In a major shock the raging hot favourite Chicago has failed to get past the first round of voting to pick the host city of the 2016 Olympic Games.

Despite a major pitch by the American President Barack Obama and the first lady Michelle, the IOC members rejected Chicago with a stunning elimination in round one of the vote at the Bella Centre in Copenhagen.

A roar went up in the 800 seat media centre as the IOC President Jacques Rogge announced Chicago was out of the running.

In the second round the IOC members ended the hopes of Tokyo. That left the two remaining candidate cities Madrid and Rio.

The delegates then cast their vote to elect the winning city but the result will not be announced for at least another hour.

Earlier in the day Rio produced an exceptional final pitch. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva appealed to the IOC members that it was time to make an historic decision and grant the Olympics to South America for the very first time.

“Brazil is one of the top ten economies of the world yet my country has never had the honour of hosting the Games, the time is right to address the imbalance” he said.

“Choosing Rio would send a message to the world that the Games belong to all peoples” he said. “Give us this chance you won’t regret it”.

The President emphasised the advantages of a strong and dynamic economy. 30 million Brazilians had been lifted out of poverty over the past ten years. He said hosting the Game would help even more people out of poverty.

It could be a case of third time lucky for Madrid. They have been a contender twice before only to miss out.

Today, King Juan Carlos, a 1972 Olympian, told the gathering “a vote for Madrid would foster the Olympic values throughout the world. There would be more understanding and solidarity and the world would be a better place to live following Madrid 2016” he said.

The elder statesman of the Olympic movement, Spain’s Juan Antonio Samaranch appealed to his old colleagues

“I know that I am very near the end of my time. As you know I am 89 years old, I ask you to consider granting my country the honour and also the duty to organize the Games in 2016,” he said.

The heartfelt plea from the former President of the International Olympic Committee did not fall on deaf ears.

Mike Tancred- AOC
Copenhagen