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Team GB Youth Olympic Games Squad Selected

13 Jul 2010

A group of 40 young athletes from 16 Olympic sports were today selected by the British Olympic Association to compete for Team GB at the first Youth Olympic Games (YOG), which take place in Singapore from 14-26 August.

The athletes, aged 14-18, will participate alongside 3,600 competitors from all 205 National Olympic Committees in a competition schedule which includes all 26 sports on the London 2012 Olympic Programme.

The British contingent will include 2009 World and 2008 European 10m platform diving champion Tom Daley, who was Team GB’s youngest competitor at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Alongside Daley in Team GB will be Victoria Ohuruogu, the 400m England Indoor Under-20 Champion and younger sister of current Olympic 400m Champion Christine.

Ohuruogu is joined in Team GB by 12 fellow athletics competitors, including fellow Londoner David Bolarinwa, who impressed at the recent European Youth Olympic Trials in Moscow where he won gold and silver in the 100m and 200m respectively to qualify in style for Singapore.

Gymnast Sam Oldham will be looking to continue his excellent form, which saw him achieve a hat-trick of gold medals at the European Junior Championships in Birmingham earlier this year.

Northern Ireland’s Mark Nesbitt will be going for gold in the archery competition, having claimed double gold for Team GB at the 2009 Australian Olympic Festival and silver at both the World and European Junior Championships in 2009. Earlier this year Nesbitt was GB’s highest placed archer, finishing sixth at the European Senior Championships.

On the tennis court Britain’s Oliver Golding will be aiming to build on his excellent display at Wimbledon earlier this month which took him to the semi-final of the junior event. He is also a Junior Davis Cup finalist and is the current British under-18 number one. 

The athletes will be joined in Singapore by 1,450 officials, 1,500 media representatives, 20,000 local and international volunteers, and more than 370,000 spectators.

In creating the YOG, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) hopes to inspire young people around the world to participate in sport and to embrace, embody and express the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect.

The YOG will provide a balance between sport, education and culture. In addition to participating in their sport competitions, athletes will also take part in a Culture and Education Programme (CEP) – which includes 50 activities focused on five themes: Olympism, Skills Development, Well-being and Healthy Lifestyle, Social Responsibility and Expression.

British Olympic Association Chairman Colin Moynihan said:
“The International Olympic Committee is to be applauded for creating this inspirational youth event. The Youth Olympic Games raises the bar in terms of the delivery of educational and sport programmes to young people. It will be a celebration not only of sport, fitness and healthy lifestyles, but also of the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.”

Team GB Youth Olympic Games Chef de Mission Jan Paterson said:
“It’s a huge privilege to be taking such a talented group of young athletes to compete for Team GB at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games. I’m confident that we will see some exciting performances and the athletes will display skill, determination and pride to achieve their personal best for Team GB in Singapore.

“Importantly, the Youth Olympic Games are about more than just sporting competition. It will provide the young Team GB athletes with an excellent opportunity to participate in a multi-sport event, and experience living and competing with over 3,500 competitors from across the world.”

Commenting on their selection:

Tom Daley, diving, said:
“I am very proud and excited to represent Team GB at the first Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. It is always a special feeling to put on Team GB kit and compete for your country on the international stage.

“Building upon my participation at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, I am looking forward to gaining further experience of a multi-sport environment and the unique atmosphere of living alongside athletes from different sports and countries in an Olympic Village.

“The Youth Olympic Games are another important step for me on the road to London 2012, where I will do my very best to win gold for Team GB.”

Victoria Ohuruogu, athletics, said:
“I am thrilled to be selected to Team GB for the Youth Olympic Games. Competing against athletes from all over the world in an Olympic setting is a hugely exciting prospect and I am sure I will gain a great deal from the experience, on and off the track. I am fully focused on preparing well over the coming weeks and aim to achieve my full potential for Team GB in Singapore.”

Oliver Golding, tennis, said:
“Being selected for the Youth Olympic Games means a lot to me and will be a stepping stone for the future. Representing your country is a great honour and I am very happy to be able to do it at junior level and would love to do it at senior level in the future. 

“I've had a couple of good weeks recently, particularly at Wimbledon, and I hope to continue my good form with Team GB in Singapore. I am looking forward to being part of Team GB, as I always play well in a team environment.

“Playing in front of a home crowd at the London 2012 Olympics is one of my goals for the next couple years and the experience gained at the Youth Olympic Games will be of great benefit to me going forwards.”

Sam Oldham, gymnastics, said:
"I am really looking forward to competing for Team GB in Singapore. Having gone to the Beijing Olympic Games as part of the BOA’s Britain’s Olympic Ambition Programme, I had the opportunity to experience what it might be like to be an Olympian. Being there in Beijing when Louis Smith won the first individual gymnastics medal for Great Britain in 100 years gave me a lot of motivation, and even more desire to compete at an Olympic Games. I was really happy to qualify for the first Youth Olympic Games by winning the Junior European Championships in Birmingham in April. I am very proud to represent British Gymnastics and I am ready for the entire experience in Singapore."

Mark Nesbitt, archery, said:
“Being selected for Team GB for the Youth Olympics is wonderful and a great honour. I shot really well this year and achieved some personal best’s, I made the national senior team for the first time so it has been a fantastic year so far and I am really delighted to be going to the Youth Olympics and hope to continue my recent form. I see the Youth Olympic Games as a stepping stone to London 2012 and I imagine it will give me a real taste for the Olympic Games.”

Jade Rogers, sailing, said:
“It’s an honour to be a part of such a major event. Being part of Team GB with loads of other amazing athletes is pretty cool. Kieran and I both live in Cheadle in the Midlands about as far away from the sea as you can get. We learnt to windsurf on Carsington Reservoir so you don’t have to live by the sea to be a good windsurfer - we’ve definitely proved that!”

Amy Radford, fencing, said:
“I am hoping to fence at my best for Team GB. It will be amazing to mix with other athletes, learn about different cultures and gain first hand experience of what the Olympic Movement is all about. It will also be pretty cool to wear the Team GB tracksuit!”

Ellie Thorogood, triathlon, said:
“The Youth Olympic Games is my big focus for this year. I’m really looking forward to the whole experience of being in Singapore for three weeks and being around athletes from other sports. I’ve been to international events in the past, but nothing of this scale. It’s going to be really exciting to be part of Team GB.”

Carian Scudamore, equestrian, said:
"This is amazing, I can't believe that I'm going to the Youth Olympic Games. Next week I'm at the European Championships hoping to regain my Junior title and as soon as I get home I'll be turning all my attention to Singapore."

The athletes selected to Team GB for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games are:

 

