Olympics-Michelle Obama to urge IOC to pick Chicago for 2016

(Adds Chicago reaction)

By Deborah Charles

WASHINGTON, Sept 11 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama is sending his wife Michelle to Copenhagen next month to urge Olympics organisers to select Chicago to host the 2016 Games.

The White House said Obama informed International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge on Friday he had to stay in the United States to push his campaign for health reform.

But Obama, an enthusiastic supporter of his home town's campaign to stage the Games, promised to keep working to support the bid with his wife and his senior advisor Valerie Jarrett.

Mrs Obama and Jarrett will join U.S. organisers at the IOC meeting in Copenhagen on Oct. 2, when the host of the 2016 Summer Olympics will be chosen from the four candidate cities -- Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.

"It is with great pride that I will go to Copenhagen to make the case for the United States to host the 2016 Olympics," Michelle Obama said in a statement.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Chicago would offer the world a fantastic setting for these historic Games and I hope that the Olympic torch will have the chance to burn brightly in my hometown," she said.

Mrs Obama was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, not far from the suggested locations for the Games.

The race to host the 2016 Olympics is looming as one of the tightest yet and U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) officials had made no secret of their belief the president could swing the vote their way.

PIVOTAL ROLE

With heads of state playing an increasingly pivotal role in the bidding process, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Spanish King Juan Carlos have already signalled they will go to Copenhagen while Japan's new prime minister Yukio Hatoyama is expected to be in Denmark to support Tokyo efforts.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair was largely credited with helping London secure the 2012 Summer Games while the presence of Russian leader Vladimir Putin was seen as a key reason behind Sochi's successful bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

"I think we all understand how committed the president is to the health care plan," said Chicago bid chief Pat Ryan. "I think it is going to be well understood around the world, certainly to the IOC membership, that he would love to be there."

Chicago organisers said they do not believe the U.S. president's absence will have any negative impact on their bid.