| The inaugural ‘Millennium’
Commonwealth Youth Games, took place in Edinburgh from 10 –
14 August 2000. The Games provided an opportunity for young
athletes under 18 to compete in an international multi-sport
event and were supported by the Commonwealth Games Federation.
Almost 600 athletes
from 15 Commonwealth nations competed in this 3-day event
in athletics, fencing, gymnastics, hockey, squash, swimming,
tennis and weightlifting. This invitational event meant that
athletes from Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, England,
India, Malaysia, Nauru, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland,
South Africa, Wales and Zimbabwe competed.
The Games were so successful
that it was decided to hold them every 4 years and the second
Games were held in Bendigo, Australia between 29 November
and 4 December 2004. One thousand athletes competed at the
Games in 10 sports – athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling,
gymnastics, lawn bowls, rugby 7s, swimming, tenpin bowling
and weightlifting.
The next Youth Games will
be held in Pune, India in October 2008. |
