Rio in adrenalin-driven Olympic race

Rio de Janeiro

WITH Tuesday marking 500 days to go before it stages South America's first ever Olympic Games, Rio is straining at the leash to be ready - but a key target of dealing with pollution in the bay hosting sailing events is floating out of reach.

In having to overhaul crumbling infrastructure, polluted waters and protests notably over the choice of a nature reserve to host the return of golf to the Games, organisers could almost be forgiven for seeing the undertaking as one mammoth discipline - a giant obstacle course.