There are good times and there are not so good times in life. When the time is a bit more challanging, we can always remember the happier moments. Singapore 2010 YOG created many of them.
Remember, that Singapore made the inaugural Youth Olympic Games happen, the Singapore 2010 YOG. The first time in history, Olympics was dedicated to the youth rather than the sports professionals. IOC entrusted this task to Singapore because … I guess because they knew Singapore can do that.
A Chance of a Lifetime
When wife questioned me whether she should follow the call of a colleague who had asked her to join the YOG Organising Committee, I was all for it.
In Germany, participating in something like Olympics is a dream of many people. I never could because the last game in Germany happened in 1972. This was shortly after I took of my diapers.
The Right Spirit Counts
When I had the chance to meet her colleagues at the Singapore 2010 YOG Organising Committee, I knew joining this team was the right decision. She had the pleasure to work with really great people like Ng Ser Miang, BG Goh Kee Nguan, Dr Francis Chong and BG Eric Tan.
Great role models and good friends.
One day, she came home and told me that they met the IOC team. She was sitting next to a guy with the name Sergey Bubka. I was damn impressed.
Every German of my age who did not spend the last decades on Mars knows this name. You may have forgotten the name of the current ministers but you will remember the name Sergey Bubka.
History of Sports Comes to the Little Red Dot
In Germany, Sergey Bubka is as famous as Bob Beamon. Sergey Bubka broke the world record in pole vault 35 times. After he retired, his records stood for about 20 years.
He was Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Singapore2010 YOG.
And, my wife was sitting next to him…
If you are interested in more pictures of the Singapore 2010 YOG, please follow this link…
bernyPhymn
Concurrently, the absence of the YOG and the scant literature on Special Olympics from the SLR is incredibly concerning. The circumstances for the YOG are arguably far more egregious. While there have only been five YOGs to date i.e., 2010 Singapore Summer YOG, 2012 Innsbruck Winter YOG, 2014 Nanjing Summer YOG, 2016 Lillehammer Winter YOG, and 2018 Buenos Aires Summer YOG , the event is owned by the IOC and can be considered a full-fledged Olympic Games.