2018 Summer Youth Olympics

III Summer Youth Olympic Games
Host city Buenos Aires, Argentina
Events 185 in 28 sports
Opening ceremony 11 September 2018
Closing ceremony 23 September 2018
Main venue Estadio Monumental

The 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games (officially known as III Summer Youth Olympic Games) (Spanish: Juegos Olímpicos de la Juventud de 2018) is the third edition of the Summer Youth Olympics, a major international sports and cultural festival, due to be celebrated in the tradition of the Summer Olympic Games from September 11 to September 23, 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Bidding

Six bids were initially submitted for the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics. Buenos Aires confirmed their bid in September 2011.[1] On February 13, 2013, the IOC selected Buenos Aires as one of the three Candidate Cities for the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games. The other two candidate cities were Glasgow and Medellin. Guadalajara and Rotterdam failed to become candidates. Poznań withdrew their bid before the candidate cities were selected.[2]

The host city election vote was held at an IOC Session in Lausanne. The results were as follows:[3]

2018 Summer Youth Olympics bidding results
City NOC Name Round 1 Round 2
Buenos Aires  Argentina 40 49
Medellin  Colombia 32 39
Glasgow  United Kingdom 13 –

Organization

Danka Bartekova, the youngest IOC Member and part of the Coordination Commission for Buenos Aires 2018.

In October 2013, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach appointed Namibian sprinter and four-time Olympic silver medalist Frank Fredericks as Chairman of the Coordination Commission for the 3rd Summer Youth Olympic Games - Buenos Aires 2018.[4] Fredericks is heading the six-person IOC Coordination Commission made up of several Olympians including Danka Bartekova, the youngest IOC Member and Young Ambassador from the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010. This commission is completed by two other IOC members, China's Lingwei Li, winner of three World Badminton Championships, and Barry Maister, a member of New Zealand's hockey team that won the Olympic gold medals at 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal; and Adham Sharara, Canadian President of the International Table Tennis Federation, and Henry Nuñez, head of the National Olympic Committee of Costa Rica.[5] Working along with them there is the Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (BAYOGOC), that includes member of the Argentinian Olympic Committee (AOC), the local government and the national government, and which CEO is Leandro Larrosa. The local organising committee involves young people in all levels of the organization; including an ‘Athlete Commission’ and a newly established ‘Youth Commission’ – a group of young consultants chosen by the AOC from local schools and universities – and the employees within BAYOGOC from junior to director level.[6] The first Coordination Commission meeting took place in Buenos Aires on September 27 and 28, 2014.
Football player and Olympic gold medalist Lionel Messi, original not from Buenos Aires but from Rosario, was named as an ambassador of the 2018 YOG in March 2014,[7] and he delivered a video welcoming message for the young athletes to Buenos Aires during the closing ceremony of the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics.[8]

Venues

Parque Polideportivo Roca
YOV
Argentine Equestrian Club
Water Cluster
Dársena Norte
Tiro Federal Argentino
Parque Sarmiento
Locations of the venues for the 2018 YOG within Buenos Aires: Green Cluster, Roca Cluster, Water Cluster, Cycling Cluster, Stand Alone Venues

Originally there were two main sports zones as the primary sites of the Games in Buenos Aires 2018: the Green Corridor and Parque Roca,[9] but, in order to group the sports in a more compact framework, on September 2014 a new four-clusters concept was revealed.[6][10] Each cluster will include an area called YOG FEST where sporting experiences, family entertainment and cultural activities will take place.
The International Olympic Committee members will be staying at the Sheraton Hotel, located in the district of Retiro and close to Retiro railway station, one of the most important transportation hub in Buenos Aires.

A. Green Cluster

The Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti will be renovated to the opening of the Youth Olympic Games.
The Palermo Woods will host the triathlon, beach volley and Cycling.

Adjacent to downtown Buenos Aires and stretching three kilometres along the scenic banks of the River Plate,this area is distinguished by swathes of parks. It includes the barrios of Núñez, Belgrano and Palermo. It is also the location of some of the city’s most distinguished and popular sports venues. Among these is the River Plate Stadium, that will host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Nearby are the Palermo Woods, a highly popular retreat for porteños and visitors alike, which will be the triathlon venue.

Venue Location Sports Type
River Plate Stadium Belgrano Opening and Closing Ceremonies Existing, no permanent works required
Tiro Federal Núñez Shooting Existing, no permanent works required
Club Atlético River Plate Belgrano Football
Basketball (3 on 3)		 Existing, no permanent works required
Gimnasia y Esgrima de Buenos Aires Stadium Palermo Rugby Seven
Field Hockey		 Existing, no permanent works required
Parque Tres de Febrero Palermo Triathlon
Beach Volley
Cycling (road)		 Existing, no permanent works required
Argentine Equestrian Club Núñez Equestrian (Jumping) Existing, no permanent works required

B. Water Cluster

Located to the east of the city, this cluster occupies a significant portion of the Río de la Plata riverbank and includes the old Puerto Madero docks as venue for water sports.

Puerto Madero will host events of three water sports.
Venue Location Sports Type
Docks 1 and 2 Puerto Madero Canoe-Kayak Existing, no permanent works required
Docks 3 and 4, and Buenos Aires Yacht Club Puerto Madero Rowing Existing, no permanent works required
Dársena Norte Puerto Madero Sailing Existing, no permanent works required

C. Roca Cluster

Located to the South of Buenos Aires, Roca Park is a vast area of 200 hectares in the district of Villa Soldati. One of the greenest areas in the metropolis, it is adjacent to the City Park and the Buenos Aires Automotive Racetrack. The Park, inaugurated in the 1980s, has many sports venues and recreational facilities, including the iconic Roca Park Athletics Stadium and the Roca Park Tennis Stadium. This area will also be the site of the Main Media Center (MMC) and the Youth Olympic Village (YOV), from where 65 percent of the athletes will be able to walk to their competition venues.[6][11] Roca Cluster can be reached by Premetro tram at Escalada station, or by the southern Metrobus line.

Roca Park is next to the City Park, where the Youth Olympic Village will be built, and where the 200 meters high Space Needle is located.
Venue Location Sports Type
Roca Park Stadium Villa Soldati Tennis Existing, no permanent works required
Parque Polideportivo Roca Villa Soldati Athletics Existing, permanent works required
Parque Polideportivo Roca Villa Soldati Archery
Aquatics (Swimming - Diving)
Modern Pentathlon		 Permanent venue to be built
Olympic Exhibition Center Villa Soldati Boxing
Fencing
Gymnastics (Artistics - Rhythmic - Trampoline)
Judo
Table Tennis
Taekwondo
Weightlifting
Wrestling
Handball
Badminton		 Permanent venue to be built
Golf Club José Jurado Villa Lugano Golf Existing, no permanent works required

D. Cycling Cluster

Located to the west of the city and next to the General Paz Avenue, that marks the limit of Buenos Aires city, the 70 hectares Sarmiento Park will be the venue for two cycling events.

Venue Location Sports Type
Parque Sarmiento Saavedra Cycling (MTB)
Cycling (BMX)		 Permanent venue to be built


Beside the four clusters, there will also be one stand-alone venue: the Boca Juniors stadium, in La Boca neighborthood, will host football matches.

Culture and Education Programme Venues

References

Preceded by
Nanjing		 Summer Youth Olympic Games
Buenos Aires
2018 		Succeeded by

External links