One week after registration for the Rio 2016 Volunteer Programme opened, a kaleidoscope of people from various walks of life have expressed their desire to take part in the world’s biggest sporting event. By Thursday (4 September), more than 60,000 people from over 160 countries had registered as candidates for one of the 70,000 positions offered to work at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

One week after registration for the Rio 2016 Volunteer Programme opened, a kaleidoscope of people from various walks of life have expressed their desire to take part in the world’s biggest sporting event. By Thursday (4 September), more than 60,000 people from over 160 countries had registered as candidates for one of the 70,000 positions offered to work at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Applications have arrived from students, working people and the retired, with interest shown in all 500 job types: from drivers to health professionals, seamstresses to make-up artists, and interpreters for a huge variety of languages.

Coming from the four corners of the world, some 60 per cent of candidates have already taken part in some kind of volunteering. Another eye-catching detail is the impressive number of candidates from countries that have hosted the most recent Olympic and Paralympic Games, illustrating the inspirational effect that hosting the events has on the local population. China has provided the highest number of overseas registrations, with 3,204, while 2,595 Russians and 2,318 people from Great Britain have so far registered their interest.

The USA has provided the second highest number of foreign registrations, with 2,874, while the host country has naturally provided the largest number, with 37,903 Brazilians (62 per cent of the total) keen to participate in the first Olympic and Paralympic Games in South America.

One of the most enthusiastic international candidates is Britain’s Ian Kershaw, 51, who discovered a new calling when the Olympic Games were hosted by London in 2012.

“In London I was a workforce team leader in the Athletes’ Village. It was the best month of my life, being surrounded by such positivity in all respects. I registered for Rio 2016 on the first day possible,” said Ian, who has created a website ‘Going to Rio 2016’, where he exchanges information with other candidates.

“I wanted to share my learnings, as an international volunteer not quite sure how to get to Rio. I figured other people may also be in the same position, and that having a place where we can all gather and share our findings would be great.”

Among the applicants from Rio is 20-year-old student Raquel Mandarino, who hopes to meet new people and boost her career through volunteering at the Games.

“I have applied to work in production, since I’m studying communications and this is a unique opportunity to get to know new people in my field of activity,” she said. “I think that this is what the spirit of the Games is all about, getting to know people and bringing people together from all over the world.”

For Igor Lafaeff, a 27-year-old Brazilian financial analyst, taking part in the programme would be a chance to put into practice some skills that he rarely uses in his day-to-day life.

“I was a volunteer at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games and it was an incredible experience,” he said. “As well as practising Russian, which I had learned specifically for the Games, I was able to interact more with people, something that I don’t do a lot of, since I work in an office as a financial analyst and spend a lot of time alone.

“I saw another side to my profession and learned a great deal about how to get on with people. That was what I liked most. And I’m sure that the Games in Brazil will be even better.”

Do you also want to take part? Register at www.rio2016.com/volunteers.