Singapore Youth Olympic Festival as a YOG legacy

A Youth Olympic Festival for all@straits times

THE spirit of last August's inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is set to live on - in the form of the upcoming Singapore Youth Olympic Festival (SYOF).

From Aug 13-21, the public will get to take part in the SYOF, which will be held in conjunction with the first Community Sports Competition (CSC).

They will be able to choose from five sports - table tennis, badminton, taekwondo, three-on-three basketball and five-a-side football - at the Singapore Expo.

Ng Ser Miang, chairman of the Singapore Olympic Foundation, announced yesterday that the annual event will serve as a 'platform to encourage youth to take up sports' and mark the YOG's first anniversary.

Said Ng, who is also an International Olympic Committee vice-president: 'There have been a lot of complaints that young people have to go through school competitions and have no formal opportunity to participate in sports they like.'

'This is going to be a very open event without any qualification marks.'

Flanked by six of the Republic's YOG medallists - taekwondo exponent Daryl Tan, sailor Audrey Yong, swimmer Rainer Ng as well as footballers Jeffrey Lightfoot, Dhukhilan Jeevamani and Sunny Ng - at the picturesque Marina Bay Golf Course, he added that future editions could be expanded to include athletes from other countries.

But, for now, organisers are hoping to draw at least 2,000 local athletes to this year's event, which is expected to cost around $800,000.

Said Ng: 'Anybodycan just put in an application and there will be different levels of athletes taking part. But I believe it will be an interesting competition and we might even discover some stars.'

Added footballer Dhukhilan, 16: 'It's a great way to inspire young people to try out a sport and you have to start somewhere.'

There will be three categories for the public to sign up for - Youth (13-16 years old), Open (17 years and above) and Masters (40 years and above).

For more details about the SYOF and how to take part, log on to www.singaporesports.sg