Inspirational Young Change-Makers announced for Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has today announced an eclectic list of 81 inspiring young people who will serve as Young Change-Makers (formerly Young Ambassadors) for the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.
The list features active athletes, including 14 Olympians (four of whom also competed at the YOG) and 12 YOG alumni, sports coaches, students and young professionals, all under 30. Despite coming from all walks of life, the Young Change-Makers (YCMs), who were nominated by their respective National Olympic Committees, have one mission in common – to support the young YOG athletes and to inspire other young people in their communities using their experiences at the Youth Olympic Games.
The YCM programme is now in its fifth cycle following its success at the previous two Summer and two Winter Youth Olympic Games. The programme demonstrates just one of the unique elements of the YOG, along with the Young Reporter and Athlete Role Model initiatives.
As well as promoting the YOG and the Olympic values in their countries, the role of the YCMs is focused on helping the athletes of their national teams get the most out of their YOG experience. They will encourage them to interact with people from different sports and backgrounds and to take part in a unique programme of activities and workshops, featuring sessions on injury prevention, anti-doping, careers in sport and media training. The lessons learned will equip the athletes with the sports skills to perform to the best of their ability on the field of play, and the life skills to be true ambassadors of their sport off the field of play, inspiring young people in their communities to get active and embrace the Olympic values.
Previous YCMs have credited this unique opportunity as a means to helping them pursue professional careers in the field of sport, in areas such as events, coaching, media and social development, with many staying within the Olympic Movement as volunteers or securing jobs with NOCs, sports federations and organising committees, or even returning to the YOG in the role of Chef de Mission.
Many have also taken up the opportunity to be part of the YCM+ programme, launched in 2016. The programme, supported by Panasonic, offers YCMs the chance to apply grants to support their own community youth development projects. Six of these YCM+ members currently sit on IOC commissions as a reflection of their commitment to making a difference through sport.
The Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 will be held from 6 to 18 October in Argentina.
For more information on the Youth Olympic Games, please visit: www.olympic.org/yog.
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Name |
NOC |
Olympic/YOG Athlete |
|
Mathatho Manaka |
RSA |
|
|
Paulina Fritz |
GER |
|
|
Fernanda Russo |
ARG |
Shooting - Olympic Games Rio 2016 & Youth Olympic Games Nanjing 2014 |
|
Chloe Esposito |
AUS |
Pentathlon – Olympic Games Rio 2016 (gold medallist) |
|
Anna-Maria Pollany |
AUT |
|
|
Sakina Valiyeva |
AZE |
|
|
Daneka Headley |
BAR |
|
|
Anastasiya Lesik |
BLR |
Alpine Skiing – Youth Olympic Games Innsbruck 2012 |
