Rio 2016 opens Olympic volunteer centre

Rio de Janerio: The first training centre for Rio's 2016 Olympic volunteer program has opened, organisers said on Thursday, a media report said on Friday.

The facility in the Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood is one of four permanent training centres due to open before the Games, according to a statement on the Rio2016.com website, Xinhua reported.

Rio's city centre, Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte will also boast training venues.

"We want our candidates to learn new things, to have the opportunity to have a unique experience and to be able to share with other people the experience of having worked on the world's largest sports event," said Flavia Fontes, Rio 2016's head of volunteers.

"The goal of the centre is to train volunteers so that they perform focused and efficient work."

All four permanent training centres will be on campuses of Estacio University, an official supporter of the Rio Games.

The training schedule will include interviews, group discussions and role-play activities.

The local organising committee said 70,000 volunteers would be selected from 242,000 applicants.