This is it. The Youth
Olympic Games (YOG)
are the realisation of
many years of discussion
and planning by the
International Olympic
Committee (IOC).
In 2010, Singapore will host the very first Games with a
format designed to be more than just a sporting event.
Aimed to cater for nearly 3,600 athletes aged between
14 and 18 years old, there will be a strong emphasis on
cultural and educational programmes based on the
Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.
IOC president Jacque Rogge underlined the Games’
intentions: “We are not only building an event for the
world’s most talented young athletes, we are creating a
platform to communicate to young people worldwide to
interact through sport, culture and education.”
Rowing is one of the 26 sports of the Games with an
allocation of 96 athletes who will be aged 17 and 18
years old. Rowers will compete on a 1,000m course
at Singapore’s Marina Reservoir. Close to the town
centre and built on a dammed part of the harbour, the
reservoir is Singapore’s largest body of water. By the
time the Games begin the course will have undergone
a purification process and will be fresh water.
There are four rowing events: the men’s and women’s
single and the men’s and women’s pair. A maximum
of one male boat and one female boat per nation is
permitted. All of the boats will be supplied by the
Singapore organisers.
The first round of qualification took place at last year’s
World Rowing Junior Championships. At this time,
29 countries qualified with Germany, Romania and the
United States being the stand-out qualifiers. Further
qualification spots will be allocated during 2010. A
number of places are also reserved for “universality” places
– this principle
is applied across all sports and will
support the IOC’s objective that all NOCs are represented
at the Games. The National Olympic Committees will
confirm entries (by name) by 15 July 2010.
The Youth Olympic flame will travel to one city in each
of the continents before arriving in Singapore in August.
The chosen cities are: Berlin (Germany), Dakar (Senegal),
Mexico City (Mexico), Auckland (New Zealand) and
Seoul (Republic of Korea).
The Youth Olympic Games run from 14 to 26 August
with the Youth Olympic Rowing Regatta taking place
from 15 to 19 August 2010.
