Rain Not Dampening Youth Olympic Enthusiasm

(ATR) Around the Rings Associate Editor Nick Devlin shares his initial experience with the Youth Olympic Games.

Compartir
Compartir articulo
infobae

(ATR) From citizens to athletes to media, anticipation for the upcoming YOG is evident in Nanjing. Around the Rings Associate Editor Nick Devlin shares his initial experience with the Games.

The pride the city takes in hosting the second summer YOG is clear as soon as you arrive. Hundreds of banners festoon the ceilings and pillars at Nanjing Lukou International Airport. Young volunteers in green and white polos are eager to please, greeting travelers at baggage claim and making sure they reach a car or bus to their hotel.

The athletes seem enthused as well. Members of the Youth Olympic teams from Jamaica and Puerto Rico shared a late night flight on Tuesday from Shanghai to Nanjing. Even after a long day of travel, the teams were abuzz with activity. Jamaicans rocked in their seats, sang along to their iPods, and slyly snapped pictures of a teammate who had the temerity to catch some shuteye on the hour-long flight. The Puerto Ricans practically bounced off the plane, sharing laughs and grouping up for selfies while waiting at bagging claim.

On a dark, drizzly Wednesday, with the overwhelmingly Chinese press corps in no particular hurry to be anywhere, traffic in and out of the Main Press Center was unrushed. A source tells Around the Rings around 3,000 accredited media are expected, just 600 of which will be foreign. Most are from state-run Chinese outlets.

The early arrivers munched on snacks and grabbed Coke and water from large coolers in the main workroom. One of the treats, a sugar cookie with a touch of onion and sesame, was a pleasant surprise.

Those media members who spoke English were eager to interact with the few foreigners present. One Nanjing-based Xinhua reporter is researching a story about the effects of green transportation on the Games. She lightly chastised me after I mentioned I had taken a taxi from the hotel to the media center and pointed out that media members can ride city buses and trains for free by showing their credential.

Another, a young business writer from Beijing, chatted about his city’s bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. He says there is more opposition to this bid than the one that led to the city hosting the Summer Olympics in 2008, but "not too much." He also says the real impact could come in Zhangjiakou, the city which would be home to the mountain cluster and one in need of an economic boost.

The volunteers were out in full force in the workroom as well. Three or four of volunteers, all of whom appear to be middle school or high school aged, rushed to respond anytime a member of the press had a question about the spotty internet connection or location of a nearby venue.

The pace will begin to ramp up on Thursday. The YOG’s first competitions get underway with women’s football at Wutaishan Stadium. Papua New Guinea will face Venezuela first followed by a match between China and Mexico.

The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for Saturday.

Written by Nick Devlin in Nanjing

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.

Recent Articles

The Friendship Games organized against Russia against the IOC will have the participation of 70 countries

The World Friendship Games (WFG) will feature competitions in 36 sports and will award 283 medals to the winners. The Russian Government announced that a press conference will soon be held to present them with more details and clarified that the invitations to participate are addressed to athletes and not to countries.
The Friendship Games organized against Russia against the IOC will have the participation of 70 countries

Clues about the pebetero: it will not be in the stadium but in the middle of Paris and in public view

From France, information indicates that the site chosen for the Olympic fire to be lit since July 26 would be the emblematic Tuileries Garden. Official sources did not confirm the fact, but they recognize the idea that it is located in the heart of Paris and in full view of fans.
Clues about the pebetero: it will not be in the stadium but in the middle of Paris and in public view

Nearly a thousand boats will welcome the torch in France

The parade in the Mediterranean will be minutes before disembarkation at the Old Port of Marseille; they must meet certain requirements and apply to participate.
Nearly a thousand boats will welcome the torch in France

France says it will “be ready” to ensure safety at the Olympic Games while raising the alert level

The attack in Moscow threatened the whole of Europe and security in Paris is once again in the spotlight, just four months after the parade of delegations on the Seine River.
France says it will “be ready” to ensure safety at the Olympic Games while raising the alert level

Will Paris 2024 have its red carpet?

Although all the expectations for July 26 are set on an opening ceremony that promises to be extraordinary, it is likely that, in the hour before the party, the world will attend a parade of luminaries from sports, arts and entertainment.
Will Paris 2024 have its red carpet?