olympics ceremony would be a performance by veteran samba singer Elza Soares, 79. Soares, the widow of football player Garrincha, is expected to sing about Rios favelas. Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, two living legends of the South American giants music, are also expected to participate in the ceremony. They will be joined by funk singer Anitta. Its very exciting to work for such a great event, O Globo newspaper quoted her as saying. And in this capital of the Carnival festival, the 12 leading school percussion bands will have the crowd bouncing to the music in the huge arena. Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro is ready to welcome the world when the Olympics start in three weeks, the inspector from the International Olympic Committee said Monday. Nawal El Moutawakel, head of the IOC coordination committee, said a final pre-Games visit showed that sporting venues and the athletes Olympic Village are set for the starters gun. From views of the Corcovado and Sugar Loaf Mountain to the new state-of-the-art facilities in Barra or Deodoro and the iconic Maracana stadium and Copacabana beach, I cannot imagine more spectacular backdrops for the worlds top sportsmen and women to showcase their talents to a watching world, she said in a statement. The August 5-21 Games will be the first hosted by a South American city. Brazil is in the midst of a painful recession and a political crisis that could see the president, Dilma Rousseff, removed from office in an impeachment vote just days after the closing ceremony.