Croatian Olympic Committee

ZAGREB, 7 July 2010 – The first ever Youth Olympic Games, which will be held in Singapore from 14 to 26 August 2010, are an extremely important project for the international Olympic family, IOC President Jacques Rogge, but also for the Croatian Olympic Movement.

ZAGREB, 7 July 2010 – The first ever Youth Olympic Games, which will be held in Singapore from 14 to 26 August 2010, are an extremely important project for the international Olympic family, IOC President Jacques Rogge, but also for the Croatian Olympic Movement.
The 2010 Croatian Olympic Delegation to Singapore will also participate in the Games. 26 Croatian athletes, who will compete in 13 sports, have qualified for Singapore so far. The final number of the athletes will be known on 15 July, on the final SYCOG entry deadline.

The athletes who have qualified for the YOG (until 7 July 2010):
Basketball (4) – Matej Buovac, Tomislav Grubisic, Stipe Krstanovic and Marko Ramljak
Canoe/Kayak (1) – Matija Burisa
Judo (1) – Barbara Matic
Rowing (3) – Mate Ledenko, Mile Cakarun, Asja Zero
Shooting (3) – Valentina Pereglin, Tanja Perec, Tiziano Suran
Triathlon (1) – Sara Vilic
Taekwondo (1) – Rea Budic
Table Tennis (2) – Mateja Jeger, Luka Fucec
Boxing (1) – Filip Hrgovic
Swimming (4) – Ivan Biondic, Ivan Capan, Ivan Levaj, Malbel Sulic
Athletics (3) – Ines Ikic, Romana Tea Kirinic, Ivan Horvat
Tennis (1) – Mate Pavic
Gymnastics (1) – Filip Borosa

The first and largest group of athletes is leaving for Singapore on 10 August, and the second on 12 August. The return of all of them is planned for 27 August. Just like at the Olympic Games, the young athletes will also participate in the Opening Ceremony on 14 August, while the first ones will start competing on the following day – in swimming, basketball, rowing, taekwondo, tennis and triathlon. The Croatian delegation to 2010 Singapore Games will be accommodated at the Olympic Village.

Olympic Solidarity Support for Young Olympians

After the financial support for the participation of 14 young athletes in YOG trials was approved by the Croatian Olympic Committee in February this year, the IOC Olympic Solidarity also granted support to cover certain preparation costs for 10 athletes, who had already qualified in six sports: Tanja Perec and Valentina Pereglin (shooting), Barbara Matic (judo), Rea Budic (taekwondo), Mate Ledenko, Mile Cakarun and Asja Zero (rowing), Matija Burisa (canoe/kayak), Mateja Jeger and Luka Fucec (table tennis).

The Youth Olympic Games project is one of the priorities of the International Olympic Committee. The decision to found the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) was made at the 177th IOC Session in Guatemala City in 2007 and Singapore won the bid to host the Games on 21 February 2008. Athletes between 14 and 18 years of age are entitled to participate. They will compete in 26 sports. 3600 athletes and around 800 officials from 205 NOCs, members of the IOC, are expected to participate.

The first Winter Youth Olympic Games will be held in Innsbruck in 2012; around 1000 athletes in seven sports are expected to participate.