The first ever Winter Youth Olympics will be hosted in a week’s time by Innsbruck.
Approximately 1,100 athletes aged between 14 and 18 from over 60 countries are expected to compete in this 10-day multi-sport, cultural and educational event starting from January 13.
These games are more than just an elite competition.
The Youth Olympics aim to guide the participating athletes towards an ethical approach to sport with strong values and principles. During the event, educational workshops and fora are being set up with an anti-doping and multi-culturalism agenda.
These include urban art activities, a torch relay between athletes from different countries, anthem sharing and street festivals in the evening.
The Olympic flag will fly high at all medal ceremonies along with the Olympic anthem.
This is in contrast to the proper Olympic Games where the flags and anthems of the winners’ country are showcased.
This will be done in an effort to instil a mentality of world unity rather than just a celebration of the winners.
The games will feature eight sports. Ice Hockey will not only have a men’s and women’s tournament but also an individual skills challenge.
In luge, figure skating and short track speed skating, there will be mixed events that will allow athletes from various countries to compete in teams.
Alpine and cross-country skiing will have events in which men and women will compete in mixed-gendered teams.
In all, there were four cities bidding to host these games, Innsbruck (Austria), Kuopio (Finland), Harbin (China) and Lillehammer (Norway).
The support for Innsbruck was overwhelming due to its experience at having already hosted major sporting events which include the 1964 and the 1976 Winter Olympics and the 2005 Men’s World Ice Hockey Championships.
When declaring Innsbruck the winning city, the International Olympics Committee report concluded that the Alpine resort had a compact plan, strong experience and a creative cultural and educational concept.
Peter Bayer, the chief executive of the organising committee, is confident that many participants will not only be staying in the region to enjoy its natural charm, which will help the region’s tourist industry benefit financially, but will also return in the years to come once the event is over.
“Having the honour of hosting the Winter Youth Olympic Games will show the world the capacity of this country not only in organising big events, but also to have perfect sporting venues and facilities,” he said.
Another key part of the legacy is the Olympic village, which will provide 444 homes for people on low income after the games.
And Mr Bayer is proud of the benefits this will have for the community, as well as its environmental impact, as the building is not just carbon neutral, but uses less energy than it emits, he claimed.
The mascot for these Olympics is an Alpine chamois named Yoggl. His name (pronounced “Yog”), is based on the typical Tyrolean nickname “Joggl”, which is short for Jakob, a very common name in Tyrol.
Its origins in the Tyrolean Alps make it the perfect symbol to raise awareness for sustainability and respect towards nature.
Its sporty appearance reflects the athletic aspect of the games, and its youthful character will spark the enthusiasm of young people from all over the world for the first Winter Youth Olympics and the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship.
Above all, Yoggl is a lucky charm for the young athletes taking part in the Games and a vivid example of the Innsbruck 2012 motto: “Be part of it!”
The flame of the torch relay was lit in Greece on December 17.
Following Olympic tradition, the Youth Olympic flame was lit by the sun’s rays reflected onto a mirror, with a priestess from the Temple of Hera passing on the torch in Athens’ ancient Panathinaikos Stadium to Mr Bayer, the first bearer, before he passed it on to Stephan Eberhater the Austrian 2002 Olympic giant slalom champion.
The torch will eventually find its way to the Youth Olympic Games cauldron in the Bergisel Stadium for the opening ceremony.
“The flame and relay symbolise the values and ideals that lie at the heart of the Olympic Movement.
“They embody excellence, friendship and respect and they are the spark that will ignite the passion and magic of the first Winter Youth Olympic Games,” said IOC President Jacques Rogge.
At its essence, the Youth Olympic torch relay inspires new hopes and new dreams, particularly among young people worldwide.