Rio 2016 Torch Relay to begin Brazilian journey on May 3

A test event for 2016 Olympic equestrian began in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, following an outbreak of the highly contagious and deadly disease, glanders.

Paes and Carlos Nuzman, an global Olympic Committee member who heads the local organizing committee, gave a presentation on progress at the Olympic venues.

Speaking in an under-construction arena to a crowd of several hundred journalists in hard hats, Paes said the progress of Rio’s Olympic infrastructure proved that Brazilians were capable of delivering big projects on time and on budget. Paes told reporters on Wednesday that public transit ridership has risen from 16 to 63 percent as a result of new investments in bus and metro service. The Deodoro Olympic Park is the second largest venue cluster for the Games.

IOC President Bach was on hand for the year out celebration and said: “It seems only yesterday that the IOC chose the warm, vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro to be the first South American host for the Olympic Games“. (REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes)The Rio 2016 Olympic Golf venue is pictured under construction in Rio de Janeiro March 25, 2015. (REUTERS/Sergio Moraes)Athletes start the swimming leg of the men’s triathlon at the ITU World Olympic Qualification event on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 2, 2015. (REUTERS/Sergio Moraes)A worker inside a garbage-collecting boat collects the remains of garbage from the Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 1, 2015.

After a week travelling around Greece, it is due to be handed over to Rio 2016 organisers with a special ceremony at the Panathenakos Arena in Athens, the stadium used at the first Modern Olympic Games in 1896.

Over the next year, Rio 2016 has many plans to spread the Olympic spirit.