Opening night is just 31 days away. The dress rehearsals are nearly over. The curtain is about to go up on the Olympic Games, the greatest show on earth.
Seven years in the making, it is now just one month until the first Olympic Games in South America get underway. Rio de Janeiro is ready for its big moment in the spotlight...
Every venue for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games is now ready. More than 7,000 athletes have competed in competitions that have put staff and the venues through their paces. The test events are over. Opening night beckons.
The Olympic and Paralympic Village, which will be home to more than 17,000 athletes and officials at peak time during the Olympic Games, is now ready to welcome its first guests. Residents will enjoy a vibrant Brazilian atmosphere at the village, with innumerable exotic fruits and traditional snacks on offer, as well as some of the best in local music and culture.
More than 10,000 of the world's best athletes in 42 sporting disciplines are poised to embark on the journey of a lifetime to Rio.
The home nation will be represented in force during the Games. Brazil will be sending more swimmers and track-and-field competitors to a Games than ever before. Home support will be passionate and the excitement is mounting.
Between them, more than 90,000 people – made up of volunteers, employees and contractors – will be responsible for running the world's greatest sporting festival. With one month to go, thousands of people are now collecting their uniforms, picking up their credentials and getting ready to welcome their guests with all of the warmth and hospitality for which Brazil is so famous.
The city is a hive of pre-Olympic activity. Special seating is going up in locations such as Copacabana, where the beach volleyball, triathlon and road cycling will take place. The Maracanã is under wraps in the countdown to the opening ceremony. Brand-new transport services have started operating in the city centre and there is a whole new look to the international airport.
To ensure that everything runs smoothly, a combined security force of 85,000 people will guarantee the security of the athletes' village, the sports venues and key infrastructure such as the city's airports and main roads. Security personnel from 55 countries will be involved, with two command-and-control centres operating around the clock.
More than two months into the Olympic Torch Relay, the torch has visited 180 towns across this giant country, travelled 17,000km (more than 10,500 miles) by land, air and water, and been carried by more than 7,000 torchbearers. Everywhere it goes, the torch has lit enthusiasm for the Games and spread the Olympic values of friendship, respect and excellence.
In the Olympic Games, the supporting cast is just as important as the stars. Great Games need great athletes, great organisation – and a great atmosphere. It's what everyone remembers about the 2014 World Cup, and it's what will define Rio 2016. If there's one thing that cariocas (the residents of Rio) know, it's how to put on a great show and a great party.