|
Nicky van Rossem |
BEL |
|
|
Aleksandra Samardzic |
BIH |
Judo – Youth Olympic Games Nanjing 2014 (silver medallist) |
|
Olerato Keegope |
BOT |
|
|
Guilherme Moraes |
BRA |
|
|
Ivana Dineva |
BUL |
|
|
Fabrice Kwizera |
BDI |
|
|
Maggie Brennan |
CAN |
|
|
Nicolas Gonzalez Gomez |
COL |
|
|
Maria Andrade |
CPV |
Taekwondo – Olympic Games Rio 2016 |
|
Sofia Machado Paonessa |
CHI |
|
|
Dabin Yang |
CHN |
|
|
Andreas Chrysostomou |
CYP |
|
|
Gee Won Yoo |
KOR |
|
|
Marija Lozancic |
CRO |
|
|
Cecilie Hedegaard Bak |
DEN |
|
|
Priscilla Lazo Nieto |
ECU |
|
|
Adrian Ruiz |
ESP |
|
|
Katriin Kersa |
EST |
Swimming – Youth Olympic Games Singapore 2010 |
|
Ty Walker |
USA |
Snowboard – Olympic Games Sochi 2014 |
|
Tessa Harman |
FIJ |
|
|
Ekaterina Volkova |
FIN |
Rhythmic Gymnastics – Olympic Games Rio 2016 |
|
Ross Hobart |
GBR |
|
|
Georgios Margaritis |
GRE |
|
| Maria Renee Rodriguez Sarmiento | GUA | |
|
Ming Tai Chan |
HKG |
Long jump – Olympic Games Rio 2016 |
|
Istvan Peni |
HUN |
Rifle shooting – Olympic Games Rio 2016 & Youth Olympic Games Nanjing 2014 (bronze & gold medallist) |
|
Lakshman Rohith Maradapa |
IND |
|
|
Rivaldo Tandra Pangesthio |
INA |
Basketball – Youth Olympic Games Nanjing 2014 |
|
Dearbhail McNamara |
IRL |
Swimming – Youth Olympic Games Nanjing 2014 |
|
Ingibjorg Kristin Jonsdottir |
ISL |
Swimming - Youth Olympic Games Singapore 2010 |
|
Miho Suzuki |
JAP |
|
|
Waleed Abu Nada |
JOR |
|
|
Bektur Kiyatbay |
KAZ |
|
|
Marzhana Kadyrova |
KGZ |
|
|
Tumelo Qophe |
LES |
|
|
Santa Blumberga |
LAT |
|
|
Christel El Saneh |
LBN |
|
|
Dominykas Spudvilas |
LTU |
|
|
Maria Delgado Del Rio |
MEX |
|
|
Ana Svetova |
MDA |
|
|
Joshua Sharpley |
NAM |
|
|
Runa Moller Tangstad |
NOR |
|
|
Jaimee Lovett |
NZL |
Kayak - Olympic Games Rio 2016 |
|
Aaqib Sherazi |
PAK |
|
|
Carolina Joly |
PAN |
|
|
James Leia |
PNG |
|
|
Isabel Barnard |
NED |
|
|
Pauline Lopez |
PHI |
|
|
Mariana Rosado Meléndez |
PUR |
|
|
Martim Ramoa |
POR |
|
|
Nada Arakji |
QAT |
Swimming – Olympic Games Rio 2016 & London 2012 |
|
Jane Konovalova |
RUS |
|
|
Samuel I. Meleisea |
ASA |
|
|
Babacar Dieng |
SEN |
|
|
Mirjana Ivkovic |
SRB |
|
|
Rania Rahardja |
SGP |
Fencing – Youth Olympic Games Singapore 2010 |
|
Alexandra Longova |
SVK |
Archery – Olympic Games Rio 2016 |
|
Ela Mićunović |
SLO |
Basketball - Youth Olympic Games Nanjing 2016 (silver medallist) |
|
Reshika Udugampola |
SRI |
Swimming – Olympic Games London 2012 |
|
Paniz Yousefi |
SWE |
|
|
Steve Dreyfus |
SUI |
|
|
Xaviera Ilahibaks |
SUR |
|
|
Amirjon Urunov |
TJK |
|
|
Yin Cheng Chi |
TPE |
Triathlon – Youth Olympic Games Nanjing 2014 |
|
Lenka Rudova |
CZE |
|
|
Varitta Srijunvong |
THA |
Basketball – Youth Olympic Games Nanjing 2014 |
|
Murat Madan |
TUR |
|
|
Yuliia Levchenko |
UKR |
High jump – Olympic Games Rio 2016 & Youth Olympic Games Nanjing 2014 (gold medallist) |
|
Ines Remersaro Coronel |
URU |
Swimming – Olympic Games London 2012 & Rio 2016 |
|
Keanu George |
IVB |
|
|
Yulimar Rojas |
VEN |
Triple jump – Olympic Games Rio 2016 (Silver) |
|
Jason Miti |
ZAM |
|
|
Yara Hanssen |
ZIM |
Equestrian – Youth Olympic Games Singapore 2010 (bronze medallist) |