Rio concludes celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

To conclude the celebrations for the tenth anniversary of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games this Sunday (August 9th), the City Hall immortalized the handprints of athletes in a mural, which will be installed near the swimming pool at the Ana Gonzaga West Park in Inhoaíba, in addition to inaugurating two sculptures alluding to the event, which will remain permanently at the site. The aquatic facility is emblematic because it was used in the competitions held at the Barra Olympic Park and marked the farewells of the multi-Paralympic and Olympic champions, the Brazilian Clodoaldo Silva and the American Michael Phelps, respectively.

– The Olympic legacy wasn't something we were going to put away in a closet, file away, and leave there like a document. That's not a legacy. A legacy isn't meant to be kept. A legacy is meant to be lived! That's why people are living the Olympic legacy of Rio 2016 for these past ten years. That's why we're only beginning this chapter of the city, ten years after the Olympic legacy, looking to the future – stated the mayor of Rio, Eduardo Cavaliere.

In listing some of the various legacies left by the 2016 Games for the city and its inhabitants, the mayor recalled the construction of more than 180 kilometers of BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) systems and the rebirth of the Port Zone, which will receive approximately 30 new residents by 2030. Cavaliere also highlighted the importance of the nomadic architecture adopted for the event, where a temporary installation is erected only to be dismantled later, maximizing its legacy through reuse.

– We are proud to say that architecture is nomadic. We transformed the Arena of the Future (the venue for handball and goalball competitions during the Games) into four public schools. The largest school today, among the 1.600 schools in the municipality, is the Isabel Salgado Olympic Educational Gymnasium. It was the first time an Olympic Arena became a school. The IBC, which was the Games' Media Center, is now the Kindness Terminal, where more than 100 people circulate daily – highlighted the mayor.

In assessing the legacy, Cavaliere cited the Radical Park as another successful example. He also highlighted the installation of the Olympic swimming pool in the West Zone, one of the city's most deprived areas, which exponentially increases the positive impact of the Games' benefits for the population.

– Canoe athletes are training, the Canoeing Confederation is using the Radical Park, and the public is using it, in addition to thousands of people every day having access to free activities offered by the city. Within the West Park, there are 260 square meters of high-quality, excellent public space for the population. Inside this public park is the original Rio 2016 swimming pool. The pool where Michael Phelps, the record holder for medals, swam, where Clodoaldo Silva, another record holder, swam, and where so many athletes have swum. It's an official pool! There are 2.100 students who use this pool every day. I am certain that from here, from the Olympic legacy, in West Park, the future Olympic champion of our city and our country will emerge – celebrated the mayor of Rio.

Accompanied by swimmers Clodoaldo Silva and Bruno Fratus, and swimmer Ana Marcela Cunha, as well as other athletes, the mayor of Rio made a mold of the hands that will be displayed on the mural. After the ceremony, the athletes participated in an exhibition race and recalled moments they experienced in the same pool in 2016.

"I'm happy because the legacy is great, but the legacy for the community is the most important. Here in Parque Oeste, residents and children who dream of becoming professional swimmers will have access to a professional pool," said Clodoaldo, a Paralympic medalist at Rio 2016 in the same pool.

Team Rio athlete Ana Marcela Cunha, Olympic champion in open water swimming, also spoke about the Olympic legacy. She, who at the end of the month added to her achievements having crossed the English Channel, a 42,9 km swim between France and England, emphasized the benefits of sport.

– We know that Rio de Janeiro is a large city, with many athletes and people who sometimes need sport as a way to improve their quality of life. Children, for example, are kept away from the streets and bad influences. I think it's fundamental for discipline and education. The goal is not only to create champions, but to develop better human beings – Ana Marcela emphasized.

Bronze medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Games, swimmer Bruno Fratus emphasized that it is popular facilities like this that can reveal great talents. He, who competed in Rio 2016, praised the structure of the pool at Parque Oeste.

"The key word is legacy! I went to three Olympic Games and competed in pools exactly like this one. So, the structure is of the highest possible quality in the entire world. And it's a structure like this that has the potential to reveal great names in sports," Fratus stated.

During the 2016 Games, the Olympic Aquatic Stadium, built in the Olympic Park, hosted the swimming competitions and was also designed within the concept of nomadic architecture. To increase the benefits of its legacy, it was decided to install its pool in West Park.

The West Park occupies a total area of ​​260 square meters on Avenida Cesário de Melo. It was inaugurated in September 2024 and already features amenities such as the Roberto Burle Marx Water Staircase, the Knowledge Ship, a skatepark, a soccer field, an ecumenical space, and a viewpoint.

The Olympic-sized swimming pool has official competition dimensions, measuring 50 meters in length, and adheres to international standards used in major sporting events. Currently, more than two thousand people participate in free swimming and water aerobics classes at the facility.

– I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to compete at home and to have the fervent support of the Brazilian fans. The legacy of the Games is evident. Rio de Janeiro has shown significant progress, both for the population and for us athletes. I use the Vila Olímpica do Mato Alto as my training base. It is an honor to celebrate this decade milestone and to see that the structures remain active, fostering sports practice among citizens – said athlete Marivana Nóbrega, who won the bronze medal in athletics at Rio 2016.

Nina Lima, a 43-year-old resident of Campo Grande, said that her daughter, triathlete Lara Lima, 14, uses the facilities at Parque Oeste to train. An athlete for Fluminense and the Vila Olímpica de Pedra de Guaratiba, Lara's routine has been improved by the installation of the pool there.

– Lara is an athlete for Fluminense and represents the Dr. Sócrates Olympic Village in Pedra de Guaratiba. For us, this place represents a true legacy. It's a privilege to have such a well-structured space, which carries a relevant history and inspires athletes whom Lara greatly admires. She participated in the inauguration ceremony and it's gratifying to return today to train alongside other great athletes. Her routine includes swimming three times a week. On the other days, she dedicates herself to cycling and running, also using the Deodoro Radical Park, which is a suitable environment for competitions – said Nina.

Olympic and Paralympic Exhibition

The festivities at the Olympic Park were the third event organized by the city government to celebrate the 2016 Games. On Wednesday (August 5th), the date marking ten years since the Opening Ceremony of the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games, the exhibition “The Olympic Tomorrow: Legacy and Future” was inaugurated at the Museum of Tomorrow. And, on Saturday (August 8th), a clinic was held for students from the Olympic Villages at the Olympic Park, in addition to the unveiling of two sculptures at the site.

The exhibition at the Museum of Tomorrow revisits Rio's journey in organizing and hosting the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games and invites the public to reflect on the legacy already built and what more will be created. Visitors will have the opportunity to see original relics, such as medals, the Olympic Torch, uniforms, and mascots.

The public can still interact with some of the installations and remember the legacy left by the Games.

“The Olympic Tomorrow: Legacy and Future” can be visited free of charge until October 5th, from Thursday to Tuesday (the museum is closed on Wednesdays), from 10 am to 18 pm (last entry at 17 pm).

Kindness Terminal

Residents of Rio de Janeiro will also be able to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games at the Gentileza Intermodal Terminal. An Instagrammable backdrop and an Olympic Torch, where the public can take photos, have been installed at the terminal.