Finally some good news from Rio de Janeiro. A discreet ray of sunshine in a sky hitherto rather cluttered by the risks of the Zika virus, budget cuts, the dragging out work at the velodrome and the threat of dismissal of Dilma Rouseff, the Brazilian president. The Airbnb site, official partner of the Rio 2016 Games, is offering two privileged people the opportunity to spend a night in one of the most prestigious competition sites of the next Summer Olympics, the Olympic Arena, the immense event hall of gymnastic.
Impossible? Surely not. The community housing rental platform is organizing a competition of a unique kind. At stake, a night for two people in a luxurious room installed for the occasion in the heights of the Olympic Arena (our photo). Its decor has been specially designed to maintain the impression of slipping into the shoes of a gymnast selected for the Games. The room will overlook the competition field. The two winners will spend the night there from April 20 to 21, 2016, for the pre-Olympic gymnastics event.
The competition has already started. It ends Saturday April 16 at midnight. Open to everyone, provided they are over 18 years old, it only requires participants to write a text of a maximum of 550 characters, where they must explain what makes them the perfect candidates to spend a day and a night in the shoes of an Olympic gymnast. According to Leo Tristao, the manager of Airbnb in Brazil, the competition registered applicants from all over the world.
Once selected, the two lucky ones will be welcomed in Rio de Janeiro by Diego and Daniele Hypolito, two gymnasts from the Brazilian team. The brother and sister will give them a tour of the owner, before driving them to Barra Beach for a private training session. As a bonus, the two winners will be able to relax in the Arena spa and watch a session of the pre-Olympic rhythmic gymnastics event from the stand.
For Airbnb, such a competition is not anecdotal. Inducted into the Olympic universe through its partnership with the Rio Games, the Californian company, founded in 2008 by Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia, wants to “create a new relationship with the Olympic Games”. Leo Tristao explains: “We really want to promote our partnership with Rio 2016. The Games are a unique moment. We want people who come to Rio and stay there with us to have an equally unique experience. We are ready for this. » Less than four months before the opening, Airbnb announces that it has already recorded more than 30.000 visitors, from 94 countries around the world, having reserved accommodation on its platform.
