Brazilian children will be invited to take part in the climax of next year's first full running of the newly fashioned School Games, the finals of which will take place in the Olympic Stadium shortly before the London 2012 Games gets underway.

In return, children from Britain will participate in Brazil's Olimpiadas Escolares programme, which aims to increase youth participation in sport and runs in around 40,000 schools, involving around two million children.

"This new link with Rio 2016 will boost the international and domestic legacies from London 2012," said Hunt, who was in Brazil to strengthen the UK-Brazil partnership on sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

He added: "Brazil is buzzing with the anticipation of hosting the 2016 Games, and they are keen to learn lessons from London about how best to maximise the benefits that come from hosting the Games.

"There's a real excitement and enthusiasm about sport amongst young people across the UK and the new School Games will leave a real sporting legacy from London's Games.

"The pilots are going well and schools up and down the country are signing up."

Hunt had presaged the new agreement during his appearance at the first of the pilot School Games events earlier this month in Hatfield, as he told a hall-full of schoolchildren: "This is a historic day.

"We are the first Olympic host country that said they wanted to have a School Games.

"Brazil 2012 have also decided to do a School Games, so today is not just the national premiere of the School Games, this is the global premiere of the School Games here in Hertfordshire!"

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