Three-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt has become the latest high-profile athlete to sign on as a Youth Olympic Games Ambassador, joining a star-studded list that also includes Olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps and pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva.
Heshan Unamboowa… Good performances before YOG. |
Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter who holds the World and Olympic records in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m-relay events, will encourage young people around the globe to become more active in sport in his role as Ambassador for the Youth Olympic Games, the inaugural edition of which is scheduled to take place from August 14 to 26 in Singapore.
Sri Lanka too will be part of the YOG when a talented team led by Chef De Mission Nishanthe Piyasena takes part in the contest. The others in the tour party are: badminton players Dilshan Kariyawasam of Ananda and H.D. Lekha Shehani of Convent of Our Lady of Victories Moratuwa, swimmers Heshan Unamboowa (Trinity) and Madhavee Weerathunga of Mahamaya College Kandy and Table Tennis players: Hasintha Shashiranga and Nuwani Navodya both from Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda.
Indunil Herath of Walala Central is the lone runner in the list and will take part in the 1000 metres. Jagath Rajapaksa and Pemlath Uyanhewa are the coaches while Donald Wijegunawardana will be the masseur and Dilmini Direckze the lady chaperone.
Swimmer Heshan Unamboowa proved his dominance by setting three new meet records at the 37th Sri Lanka Schools Swimming Championships, held at the Ananda College swimming complex over the weekend.
Unamboowa, competing for Trinity College, swam the Boys’ 100m Butterfly in 1 minute, the 50m Butterfly in 27.82 seconds and the 50m backstroke in 27.75 seconds.
Meanwhile Bolt commenting on the YOG has said: “I know how important it is to have mentors and role models when you are young to help give you focus and dreams to aspire to. “I couldn’t be happier to be an Ambassador for the first Youth Olympic Games and to provide inspiration and encouragement to the young athletes participating in Singapore this summer and to kids everywhere.”
IOC President Jacques Rogge has said: “We are very pleased that Usain will now join Michael and Yelena as Youth Olympic Games Ambassadors. These athletes are at the very top of their respective sports and they know the importance of having inspirational figures in their lives. Children around the world look up to Usain and it is wonderful that he has decided to motivate young people to become more active by joining the Youth Olympic Games team.”
The mission of the Youth Olympic Games is to inspire young people around the world to participate in sport and adopt and live by the Olympic values. The first edition of the Youth Olympic Games will be held this summer in Singapore, with the first winter edition to take place in Innsbruck, Austria, in 2012. |
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