The First Youth Olympic Games in Singapore
All roads to Singapore 2010 YOG
With the triumvirate of International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, and Singapore’s billionaire IOC connection Ng Ser Miang, the first-ever quadrennial (every four years) Youth Olympic Games pushed through last Saturday, August 14, 2010 amid the much long preparation that won their bid starting 2007.
Empowerment of the youth in sports, especially those who belong in the age bracket of 14-18 years, aside from friendship and brotherhood is the essence of the junior version of Olympics.
This Summer Youth Olympics, is a major sports and cultural festival that is celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, now on its XXIX Olympiad. There are 3,531 athletes between 14 and 18 years of age from 204 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that are competing in 184 events in 26 sports.
Although, Kuwait is nor represented, due to government intervention, Kuwaiti youth representatives are there under the official Olympic flag.
The decision for Singapore to host the Games was announced on 21 February 2008 after a mail voting by 105 IOC members.
Singapore National Anthem @ Youth Olympic Games c/o ulfw
Sports being competed at the 2010 Singapore YOG
The Singapore YOG is featuring 26 sports, forming a total of 31 disciplines. These include two disciplines under the IOC classification of aquatics (diving and swimming), and three for Gymnastics (Artistic, Rhythmic and Trampoline).
China versus Russia Youth but Japan pocketed the first gold!
The youth participants in the 2010 SIngapore YOG are being lead by China and Russia when it comes to medal haul.
The rest of the top ten (as of this writing) include:Azerbaijan, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Kazakhstan, Canada and the United States of America (USA).
There are 201 gold medals to be awarded to all top finishers aside from 201 silver medals and 201 bronze medals for the runners-up.
First Highlight: Team Japan's Yuka Sato grabbed the first gold medal in the sportsfest in triathlon.
Sato, winner of the 2009 Incheon ITU triathlon YOG qualifier, is one of Japan's promising athletes. She took up triathlon at just nine, has won various Asian events and dreams of finishing among the medals one day in the summer Olympic Games.
Australia's Ellie Salthouse took silver and United States' Kelly Whitley the bronze. Salthouse is the 2009 junior world champion in aquathlon.
Triathlon consists of swimming, biking and marathon that will surely test your endurance in the three sport discipline rolled into one.
