On the 27th of June in Yakutsk, within the framework of the Children of Asia Games, the VI Young Olympians International Forum, which is conducted annually by the Russian Olympic Committee with the assistance of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), started its operation. This year, 250 athletes from 14 to 17 years old are taking part in the unique format of the event.
This year, the Young Olympians International Forum, which is included in the educational programme of the 8th Children of Asia Games, has a record number of participants - 24 countries! It is an important factor in the development of international humanitarian cooperation, amity and good-neighbourly ties between peoples.
In the early morning, the Innovation Center of the Russian Olympic Committee, Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) and the Russian Weightlifting Federation (RWF) opened their venues at the secondary school No. 39 named after N.I. Sharin. Anyone interested could test their physical form through complex testing, take part in the quiz on anti-doping rules "Play Fair" and for a few minutes feel like a professional weightlifter by performing several exercises with lightweight equipment under the supervision of the representatives of Russian Weightlifting Federation (RWF). As a result, an impressive number of children gathered at each venue, who were genuinely interested in the experts' explanations and tested their own skills.
Then it was the time for the official part of the event. Stanislav Pozdnyakov - President of the Russian Olympic Committee, Kirill Bychkov - Prime Minister of Yakutia, Mikhail Khorev - Special Representative of the Russian Foreign Minister for International Sports Cooperation and Viktor Lukashenko - President of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus, addressed the young athletes.
President of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus Viktor Lukashenko wished the young athletes rewarding work within the framework of the Forum and success in the arenas of the Children of Asia Games.
- The Opening Ceremony of the 8th Children of Asia Games, which took place the day before, has become a global sports event, with which I congratulate you all. The Young Olympians International Forum is of an educational nature and at the same time plays an essential unifying role. I wish you good mood, an exciting interaction on the fields of the Forum and all the best!
The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) President Stanislav Pozdnyakov declared the VI International Forum of Young Olympians open.
- On behalf of the Russian Olympic Committee, it is a great pleasure to welcome you to our annual Forum, which took place in 2018 for the first time and was the contribution of the Olympic Movement to child protection. How can we contribute to this work? Through educational programmes, through new knowledge for young athletes in the field of anti-doping and negative developments in sport. Our main partner here is the Russian Anti-Doping Agency RUSADA.
I am very grateful to the famous Olympians who, as part of the Forum, share their knowledge with novice athletes, motivating them to continue their active careers. This year, for the first time in the Forum's history, we are holding it outside Moscow, in Yakutsk, where the 8th Children of Asia Games started yesterday. These events prove that the ideas of Olympism laid down by Baron Pierre de Coubertin are very much alive and still unite people, serve the cause of peace and mutual understanding, - said the head of the ROC.
Within the framework of the event there was a traditional dialogue between young athletes and famous Olympians, including alumni of the Children of Asia Games.
Stanislav Pozdnyakov - four-time Olympic champion and President of the ROC, Ksenia Sankovich - Olympic silver and bronze medallist in rhythmic gymnastics, Secretary General of the NOC of Belarus, Mikhail Mamiashvili - Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling and President of the Russian Wrestling Federation, Anna Bogaliy - two-time Olympic champion in biathlon, Aleksey Frosin, - Olympic fencing champion, Valeria Koblova - Olympic silver medallist in freestyle wrestling, Tuyana Dashidorzhieva - Olympic silver medallist in archery, the Children of Asia Games alumnus,Yuri Krakovetsky - the Olympic Games participant in the Kyrgyz national team and multiple finalist of the Grand-Prix stages of the International Judo Federation, Merey Akshalov - the Children of Asia alumnus, participant of the Olympic Games as part of the Kazakhstan national team, world and Asian boxing champion, and other famous athletes shared their experience of sports development with the Forum participants.
Ksenia Sankovich, Secretary General of the NOC of Belarus:
- The most important rule I learnt during my sports career is that you should not give up anywhere for a second. If you are asked to do an exercise ten times - do eleven times, if you need three clean run-throughs - do four. Because when you get to the final point, there should be no regrets that you didn't give your best. Now I use this rule both in my work and in my life.
Two-time Olympic biathlon champion Anna Bogaliy:
- I have always believed that you should clearly understand your goals and objectives and do only what you know how to do. Guys, you are now at the best children's tournament, there were no such competitions back in my time. The most important thing for you is to compete against yourselves. The experience you will gain here in Yakutsk and the mistakes you will have to analyse and correct will help you to step forward. Never give up, because the person responsible for your victories, looking at you in the mirror every morning, is your own self!
President of the Children of Asia International Committee Vladimir Maksimov:
- Children's sport is a starting point for major victories, a very important area that needs to be developed and supported. Today there are a lot of young guys in the hall, who may become coaches and sports managers themselves one day. Such projects as the Young Olympians International Forum help the younger generation not only to get new knowledge, but also to become genuine patriots of their country.
The VI Young Olympians International Forum will continue its enlightening and educational mission in the Olympic Village of the Children of Asia Games, where RUSADA, the Innovation Center of the ROC, the Belarusian Olympic Academy and the Russian University of Sport GTSOLIFK will be working for the next three days.
