2010 Youth Olympic Games: Preview and Predictions

The wait is finally over! The East Asian nation of Singapore is set to host the inaugural Youth Olympic Games. This competition is designed to give youngsters everywhere a chance to experience first hand the beauty of the Olympic movement. In a period of two weeks, young athletes from over 100 nations will compete in 27 unique disciplines in pursuits of national pride and individual excellence. The 2010 Youth Olympic Games is scheduled for August 14-26 at the country known as the Lion City. In this article, I will preview the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics and offer my medal count predictions.

The upcoming Youth Olympic Games in Singapore will likely be the country's single greatest contribution to the international community. With a population of less than 5 million people and a landmass that is only half of that of the smallest U.S. state, Singapore is not likely to ever host a regular Olympics or any top-tier sporting competition though it is certainly wealthy enough to finance one. In term of medal prospects, the Lion City is unlikely to enjoy the host advantage as the country has never been known for its athletic prowess having won only two non-gold Olympic medals in its history.

Summer Olympics are typically dominated by the likes of the United States and Russia. However, China's Red Army is widely expected to top the medal table at the 2010 Youth Olympics mostly due to the age eligibility being 14 to 18. The Chinese sport authority is well-known for recruiting talented athletes at a very young age and training them under the most rigorous conditions. Consequently, young Chinese prodigies are extremely prepared for big competitions like the Olympics. Youngsters from other countries will have to compete against "fully matured" athletes from China, who are at their peak form. One should not be surprised to see the Chinese excel even in events they are traditionally weak at.

The country has the most to lose in the Youth Olympic movement is the United States. Most premier athletes in the U.S. hone their skills either in later high school years or in college, which put them out of the age range for the Youth Olympic Games. Even if there were such talents, they are likely to be eyeing lucrative pro careers rather than chasing the Olympic dream. Still, the U.S. is one of very few countries that can match China in term of resources. This instantly makes the country competitive in any sporting event. The U.S. won't be remotely close to beating China in the medal race, but a distant second is not out of the question.

The dark horse at the 2010 Youth Olympics is South Korea. The Land of the Morning Calm has recently adopted a Chinese-style recruiting effort. Talented youngsters are recruited at a young age and are trained with Olympic glory in mind. Participation in the program is entirely voluntary and parental engagement is highly encouraged. The program has been very successful and is credited for increasing Korea's competitiveness in major international competitions. Case in point, South Korea recently enjoyed the country's best Winter Olympic Games ever cumulated by 17-year old Kim Yu Na's emphatic victory in figure skating.

Other contenders at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics are Russia and Great Britain, the host country of Olympics 2012. I predict that China will top the final medal standings with Russia, the United States, South Korea, and Japan rounding out the top 5. The Singapore Youth Olympics will be streamed live over the web. Broadcast rights and schedules for individual countries have not been finalized, as of this article. Enjoy the Games and Go Youth!