Interesting Green: Bring on the Youth Olympic Games

WEEKEND TODAY, May 8 - 9, 2010, PAGE 1, NEWS
http://imcms2.mediacorp.sg/CMSFileserver/documents/006/PDF/20100508/0805FPW003.pdf
http://imcms2.mediacorp.sg/CMSFileserver/documents/006/PDF/20100508/0805HPW008.pdf
By Low Lin Fhoong, linfhoong@mediacorp.com.sg

PHOTO: YOG mascots Lyo and Merly with MediaCorp TV Channel 5 YOG hosts, from left, Divian Krishnan Nair, Candice Miller and Julian Tan. Ernest Chua.

PM Lee kicks off 99-day countdown to inaugural mega-event

The journey started on Feb 21, 2008, when a nation of just over 4 million people heard it had pipped Moscow to win the right to host the world’s first Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

On Friday, as fireworks lit up the skies over Orchard Road, Singaporeans came out to party at *Scape Youth Space, marking the 99-day countdown to the inaugural YOG.

PHOTO: A performer wows the crowd with her fluid moves,
by Koh Mui Fong

For one of the key men responsible for bringing the Games to Singapore, the dream is close to fulfilment.

Speaking to media after the event, an emotional Singapore YOG Organising Committee (Syogoc) chairman Ng Ser Miang said: “This is something of a scale that’s very hard to come by, other than the one which we may have the capacity to host, the Asian Games. This is of a greater capacity, 205 National Olympic Committees, 26 Olympic sports, more than 200 events.”

PHOTO: Enthusiasm as host city of the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.
http://www.global-scholar.org/participation/images/imagecache/home_hero_rotator_main/hero_feature/hero_image/Keith_thumb.jpg

He added: “It’s a dream that will soon be realised and something that will leave a strong legacy for all Singaporeans.”

Some 3,600 youngsters aged 14 to 18 will compete at the Games from Aug 14 to 26.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the guest of honour on Friday, recalled the events more than two years ago. He told the more than 1,000-strong crowd: “When the International Olympic Committee created the YOG, we decided to bid to host the Games. Some thought that Singapore was too small and inexperienced to host an Olympic event like this. But we decided to give it a go ...

“On Feb 21, 2008, the IOC declared Singapore as the winning host city. When IOC president Jacques Rogge announced that Singapore had won, the whole field (Padang) erupted with joy.”

PHOTO: Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010
http://junyuansec.net/img/youth%20olympic%20games.jpg

PHOTO: Children and teenagers in the crowd can’t wait for the YO G to start, by Ernest Chua

From: http://imcms2.mediacorp.sg/CMSFileserver/documents/006/PDF/20100508/0805HPW008.pdf

99 days to go ...

Set amid the hustle and bustle of Singapore’s shopping district, Friday’s event included performances by schools and indie band Electrico and a pledge of affirmation by everyone present.

The event was also attended by Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Mr Sergey Bubka, chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Games, and Education Minister Ng Eng Hen.

PHOTO: Singapore 2010: First Youth Olympic Games Mascots – Lyo & Merly
http://frankiemalachi.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/yog-1109-mascot-team-interview.jpg

For the organising committee, 37 government agencies, 1,000 civil servants who have volunteered to work full-time during the Games and 20,000 others, the pace picks up from now.

Members of the IOC Coordination Commission visited Singapore for its fourth and final meeting this week, and some, such as Olympic Games executive director Gilbert Felli, were suitably impressed at the effort put in so far.

Mr Felli said: “This is the first time the IOC is organising the YOG ... Our president had a vision, and we’ll see if we succeed in August ... I am confident we will.”

In July, the Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame will begin in Ancient Olympia and travel through five cities, Berlin, Dakar, Mexico City, Auckland and Seoul, before coming to Singapore for a round the-island relay.

Prime Minister Lee called on Singaporeans to answer the call and support the YOG. “Let’s all give Team Singapore our fullest support,” he said.

Syogoc chairman Mr Ng is confident the stadiums and halls will be filled when the Games roll around. "Now that the foundation has been laid, you’ll see more buzz and more visibility. Before, you could hear, now you can see, and soon you can feel it as well.”

By Low Lin Fhoong, linfhoong@mediacorp.com.sg

PHOTO: 为了让邻里也感受到YOG的气氛，碧山, 大巴窑区已在大巴窑1巷的组屋旁搭建起YOG宣传板。
wèi le ràng lín lǐ yě gǎn shòu dào YOG de qì fēn, bì shān, dà bā yáo qū yǐ zài dà bā yáo 1 xiàng de zǔ wū páng dā jiàn qǐ YOG xuān chuán bǎn.

据了解，其他邻里也会陆续这么做。
jù liǎo jiě qí tā lín lǐ yě huì lù xù zhè me zuò.

(梁麒麟摄）
(liáng qí lín shè)

To make the neighborhood also felt the YOG atmosphere, Bishan and Toa Payoh group have erected YOG boards at Toa Payoh Lorong 1. It is understood that other neighbors will follow to create the excitement.
(Photo by liáng qí lín)

From: 我报(MYPAPER), 星期四(Thursday), 2010年5月6日(6th, May 2010), PAGE B6
By: 洪奕婷 (hóng yì tíng)

PHOTO: YOG特许商品旗舰店目前摆卖120多种各式各样设计精美又可爱的YOG商品，
YOG tè xǔ shāng pǐn qí jiàn diàn mù qián bǎi mài 120 duō zhǒng gè shì gè yàng shè jì jīng měi yòu kě ài YOG de shāng pǐn,

就连店员也爱不释手。
jiù lián diàn yuán yě ài bú shì shǒu.

(梁麒麟摄)
(liáng qí lín shè)
YOG currently has specially licensed sales of more than 120 kinds of various cute YOG-designed products, which even the salesperson can't bear to let it go.

From: 我报(MYPAPER), 星期四(Thursday), 2010年5月6日(6th, May 2010), PAGE B1
By: 洪奕婷 (hóng yì tíng)

Translated by:
Using nciku (www.nciku.com), an online dictionary with English and Chinese language (with Pinyin)