Approved in July 2007 by the International Olympic Committee,
the inaugural 2010 Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) will be followed by the 2012 Winter YOG,
2014 Summer YOG, 2016 Winter YOG ... and so on ... in alternate years to the current "Professional" Olympic
Games.
Wait a minute. Not so fast.
Consider that at this time, it goes against common sense for humanity to accept further International Olympic Committee global
events at the moment we seek to protect our children by reducing carbon emissions.
The Youth Olympic Games would sensibly be launched in global celebration
once we have resolved the risk of climate change.
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The Youth
Olympic Games (YOG) can provide a magnet to attract back youth who turn their back on sports when they reach adolescence ...
Avoiding "Age-Cheats" at the Inaugural Youth Olympic Games
As reported by Around the Rings, the International Olympic Committee hopes to avoid age-cheats and performance-enhancing drugs scandal at the inaugural
Youth Olympic Games.
The Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising
Committee (SYOGOC) is inviting media to Singapore to cover the Youth Olympic Games, with application for media accreditation
open until 1st May. Media can apply for accreditation directly with SYOGOC via the Singapore 2010 official website at http://www.singapore2010.sg or by contacting the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in the UK. Accredited media will be able to use the media facilities and
services at the Singapore 2010 Main Media Centre, competition and non-competition venues, including the Youth Olympic Village
and Culture and Education Programme venues.
Key events in the run up to the Games include: • Youth Ambassadors Seminar 20 to 25 March 2010 • Chef-de-Mission Seminar 22 to 24 March 2010 •
Singapore 2010 Friendship Games, May 2010: The first round of Friendship Games in January 2010, saw 600 athletes from more
than 20 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) compete in eight different sports. • 99-day Countdown to Singapore 2010,
7 May • Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame, July 2010: The Olympic flame will be lit in Greece and journey to Berlin
(Germany), Dakar (Senegal), Mexico City (Mexico), Auckland (New Zealand), Seoul (Republic of Korea); making its way through
all five Olympic continents (Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania) before arriving in Singapore.
The
STB’s Area Director for Northern and Western Europe, Eunice Yeo said: “The launch of the inaugural Youth Olympic
Games comes as another major sporting accomplishment for Singapore, which saw the launch of the first ever F1 night race in
2008 and became the first South East Asian stop in the Volvo Ocean Race in January 2009.
“Singapore
has really put itself on the map as a global sporting destination and we’re thrilled to be welcoming these young ambassadors.” March
2010 • Singapore 2010 Friendship Games, May 2010: The first round of Friendship Games in January 2010, saw 600 athletes
from more than 20 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) compete in eight different sports. • 99-day Countdown to Singapore
2010, 7 May • Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame, July 2010: The Olympic flame will be lit in Greece and journey
to Berlin (Germany), Dakar (Senegal), Mexico City (Mexico), Auckland (New Zealand), Seoul (Republic of Korea); making its
way through all five Olympic continents (Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania) before arriving in Singapore.
The STB’s Area Director for Northern and Western Europe, Eunice Yeo said: “The launch of the inaugural
Youth Olympic Games comes as another major sporting accomplishment for Singapore, which saw the launch of the first ever F1
night race in 2008 and became the first South East Asian stop in the Volvo Ocean Race in January 2009.
“Singapore has really put itself on the map as a global sporting destination and we’re thrilled
to be welcoming these young ambassadors.”
Hixon, Lenz headed to Youth Olympic Games after winning
bronze at qualifier
GUADALAJARA,
Mexico – Michael Hixon (Amherst, Mass.) and Annika Lenz (Altadena, Calif.) have earned the right to represent the United
States at this summer’s inaugural Youth Olympic Games after winning bronze medals in the qualifying meet.
Hixon placed third in the boys 3-meter event, and Lenz picked up the bronze in the girls 10-meter contest.
Hixon stood in eighth place after the preliminaries but had a solid performance in the finals to jump to third
place with 500.10 points. He scored more than 65 points on three of his five dives in the finals. China’s Bo Qiu led
the field with 578.15 points, followed by Ukraine’s Oleksandr Bondar at 531.20.
Lenz
scored 381.15 points to finish third in the finals after sitting in sixth after the preliminaries. She scored 65.60 points
on her back 2 ½ with 1 ½ twists, and she hit her front 3 ½ for 58.50 points in the finals after having
trouble with the dive in the prelims. Olympian Pandelela Rinong of Malaysia placed first at 440.95, and Canada’s Pamela
Ware took second with 401.60 points.
