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The London Youth Games is an annual multi-sport event held in London, England. The London Youth Games offer competitive opportunities for young participants aged 7 to 18 across 30 sports. The London Youth Games are contested between the 32 London boroughs (as well as the City of London) and take place at venues around the capital all year round, with the focal point being a finals weekend at the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace. The finals weekend traditionally takes place on the first weekend in July and they are free and open to all young people living in or going to school in London. Over 125,000 young Londoners take part in the London Youth Games, making it the largest annual youth sports event in Europe.
Contents
The London Youth Games are delivered by London's local authorities, several NGBs and over 2,000 volunteers each year. A small team of full-time staff help to co-ordinate the LYG volunteering programme ' GamesForce ' which, together with volunteering agencies, help recruit, train and provide opportunities in media, events, sports, officiating and team leadership for persons aged 16 and above at the London Youth Games.
The London Youth Games is funded by Balfour Beatty, Sport England National Lottery, and Thames Water among others. The London Youth Games are organised and managed by the London Youth Games Foundation, which is a registered charity (1048705). Representatives from the London boroughs and a number of independent trustees make up the Board of trustees.
1977-1984
The London Youth Games is launched as one of two major sporting events to mark the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The first Games were held that same year at the National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace, where it has remained since.
After a year away, the Games returned in 1979 and continued to grow through the early 1980s with the introduction of more sports and a rise in the number of competitors.
1985-1989
London Youth Games Ltd is created in 1985 to cater for the growth and complexity of the organisation dedicated to running the London Youth Games and other London sports events for young people.
The 1986 London Youth Games sees the introduction of a water sports regatta at the Royal Albert and Victoria Docks. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the 1987 London Youth Games features in cycling's Milk Race and the cross-country championships are introduced to the Games programme.
1990-2000
In 1994, BAA Heathrow becomes first title sponsor of the London Youth Games which are renamed ' The London Heathrow Youth Games '. The Mini Games event for Londoners under the age of 11 is introduced. The Indoor Cricket Cup is set up in 1996. A then record 20,000 children take part in the 1998 London Youth Games.
The regatta is revamped in 1999 with the introduction of separate competitions in canoeing, sailing and rowing. Events for disabled athletes, swimming, football and girls rugby union are introduced.
A four-day national Youth Games final of the winning teams from all 43 Area Youth Games in the UK takes place in Southampton in August 2000. London sends two squads to represent them at 'The BAA Millennium Youth Games' in the 12 sports competitions.
2001-2005
The London Youth Games reach their 25th anniversary in 2001 with GB Olympic diver Tony Ally among its promoters.
The Queen, accompanied by her husband Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, visit the London Youth Games Mini Games at Crystal Palace on 4 July as part of her Golden Jubilee Tour in 2002. She watches a relay race and presents winners medals.
London Youth Games establishes its own website. A festival stage with a big screen, 95.8 Capital FM and the Royal Navy entertain crowds at the 2003 London Youth Games finals weekend.
The 2004 London Youth Games are launched by former boxing champion Michael Watson and showcase the London 2012 bid during the launch and at the finals weekend. London Youth Games competitor Amber Charles (Newham, girls basketball), then 14, is chosen as a youth ambassador for the bid. Participants greet the Athens Olympic Flame as it arrives in the UK on its world tour.
BAA Heathrow's sponsorship of the Games ends in 2005 and a new public sector funding secured the London Youth Games' future with long-term funding from Sport England London and the Greater London Authority.
2006-2010
Balfour Beatty announces a six-year association with the London Youth Games in 2006. They sign as a title sponsor until 2013 and the London Youth Games are renamed ' The Balfour Beatty London Youth Games '.
British long-distance runner Mo Farah light the games torch at the opening ceremony of the 2007 London Youth Games.
The London Youth Games celebrate the 500,000th competitor in its history in 2009. The London Youth Games also gets its first patron with former competitor, Chicago Bulls and GB basketball captain Luol Deng and the London Youth Games Hall of Fame is launched with six former participants inducted.
In 2010, the London Youth Games hit a record 50,000 competitors and became the largest annual youth sports event in Europe. Olympic 400m runner Christine Ohuruogu was the 2010 London Youth Games patron. Six more alumni were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Foxy was introduced as the official London Youth Games mascot.
2011-present
2011 was another record year for the London Youth Games, as over 71,000 youngsters compete across 30 sports, with Richmond taking home the Jubilee Trophy. England women's footballer Rachel Yankey was the patron of that year's Games, and was also inducted into the 2011 Hall of Fame along with skier Chemmy Alcott, Paralympic swimmer Elaine Barrett, triathlete Tim Don, high jumper Dalton Grant, and squash player Paul Johnson.
2012 saw the London Youth Games introduce a whole new raft of school competitions in line with the national School Games pathway and hosted the inaugural finals at Crystal Palace in March. Hounslow were the victors and took home the Schools Shield. Games alumni Zoe Smith and David Weir were joint patrons for a record-breaking year at the London Youth Games. In Olympic and Paralympic year, Croydon were crowned winners of the Jubilee Trophy for the first time in 18 years. It was announced later in the year that participation figures for the 2012 Balfour Beatty London Youth Games were 104,463 - a record in the history of the event.
The London Youth Games was well represented at both the 2012 Olympics and 2012 Paralympics with 44 competitors in total. LYG alumni contributed 14 medals to Team GB including gold medals for Mo Farah, David Weir, Bradley Wiggins, Joanna Rowsell and Naomi Riches.
Olympic Judo star and former Greenwich competitor Gemma Gibbons is Patron for the 2013 Games. Wandsworth won the Balfour Beatty London Youth Games School Games and are now the holders of the Schools Shield. The Games Finals will take place on July 6 and 7 at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.
Sports
The London Youth Games consists of 80 competitions in 30 different sports. The following sports are included in the London Youth Games programme: