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History-making ceremony at Youth Olympics
History-making ceremony at Youth Olympics

History-making ceremony at Youth Olympics

NAMPA
The third Summer Youth Olympic Games kicked off in Argentina's capital with an open street party on Saturday.

It's the first time an Olympic opening ceremony has been held in the streets of a city that was free for the general public, away from a traditional stadium.

The focal point was the Buenos Aires Obelisk, in the middle of the city's 9th of July Avenue.

Tens of thousands of people filled the streets, while the athletes and the Olympic family were among the audience.

The young Thai soccer team, Wild Boars, who were rescued from Tham Luang cave in Thailand, were also invited to the opening ceremony.

An amazing show with great talents in sport, tango and technology set the stage. Meanwhile, a mobile stage went through the crowd, spreading a festive atmosphere.

About 4 000 young athletes from 206 countries and regions around the world will participate in 32 sports in the next 12 days. It is the first Olympic competition in history with the same number of men and women athletes.

Argentina president, Mauricio Macri, announced the official opening of the Games.

“To get here, each of you athletes trained and competed hard. You give your best in the sports you love. This is why you deserve to be here,” International Olympic Committee (IOC) president, Thomas Bach, said during the opening ceremony.

“These Games are your Games. Every athlete is different. Guided by these Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, each one of you makes the difference in sports and life. These experiences will stay with you for all your life.”

Two Olympic champions and legends of Argentine sport, judoka Paula Pareto and sailor Santiago Lange, lit the Olympic cauldron.

The Youth Games is seen as a test-bed for future Olympic sports. Karate, climbing, beach handball, roller speed skating and breaking will make their Olympic debut at Buenos Aires 2018.

The first two have already been accepted onto the full Olympic programme for Tokyo 2020. A series of new competition formats, including a badminton relay team event, have also been introduced.

China has named 82 athletes in its squad for the Youth Games. Basketball player Wang Yunzhang was the flag-bearer for the Chinese delegation at the opening ceremony.

Gao Zhidan, China's chef de mission for Buenos Aires 2018, said they would not be solely focusing on the number of medals won during the Games.

“What distinguishes the Youth Olympic Games from some other multisport events like the Olympic Games and the Asian Games, is that the programme also offers a range of educational and cultural opportunities that build on the Olympic values,” said Gao.

“I hope all the Chinese athletes can participate in the educational and cultural opportunities, and in that process let the world know more about China's younger generation.”

- NAMPA/XINHUA

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Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 699.68/OZ UP +1.34% | Copper US$ 4.42/lb UP +4.49% | Zinc US$ 3 067.80/T UP 2.95% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 76.03/BBP UP +0.70% | Platinum US$ 991.13/OZ UP +0.70% Sport results: Premier League: Fulham 2 vs 1 Brentford Weather: Katima Mulilo: 22° | 36° Rundu: 20° | 31° Eenhana: 21° | 31° Oshakati: 21° | 31° Ruacana: 20° | 31° Tsumeb: 19° | 26° Otjiwarongo: 18° | 23° Omaruru: 20° | 32° Windhoek: 17° | 29° Gobabis: 19° | 28° Henties Bay: 16° | 22° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 12:28, High tide: 06:39, Low Tide: 00:56, High tide: 18:52 Swakopmund: 15° | 18° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: W, Low tide: 12:26, High tide: 06:37, Low Tide: 00:54, High tide: 18:50 Walvis Bay: 15° | 24° Wind speed: 23km/h, Wind direction: W, Low tide: 12:26, High tide: 06:36, Low Tide: 00:54, High tide: 18:49 Rehoboth: 20° | 30° Mariental: 22° | 35° Keetmanshoop: 24° | 36° Aranos: 20° | 34° Lüderitz: 14° | 24° Ariamsvlei: 22° | 36° Oranjemund: 15° | 24° Luanda: 25° | 27° Gaborone: 19° | 27° Lubumbashi: 17° | 33° Mbabane: 13° | 24° Maseru: 12° | 25° Antananarivo: 14° | 30° Lilongwe: 22° | 29° Maputo: 19° | 26° Windhoek: 17° | 29° Cape Town: 17° | 22° Durban: 16° | 23° Johannesburg: 15° | 26° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 31° Lusaka: 20° | 31° Harare: 17° | 30° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 22.41 | EUR to NAD 18.67 | CNY to NAD 2.42 | USD to NAD 17.3 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.25 | EGP to NAD 0.34 | KES to NAD 0.13 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.63 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.03 | RUB to NAD 0.18 | INR to NAD 0.21 | USD to DZD 132.81 | USD to AOA 909.05 | USD to BWP 13.4 | USD to EGP 49.24 | USD to KES 129.2 | USD to NGN 1680.41 | USD to ZAR 17.31 | USD to ZMW 27.07 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1858.03 Down -1.09% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 14296.93 Down -0.02% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 31045.26 Up +0.82% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9878.53 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 699.68/OZ UP +1.34% | Copper US$ 4.42/lb UP +4.49% | Zinc US$ 3 067.80/T UP 2.95% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 76.03/BBP UP +0.70% | Platinum US$ 991.13/OZ UP +0.70%