Last March I came to Rio de Janeiro in what marked one of my first trips outside Europe with insidethegames. Never having been to Brazil before I was rather wowed by everything I saw, and particularly by the city’s glamour, colour and vibrancy. I was consequently rather less sceptical than perhaps I should have been about everything I was told, especially in relation to insistences they would still meet a bid-time legacy commitment to reducing water pollution levels across the city by 80 per cent.

attendance.International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach was confident about preparations when speaking on the beach

Year To Go celebrations ©IOCSwapping his suit and tie for tee-shirt and shorts and departing for the beach

young rowers here have grown up doing early morning training sessions on.The same can be said of beach

volleyball at Copacabana, archery at the Sambódromo and football back in the Maracanã, while the

A latest set of Rio 2016 commemorative coins have been unveiled as part of the celebrations marking one-year-to-go until the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, while a special set of sporting stamps have also been released.

Coins for common circulation, all worth BRL R$1 (£0.18/$0.26/€0.28) and depicting the sports of volleyball

consisted of rowing on Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, running in Flamengo Park, cycling at Vista Chinesa, and beach

volleyball at Copacabana, with the gold coin featuring Christ the Redeemer on one side and Olympic wrestling

Defending champions the United States booked their place in the semi-finals of the International Volleyball

League title with clash with FranceMarch 2015: World League Group 1 Finals to double as Rio 2016 volleyball

test eventFebruary 2015: FIVB strikes deal with Beach Major Company as Swatch returns as Major

four-set victory over defending champions the United States on the second day of the International Volleyball

World League title with clash with FranceMarch 2015: World League Group 1 Finals to double as Rio 2016 volleyball

test eventFebruary 2015: FIVB strikes deal with Beach Major Company as Swatch returns as Major Series

sponsorDecember 2014: Rio 2016 volleyball test event in doubt after corruption allegations involving

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Evaluation Commission has recommended that the CGF General Assembly votes to award the South African city of Durban the 2022 Commonwealth Games next month, but their report, released today, outlined several areas requiring immediate attention.

KwaZulu-Natal, with the latter set to stage squash competition during the Games, while temporary venues for beach

volleyball, wheelchair basketball and shooting are set to be funded by Durban 2022.With no new permanent

world-leading United States and Brazilian opposition in their respective women’s softball and men’s volleyball

triumph in women's softball since Caracus 1983.Argentina battled to victory over Brazil in the men's volleyball

final ©Getty ImagesThis was followed by similar late drama in the concluding men's volleyball final

States enjoy golden day at Toronto 2015July 2015: Mexican pair fight back to win Toronto 2015 men's beach

volleyball gold

Brazil held their nerve to claim a thrilling overtime victory over Argentina here tonight on a frenetic final evening of Pan American Games sporting action otherwise headlined by two incident-packed men's relays on the athletics track.

There was also a US win over Brazil in the women's volleyball final.The same two countries shared golds

States enjoy golden day at Toronto 2015July 2015: Mexican pair fight back to win Toronto 2015 men's beach

volleyball goldJuly 2015: Brazil and US win in table tennis as Canada sparkle in athletics at Toronto

Canada's Andre De Grasse completed the men's sprint double at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games as the 20-year-old secured the 200 metres title here today to add to the 100m gold he won two days ago at the CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletics Stadium.

States enjoy golden day at Toronto 2015July 2015: Mexican pair fight back to win Toronto 2015 men's beach

volleyball goldJuly 2015: Brazil and US win in table tennis as Canada sparkle in athletics at Toronto

Canada’s Damian Warner broke the Pan American Games and Canadian decathlon records to win Toronto 2015 gold here tonight, while the several Olympic medallists where also secured podium positions on a night of hgh-quality athletics action.

States enjoy golden day at Toronto 2015July 2015: Mexican pair fight back to win Toronto 2015 men's beach

volleyball goldJuly 2015: Brazil and US win in table tennis as Canada sparkle in athletics at Toronto

Canada’s rising sprint star Andre De Grasse met the home crowd’s expectations here tonight as he secured Pan American Games gold in the men’s 100m final, but United States proved to be the dominant force on day 12 of competition at Toronto 2015.

bronze respectively.Related storiesJuly 2015: Mexican pair fight back to win Toronto 2015 men's beach

volleyball goldJuly 2015: Brazil and US win in table tennis as Canada sparkle in athletics at Toronto

France continued their superb form in the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) World League by

World League title with clash with FranceMarch 2015: World League Group 1 Finals to double as Rio 2016 volleyball

test eventFebruary 2015: FIVB strikes deal with Beach Major Company as Swatch returns as Major Series

sponsorDecember 2014: Rio 2016 volleyball test event in doubt after corruption allegations involving

Mexico's Juan Virgen and Rodolfo Ontiveros came from behind to win Pan American Games men's beach volleyball

crowd.Argentina's Georgina Klug and Ana Gallay held their nerve to win the women's gold medal in the beach

volleyball at the Pan American Games ©Getty ImagesCuba's fans were able to celebrate bronze in the men's

Hosts and hot favourites Brazil begin their pursuit of a record 10th International Volleyball Federation

four-time runners-up Serbia.Related storiesMarch 2015: World League Group 1 Finals to double as Rio 2016 volleyball

test eventFebruary 2015: FIVB strikes deal with Beach Major Company as Swatch returns as Major Series

sponsorDecember 2015: Rio 2016 volleyball test event in doubt after corruption allegations involving

Papua New Guinea finished top of the Pacific Games medals table for only the second time in the their history as their athletes produced another excellent performance here on the final day of competition at Port Moresby 2015.

, the hosts swept the golf tournament, sealing all four available golds, and added another two in beach

volleyball and the men’s half-marathon.The hosts claimed an overall total of 87 gold medals, comfortably

1991 ©Port Moresby 2015Papua New Guinean duo Richard Kilarupa and Moha Mea became the first men’s beach

volleyball gold medallists from the country, clinching a straight sets win over Fiji to the delight

with bronze following victory over Tonga.America Samoa's women team won the gold medal in the women's beach

International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) President Ary S.

Graça has revealed the governing body are attempting to bring another major volleyball tournament to

London, with the 2019 Beach Volleyball World Championships one possible option.

tournament in the future during the Beach Volleyball World Championships, which concluded in The Hague

volleyball with one of the most iconic venues of the Olympics.Beach volleyball had the iconic venue

post-Rio 2016July 2015: Barbara and Agatha crowned women’s beach volleyball world champions after victory

Volleyball World Championship finalJuly 2015: Germany's Holtwick and Semmler breeze through at Beach

revenge as Dutch defending champions bow out of home Beach Volleyball World Championships