RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, July 27 /CNW/ -- American pentathlete Eli Bremer
found an unforgettable way to celebrate his gold medal from the Rio de Janeiro
Pan American Games, which guarantees him a slot at the Beijing Olympics in
2008. This Wednesday, July 25, he visited Sugar Loaf, one of Rio's most famous
landmarks.
This is Bremer's third trip to the city -- all three times he came for
modern pentathlon events -- and he had already visited the statue of Christ
the Redeemer, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, on a previous
occasion. Even so, the ascent to the top of Sugar Loaf by cable car far
surpassed the athlete's expectations, who is also a captain of the U.S. Air
Force. "The view from up here is incredible. Copacabana Beach can't be seen
that easily from the Christ, but from here it is really clear," he said.Click on the link below to see Eli Bremer at Sugar Loaf:
http://www.prnewswire.com.br/news/img070700000189.htmBremer's only frustration was not to have come across any of the small
monkeys which are common in the forest around Sugar Loaf. "I really wanted to
see a monkey. In the U.S., we only have big monkeys and they're in zoos, but
here the monkeys are smaller and can be easily found in a natural forest. I
would take one home with me if I could," says Bremer, who keeps two cats as
pets.
The pentathlete knows that this is not possible, because the Brazilian
Environmental Crimes Law makes it illegal to keep wild animals in captivity.
On the other hand, the fulfillment of his desire to try hang-gliding and enjoy
yet another view of the city is only dependent on a return trip. "Hang-gliding
must be really thrilling," said the athlete, who also practices skydiving.
"Next time I come to Rio, I'm going to do a jump," he declared. Bremer had to
return to the United States later the same day to prepare for the Pentathlon
World Championships, which will take place in Germany in August.
Another person who was enthusiastic about the visit to Sugar Loaf was
Dennis Bowsher, the other representative of the United States in the modern
pentathlon tournament at the 2007 Pan American Games. He finished in sixth
place in Rio. "The scenery is stunning! I'm a little scared of heights, but
the view of Rio from here makes it worthwhile," said Bowsher.Did you know?The Corcovado railway in Rio de Janeiro, inaugurated in 1884 by Emperor
Dom Pedro II, was Brazil's first electric railway as well as its first built
exclusively for use in tourism. The journey on the Corcovado train up to the
statue of Christ the Redeemer, elected one of the New Seven Wonders of the
World, takes 20 minutes.Teenage American gold medalist praises Rio's Olympic ArenaOne of the stars of the XV Pan American Games currently taking place in
Rio de Janeiro, American gymnast Shawn Johnson, 15, made a point of praising
the facilities and the equipment at Rio's brand new Olympic Arena, in the
Barra da Tijuca neighborhood. Wearing four gold medals (won in the team,
individual all-round, uneven bars and beam competitions) and one silver (in
the floor exercise), Johnson shared her impressions of the venue, which also
hosted the women's basketball competitions and is now the stage for the men's
matches.
"The Arena is magnificent, it's as good as the venues for the Gymnastics
World Cup in the United States and in Europe," says the athlete, who was also
impressed by the behavior of the fans during the competitions. "I've never
seen anything like it. At the beginning, the fans booed me, and tried to
distract me. But later they cheered me on just like they did the Brazilians."
Built especially for the Pan American Games, Rio's Olympic Arena was
officially inaugurated on July 7 and holds 15,000 people. Next-door are the
Maria Lenk Aquatic Center -- where the swimming, synchronized swimming and
diving competitions are taking place -- and the Barra Cycle Track, home of the
cycling events.
After the Pan American Games, the Arena will be used for other important
sporting competitions. These include the fifth edition of the Military World
Games, involving athletes from all over the world, which will take place on
the American continent for the first time. Large-scale musical events will
also be staged at the Arena. The choice of Rio de Janeiro as the host city for
the 2011 Military World Games was made by civilian and military authorities
from 127 countries. Organizers are expecting around 5,000 athletes to take
part in the competition, which is divided into 20 sports.Brazilian postal service launches stamps bearing the Brazil BrandThe Marca Brasil (Brazil Brand), the symbol which represents Brazil
abroad, is included on a series of postage stamps showing railroads launched
this month during the Rio de Janeiro Pan American Games. Stamps of the
"bondinho" (little tram) in the Santa Teresa neighborhood of Rio, the
Locomotiva Baroneza (Brazil's first steam locomotive), and the Rio de Janeiro
metro system are part of the special series. Its main goal is to make a
connection between rail transport and tourist aspects of Rio de Janeiro and
Brazil, as well as publicizing and promoting the Brazil Brand, the country's
international tourism logo.Click on the link below to see a picture of two stamps:
http://www.prnewswire.com.br/news/img070700000165.htmLaunched by Embratur in February 2005, the Brazil Brand has already been
used by various companies which export genuine Brazilian products and
services. They include Penalty, a sporting goods manufacturer, which produced
2,500 special edition balls displaying the logo; Matte Leao, a soft drink
company, which uses the brand on all bottles of its "mate" (an ice tea-style
drink made from the "yerba mate" herb) sold abroad; and the Rider brand, which
produced a special line of sandals bearing the logo.
The Brazil Brand combines six colors, each one representing a specific
aspect of Brazil: green (forests), yellow (sun and luminosity), red and orange
(festive gatherings), blue (sky and water) and white (religious
manifestations). Research carried out two years after its launch indicates
that the Brazil Brand is already recognized by 11% of foreign tourists who
visit the country, a level which is considered high, given the relatively
short time of exposure.Download the BRASIL SENSATIONAL NEWS at:
http://www.prnewswire.com.br/arq/Embratur-Pan-boletim18.pdfCONTACT: Alexandra Josias, FSB Comunicacoes, Embratur, pan@fsb.com.br or
+ 55 (61) 8133-2727
For further information: Alexandra Josias, FSB Comunicacoes,
+011-55-61-8133-2727, pan@fsb.com.br, for Embratur Web Site:
http://www.braziltour.gov.br/
