2016 Olympics: Brazil to increase investment for Rio Games medal bid

The Brazilian Olympic Committee has pledged to spend a record $600m (€441.1m) in a bid to nearly double the country's medal count at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 summer Olympic Games.

Marcus Vinicius, the Committee's executive director of sport, said that Brazil was aiming to collect between 27 and 30 medals in Rio after having won 17 at the London Games two years ago.

Such a result would be likely to take Brazil into the top 10 in the medal table, with the investment of $350m in the previous four-year cycle through to 2012 garnering a return of joint 14th place in the rankings.

'Our idea for Olympic power is not focusing on some three or four sports,' Vinicius told reporters. 'It's more open for more sports. For us, Olympic power is more than 10 or 12 different disciplines.'

The funding would be provided from public and private sources, with about 400 Brazilian athletes set to compete in Rio, Vinicius added.

The country is likely to be strong in its traditionally competitive sports such as athletics, football, sailing, swimming and volleyball.