This is the first time in the history of the Olympic Games that the proportion of athletes to participate in this youth Olympic Games is half.
Xinhua News Agency, Buenos Aires, October 6 (reporters Li Hualiang and NI Ruijie) on the evening of the 6th, there was an empty lane in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina! More than 200,000 people gathered in the city’s landmark building obelisk to witness the opening of the third Summer Youth Olympic Games.
This is the first time in the history of modern Olympic movement to hold the opening ceremony in the open area outside the stadium. The 67.5-meter-high obelisk is transformed into an arena on which performers run or ride, showing track and field, bicycle and other sports, vividly explaining “faster, higher, stronger” Olympic motto.
Six “old” Olympians, including Argentine basketball star Gutierres, handed over the five rings flag to six representatives of the younger generation of athletes, representing the Olympic spirit.
The proportion of male and female athletes participating in this youth Olympic Games is half, which is the first time in the history of the Olympic Games. To highlight this feature, Argentine judo female athlete Pareto and retired sailing male athlete lanch took the last stick of the flame and lit the main torch of the Youth Olympic Games together.
The children who were rescued in the incident of missing the Thai junior football team not long ago were also invited to the opening ceremony that night. Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, said: “They have been exercising and competing since childhood, which has tempered their character of not giving up under difficulties. The Youth Olympic Games has always been more than competitive and cultural and educational. I believe that the sharing and collision between them and youth Olympic mobilization will certainly enrich each other’s life experience.”
In the next 12 competition days, about 4,000 players from more than 200 countries and regions will compete in 32 major events and 241 minor events, compared with the previous session, 4 major events and 19 minor events have been added, and 4 new formal events include rock climbing, sports dance, karate and speed roller skating. 82 players of the Chinese delegation will participate in 24 major events and 102 minor events such as track and field, swimming and table tennis.
The Youth Olympic Games was proposed and founded by former IOC president Roger. The previous two summer Youth Olympic Games were held in Singapore and Nanjing, China respectively. Compared with the Olympic Games, the Youth Olympic Games is not only an Olympic sports event, but also a cultural exchange and education platform. In addition to the event, there are also various cultural and educational activities aimed at educating young people in Olympic value, promote the inheritance of the Olympic spirit.
The flame has been lit and the whistle of the competition has been blown. The slogan of this competition is “feel the future”. The world will feel the youth power of future stars in sports, and the Youth Olympic Games will also let young players feel the new journey of sports career and future life.