Nanjing Youth Olympic Games Ambassadors Make Their Presence Felt at YOG

NANJING, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

On 25 August, the Youth Olympic Village was abuzz over the arrival of Chinese basketball legend and Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Ambassador, Yao Ming. Yao took a YOG “selfie” and then attended the Healthy Cooking Workshop with athletes. Later, it he moved on to the “Learn and Share” activity where he shared his experiences with the young athletes.

The International Olympic Committee chooses Ambassadors for each edition of the YOG to help inspire young people to get active and enjoy sport. “These games are important, not only to educate the youth about competition, but for them to feel the Olympic spirit,” said Yao.

Yao Ming is a great choice as a YOG Ambassador as he certainly knows what the young athletes are going through. Yao represented China at three Olympic Games and carried the Olympic torch before the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. “I believe that after those young athletes finish these Games, they can become just like us [elite athletes] and one day people will follow them and treat them like role models too,” said Yao.

Chad le Clos from South Africa is another YOG Ambassador who has taken an active role in the Nanjing 2014 YOG. Clos won five swimming medals in the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games and won a gold medal in the 200m Butterfly at the London 2012 Olympic Games. On August 19th, Clos visited the Nanjing 2014 Sports Lab and tried his hand at Wushu. After his experience, Clos said, “Every sport here is great and the atmosphere is great. Wushu is very interesting and we don't see this sport in Africa. I think the most important thing is to engage people.”

The other two Nanjing 2014 YOG Ambassadors are pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva from Russia and golfer Michelle Wie from the USA. Isinbayeva is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, a three-time World Champion, and the current world record holder in the event. She is widely considered the greatest female pole-vaulter of all time. Wie is the youngest player to qualify for a USGA amateur championship and the winner of the 2014 U.S. Women's Open.

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