Passion Behind Glasgow Youth Olympics Bid

(ATR) Double Olympic gold medalist Kelly Holmes tells Around the Rings the Glasgow 2018 Youth Olympic bid will use the momentum and passion of the London Olympics and 2014 Commonwealth Games.

"I think they have a great chance against the others. We can show we have the infrastructure, people, passion and a legacy to provide inspirational opportunities," she told ATR after the official launch of the city's YOG campaign.

She has fond memories of a mini Olympics she participated in when she was 16 years old, a similar age to the 15-18 year old participants in a summer YOG.

"I remember it was a fantastic experience for me," she said, claiming a YOG in Glasgow would be an incredible way to kickstart the careers of the next generation of young athletes.

Glasgow’s 2018 bid, dubbed the ‘Be a Champion in Your Life’ campaign, was launched with a spectacular show in the Scottish city. Other cities in the race include Buenos Aires, Argentina; Guadalajara, Mexico; Medellín, Colombia; Poznań, Poland; and Rotterdam, Netherlands.

At the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, sporting and cultural performances showcased the best Glasgow and the U.K. have to offer. Young sports stars joined members of the Scottish Youth Theatre and other performers to unveil details of Glasgow’s bid. Around 300 people attended or took part in the event.

The bid is a partnership between the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and the British Olympic Association and has full government support.

British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan, Britain's sport and Olympics minister Hugh Robertson and Scotland's minister for Commonwealth Games and sport, Shona Robison, were among the sports leaders in attendance.

Moynihan told ATR that Glasgow2018 leaders had a headstart on their rivals in the bidding contest.

"They start with the benefit of having facilities in place from hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and on top of that they have both the volunteers and management who would have been associated with the [2014] bid.

"Young people are the driving force and will be throughout the bid. The message of the strapline is about inspiring young people in all aspects of life to achieve their goals," he said, adding that Glasgow 2018 would take London 2012's International Inspiration Program to a new level.

Today, Glasgow 2018 rolled out its word mark and a new website along with Facebook and Twitter sites.

"It's full steam ahead with some great momentum," Glasgow 2018 CEO Paul Bush told ATR after revealing that the back the bid campaign had been put together in less than a month.

"It is exciting and challenging. We are confident we will have a robust technical candidate file for 15 October," he added, referencing the IOC deadline for the initial bid book submissions.

With six cities vying for the 2018 YOG, it may be the toughest competition in the short history of the Youth Olympics; the first one was staged in Singapore two years ago. Nanjing, China is hosting the 2014 edition.

Bush said Glasgow's point of difference was to build on the educational initiatives and International Inspiration program successfully delivered by London 2012.

On Wednesday, Bush will present the Glasgow 2018 vision to a gathering of BOA officials meeting at London Olympic Park.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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