Glasgow Youth Olympics bid unveils ambassadors

By KARRIE GILLETT
Published on 23/03/2013 02:35

THREE medal-winning athletes from London 2012 have been unveiled as champions for Glasgow’s bid to host the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.

Rower Katherine Grainger, swimmer Michael Jamieson and Jade Jones, who won Team GB’s first taekwondo Olympic gold, are lending their support to the campaign to bring the event to Scotland.

Glasgow was shortlisted last month as one of three candidates to stage the 2018 Games, going up against Buenos Aires in Argentina and Medellin in Colombia. The final decision will be announced in July.

The Scottish bid was highlighted by the organising committee for its use of existing venues and experience of hosting international sporting events. The promotion of the event as a legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2014 Commonwealth Games was also identified as a positive factor.

Grainger, who last summer added gold to her three previous Olympic silver medals, said: “Glasgow has an outstanding track record of hosting major sporting events. Over the years the city has shown it has what it takes to put on a show, and this is exactly what it aims to do in 2018.

“Glasgow 2018 will inspire young people to be champions in their lives. We want to reach out to young people across the world and make 2018 a year to remember for young people.”

Olympic silver medallist Jamieson, a former pupil at Glasgow School of Sport at Bellahouston Academy, said: “Having grown up in Glasgow, I am passionate about this bid and the commitment in Glasgow to developing sport at all levels. Glasgow is a vibrant, energetic and passionate city and one that the young people of the world would respond to in 2018.”

The first summer Youth Olympics was held in Singapore in 2010 and the event will be held in Nanjing, China next year.

Jones, who won gold at the 2010 event, said: “Singapore was the start of an incredible Olympic journey for me and I would love to see the Youth Olympic Games come to Glasgow in 2018. London 2012 showed just how passionate the British public is when it comes to sport and that is what young people can expect in Glasgow.

“I know that Glasgow will be the beginning of a great Olympic career for so many young athletes.”

The event sees athletes aged between 15 and 18 compete in all 28 Olympic sports over 12 days.

Paul Bush, Glasgow 2018 bid director, said: “The biggest strength of our bid to bring the 2018 Youth Olympic Games to Glasgow is our young people. They are at the very heart of everything we do and will ensure that we reach out across the world.

“Our bid is not just about Glasgow, Scotland and the UK, it is about bringing together young people from all over the world for a truly world-class celebration of sport.”