Sport	Event	First Name	Last Name	Town	DOB
Aquatics: Diving	10m Platform, 3m Springboard	Thomas	Daley	Plymouth	21/05/1994
Aquatics: Diving	10m Platform	Megan	Sylvester	Barnsley	04/07/1994
Aquatics: Swimming	400m, 200m, 100m Freestyle, 100m Fly	Ellie	Faulkner	SHEFFIELD	05/01/1993
Aquatics: Swimming	50m, 100m, 200m Butterfly	Rachael	Kelly	MARKET DRAYTON	24/01/1994
Archery	Recurve	Mark	Nesbitt	BANBRIDGE	19/02/1992
Athletics	400m Hurdles	Abi	Fitzpatrick	WARRINGTON	10/06/1993
Athletics	Hammer	Andrew	Elkins	Poole	25/05/1993
Athletics	100m	Annie	Tagoe	Willesden	04/06/1993
Athletics	1000m	Charlie	Grice	BRIGHTON	07/11/1993
Athletics	100m	David	Bolarinwa	LONDON	20/10/1993
Athletics	Javelin	Freya	Jones	Chandlers Ford	13/11/1993
Athletics	1000m	Georgia	Peel	WOKING	26/05/1994
Athletics	Pole Vault	Katie	Byres	Glossop	11/09/1993
Athletics	Hammer	Louisa	James	BATTLE	05/07/1994
Athletics	Shot Put	Sophie	McKinna	GREAT YARMOUTH	31/08/1994
Athletics	110m Hurdles	Themba	Luhana	Northampton	08/03/1993
Athletics	400m	Victoria	Ohuruogu	Stratford	28/02/1993
Athletics	2000m Steeple Chase	Zak	Seddon	READING	28/06/1994
Badminton	Women's Singles	Sarah	Milne	LEEDS	17/01/1992
Boxing	Bantamweight 54kg	Zack	Davies	LLANELLI	11/02/1992
Canoeing	Mens K1	Andrew	Martin	SEAHAM	03/01/1993
Equestrian	Show Jumping	Carian	Scudamore	CARDIGAN	26/04/1993
Fencing	Foil	Alexander	Tofalides	LONDON	13/03/1993
Fencing	Epee	Amy	Radford	STOURBRIDGE	05/05/1994
Gymnastics	Artistic	Jessica	Hogg	CARDIFF	03/01/1995
Gymnastics	Artistic	Sam	Oldham	NOTTINGHAM	17/02/1993
Gymnastics	Trampoline	Nathan	Bailey	BOURNEMOUTH	24/07/1993
Modern Pentathlon		Greg	Longden		29/06/1992
Rowing	Pair	Caspar	Jopling	LONDON	10/01/1992
Rowing	Pair	Ed	Nainby-Luxmoore	BARNARD CASTLE	16/11/1992
Rowing	Pair	Fiona	Gammond	BICESTER	19/10/1992
Rowing	Pair	Georgia	Howard-Merrill	OXFORD	21/05/1993
Sailing	Windsurfing	Jade	Rogers	STOKE-ON-TRENT	27/06/1995
Sailing	Windsurfing	Kieran	Martin	STOKE-ON-TRENT	07/02/1995
Table Tennis	Singles & Mixed doubles	Alice	Loveridge	GUERNSEY	06/07/1994
Taekwondo	-55kg	Jade	Jones	FLINT	21/03/1993
Tennis	Men's singles	Oliver	Golding	TWICKENHAM	29/09/1993
Triathlon		Andrew	Hood	CUPAR	29/06/1992
Triathlon		Eli	Thorogood	ABERYSTWYTH	15/02/1992

Click here to view biographies of all Team GB athletes.

Notes to editors:
The inaugural Youth Olympic Games will take place from 14-26 August 2010 in Singapore, involving all 26 sports on the summer Olympic programme, with 3,600 athletes, aged 14-18, from over 200 nations taking part. For more information click here.

Lloyds TSB, proud partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and supporter of Team GB on their journey to the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games. Visit LloydsTSB.com/London2012
 
The BBC will broadcast rolling highlights of the Youth Olympic Games from Singapore on BBC Red Button, updated twice daily at 0800 and 1500. These highlights will also be available on BBC iPlayer. In addition BBC News Channel, and BBC Sport website will be covering all of the big stories from the Games, while Helen Skelton from Blue Peter and Ore Oduba from Newsround will be in Singapore reporting on Team GB and the Youth Olympic Games experience.

The British Olympic Association (BOA) is the National Olympic Committee for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Its mission is to transform British lives through the power of the Olympic values and the success of Team GB. The BOA’s role is to prepare the ‘Best of British’ athletes for, and lead them at, the summer, winter and youth Olympic Games. The BOA delivers extensive support services to Britain’s Olympic athletes and their National Governing Bodies to enhance Olympic success and is responsible for championing the Olympic values and brand in the UK. For further information, go to: www.olympics.org.uk 

Athlete interview requests should be directed through the relevant sport National Governing Body press officer. For more information please contact BOA Communications Officer Phil Wilkinson: philip.wilkinson@boa.org.uk / 0207 8425721 / 07525 951067.

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