100 Days to Go Until the EYOF Gyor 2017

The Hugoo countdown clock is going to show a round number on Good Friday as from that day, the 14 April, there is only 100 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the European Youth Olympic Festival in Győr.

'When we decided to bid for hosting the EYOF back in 2011, 2017 seemed to be very far away. Since then, almost six years have passed and now we are only 100 days before the event, almost ready to start. If I think about these past six years, a lot has happened in our city. We have built venues up to high European standards, such as the Audi Arena Győr and the Aqua Sports Centre. In Radnóti Street, the Olympic Sport Park, a facility which will serve as a training and competition venue for various sports, is under construction.

The Széchenyi István University is extended by new dormitory wings which will serve as the Athletes’ Village together with 201 newly built apartments at the premises of the old oil factory. Apart from the new facilities, the town’s infrastructure has developed immensely, including improved transport connections, new roads and several renovations.’- said Mr. Zsolt Borkai, mayor of the city of Győr and President of the Hungarian Olympic Committee.

He emphasized that these projects were subsidized by the Hungarian State with more than twenty billion Hungarian forints (approximately sixty-five million euros), while the municipality of Győr also contributed with several billions of forints. Furthermore, the preparation for the Festival requires high level of commitment and coordination from the athletes, sport professionals, local and foreign volunteers, cultural institutions, as well as private corporations as sponsors, who all contribute to hosting a successful event for Europe.

"The joint effort is well symbolized by our EYOF Ambassadors, ten well-known athletes, including Olympians, Olympic Champions, World- and European Champions who serve as the idols for the talents of today, who are represented by ten young athletes. A couple of weeks ago not only the Sport Ambassadors of the EYOF Győr 2017 were introduced to the public, but also the medal designs were presented for the media representatives.

At the moment, the Organising Committee is preparing for the Chefs de Mission Seminar which is due at the end of the month. The representatives of all 50 participating NOCs were invited to this event, and it seems we will welcome among others the swimming legend Peter van den Hoogenband, and will present all practical information about the EYOF and discuss relevant questions with them. At the end of May, the Flame Lighting Ceremony will take place in Rome, Italy, and then will arrive to Győr to start its countrywide journey from there. In the meantime, EYOF test competitions are organised during the months before the event, where the Organising Committee assesses the different procedures. All these preparation works has one goal, to show something exceptional and special to the participants at the Festival which will open on 23 July with a unique Opening Ceremony’- explained Mr Borkai, who also added: ‘There is only 100 days to go, we are preparing continuously, please prepare with us!"

For more information, please contact:

Gabor Ivan

European Youth Olympic Festival

Media and Press Operations

E-mail: press@gyor2017.hu

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