Rio out to win hearts as London Games close

Rio 2016 organizers will try to pack as much of the joy and color of their sprawling country as they can into the eight minutes they are alotted in the London 2012 closing ceremony on Sunday. The traditional flag-handover during the ceremony, in which the Olympic banner will be passed from London to the next Games host city, will be a brief chance to introduce Rio and Brazil to the world. Daniela Thomas, one of the artistic directors of the programme, said Rio hoped to show the transformative spirit of their country, where diverse influences have blended to produce a vibrant and complex culture. "We reinvent. This is our spirit," said Thomas, adding that rather than shy away from cliched images of Rio the creative team would try to show the deeper truths behind them. In all this they'll be aided by some of Brazil's biggest stars, including singer Marisa Monte -- our "diva" Thomas said -- Brazilian rapper Bnegao, and actor, singer composer Seu Jorge. Also featured will be Renato Sorriso, the sambadrome street sweeper whose impromptu dances in his bright orange work jumpsuit have made him a pop culture sensation. The flag will actually be handed over to two Brazilian Olympic gold medallists -- Maurren Maggi, who won the women's long jump gold for Brazil in 2008, and two-time Olympic gold medal-winning sailor Robert Scheidt. Plenty of dancers -- some from Brazil and some culled from samba schools in Britain -- will play a role, and Thomas said she believed Rio's effort would stand up well in a ceremony expected to feature some of the greats of British pop music. "It's never easy to do the flag handover," said executive producer Marco Balich, noting it often came across as dull but promising Sunday's would be "full of passion, even if it's small ... full of light."