After meeting with top ITU Executives in Beijing, Marisol Casado—ITU President of ITU and IOC Member—traveled to Nanjing, China as part of the IOC’s Coordination Commission for the second Youth Olympic Games in 2014. This first visit gave the Coordination Commission the opportunity to conduct a full site visit that included the Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre, which will play host to a number of sports for Nanjing 2014.
“Triathlon was awarded the first ever Youth Olympic medal so ITU is quite proud of triathlon’s role in the success of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games,” said Casado, member of the Coordination Commission. “I am quite impressed with the high level of organsation within the Nanjing Organising Committee and excited to help make these Youth Games a great success as well.”
Part of the visit included a two-day City-to-City debrief given by the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee to the newly established Nanjing Organising Committee.
Chaired by IOC member Alexander Popov, the Coordination Commission was pleased with the progress made by the local Organising Committee as it approaches the one-year mark in its preparations. Currently in the foundation-planning phase, the organisers reported on the extensive work already completed in their Games Foundation Plan, the blueprint that lays out the vision and organisational plans to deliver the Games in three-and-a-half years.
The Nanjing Organising Committee also presented its updated master plan for venues. Progress has been made on the Youth Olympic Village, the only key venue that needs to be constructed for the Games. Construction planning for the Village is currently under way and on schedule.
The Youth Olympic Village for Singapore 2010 proved to be one of the main successes of the Games. It served as the central location for Culture and Education Programme activities while giving the athletes their first taste of life in an Olympic environment.
Mr Lu Zhipeng, Standing Vice Secretary General of the Nanjing Organising Committee and Vice Mayor of Nanjing said, “Nanjing will study and learn from the successful experience of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games organisers, and will make sure all the opportunities and unique resources in Nanjing and its Organising Committee are utilised. We will ensure the success of the Games to the very highest standards to help boost the development of Nanjing and the region.”