2014 Youth Olympic Games Wrapping Up -- Monday Memo

(ATR) The 2014 Youth Olympic Games conclude on Thursday, Aug. 28.

Competitions scheduled for Monday include3x3 basketball, beach volleyball, diving, football, golf, and wrestling.

The Games feature over 3500 athletes aged 17 and younger from 204 nations. Athletes compete in the 28 sports on the program for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Around the Ringsassociate editor Nick Devlin is in Nanjing to cover the remainder of the YOG.

U.S. Open Tennis Championships

The 2014 U.S. Open begins on Monday atthe USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Defending men's singles champion Rafael Nadal will not play at the tournament this year due to a wrist injury. Novak Djokovic, currently ranked number one in the world, and five-time U.S. Open champion Roger Federer are favorites in the men's singles category.

Reigning women's singles champion Serena Williamsopens her campaign against Taylor Townsend, who reached the third round of the French Open earlier this year.

Competition ends Sept. 8.

The U.S. Open completes the tennis major circuit--the most prestigious events in the sport.

World Rowing Championships

The 2014 World Rowing Championships opened on Sunday, Aug. 24, in Amsterdam.

The World Rowing Federation (FISA) organizes the annual week-long regatta. FISA estimates the event gathered over 1,100 competitors from 60 countries.Competition ends Aug. 31.

FEI World Equestrian Games

The International Equestrian Federation's 2014 World Equestrian Games began Saturday, Aug. 23, in Normandy, France.

Equestrian dressage events, which conclude on Aug. 29, will serve as qualifying events for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Equestrian jumping events, taking place Aug. 27 through Aug. 31, will also serve as 2016 Olympic and Paralympic qualifiers.

Competition for the World Equestrian Games ends September 7.

FIBA World Cup

The International Basketball Federation opens the 2014 men's Basketball World Cup on Saturday, Aug. 30, in Spain.

Adam Fromal, national NBA featured columnist on Bleacher Report, predicts the "biggest X-factors" at the FIBA World Cup will include:Greece'sGiannis Antetokounmpo, Brazil's Leandro Barbosa, Puerto Rico's J.J. Barea, Argentina's Facundo Campazzo, Australia's Dante Exum, France's Rudy Gobert, Spain's Ricky Rubio, Croatia's Damjan Rudez, Lithuania's Renaldas Seibutis, and Serbia's Milos Teodosic.

And of course, the United States will send an all-star heavy team. Kevin Durant leads Team USA.

Competition ends on Sept. 14 and the winner will qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Badminton World Championships

The 2014 Badminton World Championships begin Monday in Copenhagen.

The Badminton World Federation expects approximately 400 of the world’s top players to compete for the title of world champion.Competition ends Sunday, Aug. 31.

ITU in Edmonton

The 2014 World Triathlon Grand Final kicks off on Tuesday, Aug. 26, in Edmonton, Canada.

Edmonton and the International Triathlon Union dubbed the event the "Rally in the Valley." This is Edmonton's second time hosting the Grand Final, having hosted the event in 2001.

The ITU predicts over 4,000 athletes will compete at this year's event. Competition ends Sept. 1.

Edmonton will also host the annual ITU Congress scheduled for Aug. 28.

FIVB Men's World Championship

The International Volleyball Federation opens the 2014 men's Volleyball World Championship on Aug. 30 in Poland.

Matches will take place across seven cities in Poland including Katowice, Krakow, Warsaw, and Wroclaw. Competition concludes Sept. 21.

Pan Pacific Swimming Champs

The 2014 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships conclude Monday, Aug. 25, in Gold Coast, Australia.

The event marked the first international meet for Olympian Michael Phelps after coming out of retirement.

The Pan Pacific Championships gathered over 300 of the world’s top swimmers from the United States, Japan, Canada, Brazil, New Zealand and Australia.

Paracycling Road World Championships

Greenville, South Carolina is staging the 2014 Paracycling Road World Championships. Competition opens on Thursday, Aug. 28, and ends on Sept. 1.

The International Cycling Union expects450 of the world’s top athletes at the event, along with 200 coaches and support staff, from over 45 countries.

Para-sailing World Championships

Action at the para-sailing world championships in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia concludes on Monday, Aug. 25.

The event is a qualifier for the 2016 Paralympics.

Olympic Anniversaries

Monday, Aug. 25, marks the 54th anniversary of the opening ceremony of the 1960 Summer Olympic Games. Tuesday commemorates the opening of the 1972 Summer Games in Munich.

On Aug. 29, 2004, the Summer Olympics closed in Athens.

Written byNicole Bennett

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