Buenos Aires 2018 presented its parks concept and promises a groundbreaking opening ceremony at the IOC Session

Lima, September 13. The Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee presented

this Wednesday its park concept at the 131st IOC Session held in Lima. Additionally, it announced that

an innovative Games opening ceremony will be outdoors in the heart of the Argentine capital city.

The Buenos Aires 2018 delegation included the Organizing Committee chairman, Gerardo Werthein,

the CEO, Leandro Larrosa, and the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games medalist Fernanda Russo. The

major of Buenos Aires, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, participated through a video broadcasted during

the presentation.

Buenos Aires 2018 announced an innovative opening ceremony, October 6th next year, that will be

held at the downtown area of the Obelisk in the city.

"Another innovation that we have placed at the core of our project is a new style of opening

ceremony", explained Werthein.

"It is a great project with a new concept: go to where the people are rather than trying to get people

to stadiums", he underscored. "It will be an inclusive ceremony, affordable, sustainable, a bit

disruptive like us, we are bringing not only sports, but celebration to the people", he added.

Most of the 241 events in 32 disciplines of Buenos Aires 2018 will take place in four parks located in

the vicinity of several areas of the City of Buenos Aires where people usually get together. Moreover,

the sports competition will be combined with cultural, recreational, and educational activities.

The Youth Olympic Park, which is under construction as part of the renovation process of the

southern area of the city, will be the heart of Buenos Aires 2018 as it will host 50% of the sports to be

played during the Games.

Its sports infrastructure will be part of the legacy for the City. It includes an athletic field, a water

sports stadium, and two hockey fields, amongst others.

"This is a facility that will be used to develop the next generation of Argentinian athletes and to show

them why YOG really matters and make such a difference to their lives," said Werthein.

It will be located in the vicinity of the Youth Olympic Village, which will house 3,998 athletes. For the

first time, there will be the same amount of male and female athletes.

Moreover, the Urban Park will be built on the west of the city; the Green Park to the north, and

Tecnopolis Park on the west.

"The Olympic Village for the Youth Olympic Games is an important project to us," stated Rodríguez

Larreta, on the video broadcasted during the Buenos Aires 2018 presentation.

"Here, we will accommodate with the best conveniences all the young people that will visit us. And,

above all, once the Games are over, all these housings will be for people of this city who really need

them. They will have access to them through long-term soft loans", he added.

The Organizing Committee announced during the IOC Session that the Village construction work is

87% complete.

"In partnership with the IOC and the Ifs we have developed a new approach to the YOG based on

each cluster that we now call Parks giving athletes and spectators a unique experience reflecting the

different flavors of BA and Argentina and also of each of the sports involved.", explained during the

presentation the Buenos Aires 2018 CEO, Leandro Larrosa.

"This park concept mixes competition venues with Celebration sites, all linked together in the same

environment", he added.

New sports at Buenos Aires 2018

Buenos Aires 2018 also confirmed that four new sports will be included in the sport programme of

the Games.

"Given the new flexibilities Agenda 2020, four new sports were added to the program. Karate,

climbing, roller and dance sports will be among the 32 sports of the Program. Always ensuring to keep

it as the first gender equality Olympic Games ever," Larrosa said.

A Youth Olympian that dazzled the audience

The Buenos Aires 2018 presentation featured a very special guest, the athlete Fernanda Russo.

The 17 year old athlete, who won a silver medal in 10 meter air rifle at the Nanjing 2014 Youth

Olympic Games and the 2015 Pan American Games, fascinated the Session attendees when, after

thanking her professors for letting her come to Lima, she talked about how the Youth Olympic Games

were a springboard for her career.

"The Games were a life-changing experience. They gave me more confidence and marked my career

as an athlete she affirmed from the center stage at the Lima Convention Center.

Russo, the youngest Argentine medalist in the history of the Pan American Games, also underscored

the young athletes promotion program of the High Performance Sports National Organization from

Argentina.

"In one year, we won nine gold medals, six silver medals, four bronze medals, as well as several world

championships", she explained.

List of sports at Buenos Aires 2018

1. Archery

2. Athletics

3. Badminton

4. Basketball

5. Beach Volleyball

6. Boxing

7. Canoe

8. Cycling

9. Aquatics – diving / swimming

10. Equestrian/Jumping

11. Fencing

12. Futsal

13. Golf

14. Gymnastics – artistic/rhythmic/trampoline/acrobatic

15. Beach Handball

16. Hockey

17. Modern Pentathlon

18. Rowing

19. Rugby - seven

20. Sailing

21. Shooting

22. Table Tennis

23. Taekwondo

24. Tennis

25. Triathlon

26. Weightlifting

27. Wrestling

28. Judo

29. Dance Sport

30. Sport Climbing

31. Karate/Kumite

32. Roller Sports

Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee

prensa@buenosaires2018.com

About the Youth Olympic Games

The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is a first-class international multi-sport event for young athletes

between 15 and 18 years old. It is an educational and cultural event that aims at promoting Olympic

values among the youth.

The event, held every four years (it has two editions, winter and summer, that are held every two

years alternately), is promoted by the International Olympic Committee (COI). The Buenos Aires 2018

Youth Olympic Games will take place on October 6-18, 2018. Approximately 3998 athletes from 206

countries will compete in 32 sports.