Madrid unveils its hand-shaped logo for 2016 Summer Olympics bid

MADRID, Spain – Madrid unveiled its bid logo for the 2016 Olympics on Tuesday, the palm of a hand painted in the colors of the Olympic movement. The logo – called "Corle" – beat out two other finalists taken from the 113,817 public votes received over a three-week period. Designed by 26-year-old Argentine Joaquin Malle, the logo was one of 2,700 received by the Madrid bid committee before a short list of 10 were submitted to the public on September 3. The logo received 31.96 percent of the vote, more than double received by the runnerup. The design features a cartoon hand traced in the colors blue, yellow, green and red with an M drawn into the palm in black over "Madrid 2016." The hand is a symbol to welcome foreigners to the city and its people, with the colors representing the nationalities and cultures living within the city, according to the Madrid committee. The logo must now be approved by the Spanish Olympic Committee and then the International Olympic Committee. Malle, a freelance graphic designer with Spanish nationality, will receive a €30,000 ($42,309) prize. Madrid is one seven cities in the running for the 2016 Olympics, along with Chicago; Tokyo; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Prague, Czech Republic; Doha, Qatar, and Baku. The IOC will trim the field to a short list of finalists in June 2008, and select the winning city on Oct. 2, 2009. Madrid is bidding for a second straight time after finishing third in the voting for the 2012 Olympics, which were awarded to London. - GMANews.TV