The top nine finishers qualify for the Games, which
are set for August 14-26 in Singapore. Divers born in 1993 and 1994 are eligible.
USA Track & Field athletes ages 16 and 17 through December 31, 2010 (born in 1993 or
1994) will be nominated for selection to the Americas Youth Olympic Team based on performance at the U.S Area Youth Olympic
Selection Trials – Track & Field (U.S Area Trials) to be held April 3, 2010 at Maverick Stadium, University of Texas
at Arlington, Arlington, Texas.
Details available on the above website include:
News Athlete Info Schedule Entry
Info Tickets Selection Procedures (PDF) Status of Entries Media Info
The Kenya Volleyball Federation has named a final team of 11 players and six officials for the Youth Olympic Africa Zone qualifiers
scheduled for the 15th -23rd of this month in Cairo, Egypt.
Valentine Chepkoech
captains the team which also includes Naomi Too, Nancy Molonza, Violet Makuto, Eddy Musosi, Triza Atuka and Joan Muindi.
The team has been in residential training at the YMCA Shauri Moyo for the past two weeks under Japanese head
coach Irisawa Hide assisted by Catherine Mabwi.
Kenya will battle it out with 7 nations including Egypt,
Tunisia, morocco and Rwanda, for the single African slot to the inaugural Youth Olympic Games to be staged in September in
Singapore.
Race Cayman - Cayman's Largest Ever International Sailing Event
The Cayman Islands
Sailing Club (CISC) will be hosting Race Cayman on 10th - 16th March 2010. This is the largest international sailing event
ever to be held in Cayman and underpins the growth of sailing in Cayman and the development of young Caymanian sailors to
an Olympic standard.
With registrations for Race Cayman now closed, the Club is in final preparations for this
showcase sailing event, which features the Youth Olympic Games Regional Qualifier, the Byte CII North American Championship
and the CISC International Invitational J/22 Regatta.
The Minister of Sports, the Hon Mark Scotland commented,
"We are really excited about the Race Cayman sailing event and particularly Cayman being chosen to host the North American
and Caribbean Youth Olympic Games qualifier. This event builds on both Cayman's sailing heritage and helps to promote sports
tourism in Cayman. We wish all the teams fair winds and may the best team win."
Thirty-six young sailors,
aged between 14 and 17 years will be competing in the Byte events, hoping to qualify their nation for the Youth Olympic Games
in Singapore in August this year.
USA Track and Field Announces Trials for Youth Olympic Games
USA Track & Field (USATF), the National Governing Body for track and
field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States, announces trials for the first-ever Youth Olympic Games less than one month before the event. As seen on the website:
News & Notes, Volume 10, Number 5
03-04-2010
Contact: Vicky Oddi Communications Coordinator USA Track & Field 317-713-4670
U.S. Area Youth Olympic Selection Trials announced
INDIANAPOLIS - The inaugural U.S. Area Youth Olympic Selection Trials - Track & Field will be held Saturday,
April 3, at Maverick Stadium at the University of Texas at Arlington USA Track & Field announced on Thursday.
USA Track & Field athletes ages 16 and 17 through December 31, 2010 (born in 1993 or 1994) will be nominated
for selection to the Americas Youth Olympic Team based on their performance at the U.S Area Youth Olympic Selection Trials
- Track & Field (U.S Area Trials).
The first ever Youth Olympic Games, an event where youth
athletes will have the opportunity to balance sport, education and culture, will take place August 14-26 in Singapore. Over
3600 athletes from 205 nations are expected to compete in 26 sports and culture & education programs.
Will Investigation into the Cause of the Georgian Athlete's Death Make the Sport of Luge Safer for Athletes at the first-ever
2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games?
The International Luge Federation's website (accessed March 1, 2010)
notes that luge is included in the 2012 Innsbruck Winter Youth Olympic Games:
"From January 13
to 22, 2012, 1,048 athletes between 15 and 19 years of age will be competing in 63 medal decisions in all seven Olympic winter
sports. In luge, medals will be awarded in women’s singles, men’s single, doubles and in the Team Relay."
An
article, posted last night by Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports, mentions the
issue of athlete safety:
"Nodar Kumaritashvili died when he was ejected from the track and into a steel pole."
Over the next six
months, let us all keep track of the Olympic Family investigation to see it brings out the true cause of the
young athlete's death. Public scrutiny is a check and balance on the conduct and completeness of an investigation.
The Kenya Volleyball Federation has named a final team of 11 players and six officials for the Youth Olympic Africa Zone qualifiers
scheduled for the 15th -23rd of this month in Cairo, Egypt.
A
