UPDATE 1-Olympics-Under familiar Rio sun, Latam athletes aim to shine

By Alexandra Ulmer
Reuters

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 4 (Reuters) - They are used to the laid-back vibe, sizzling sun and even Zika-carrying mosquitoes.

South American athletes flocking to the 2016 Olympics feel almost at home here in Rio, and are hoping to harness that familiarity to make a splash at the region's first games.

"Living these Olympic Games in Latin America motivates me to show the world our culture, a fighting culture that gets up every day to fight for a goal, no matter the difficulties," said Nicole Acevedo, a biomedical engineering student and member of Colombia's female rugby team, which has qualified for the first time in its history.

A decade-long commodities boom in Latin America has fueled the rise of sport stars beyond the soccer pitch, the region's traditional forte.

Stand-out athletes in Rio include Colombian triple jumper Caterine Ibarguen, Venezuelan fencer Ruben Limardo, Cuban wrestler Mijain Lopez and Chilean gymnast Tomas Gonzalez.

While differences between Portuguese-speaking Brazil and the rest of largely Spanish-speaking Latin America abound, regional athletes can count on support from fans previously restricted to cheering them on from in front of a TV screen.

"It's great that it's close to home because all of our family and friends are coming to watch the Olympic Games," said Argentine beach volleyball player Georgina Klug.

With their canary yellow shirts and big grins, the Colombian delegation could almost be mistaken for the Brazilian one.

A rising sports powerhouse, the Andean nation has sent a record of nearly 150 athletes to Rio.

Communist-run Cuba, which has long punched above its weight in sports, is also expected to make waves.

But under the veneer of brotherhood, competition lurks - especially when it comes to soccer, a regional craze shared from northern Mexico to the icy tip of Patagonia.

Mighty Brazil are hoping to lift the only major international soccer trophy to elude them, although neighbors and arch-rivals Argentina will do their utmost to eliminate the 'selecao' on their home turf.

"It would be beautiful to ruin Brazil's party," Argentine men's soccer coach Julio Olarticoechea said this week.

Still, a spirit of camaraderie is so far prevailing, especially among athletes from countries with a relatively small Olympic presence.

"I train with a girl from Peru (Ariana Orrego), so we hang out a lot," said Panamanian artistic gymnast Isabella Amado.

"We cheer for each other all the time." (Editing by Ed Osmond)

08/04/2016 15:03