Youth Olympic athletes sing highly of host Singapore

The first Youth Olympic Games will come to an end on Thursday night, and many athletes speak highly of the host Singapore, saying they will definitely miss the beautiful city when they are back home.

Uzbekistan swimmer Yulduz Kuchkarova was sad to leave, citing the amenities here as her primary reason.

"The facilities here are so much better," she said. "And the shopping in Singapore is also really good."

Artistic gymnast Agustina Estarli of Argentina said the Village had been the favorite part of her first Olympic experience, displaying on her identification tag the Olympic collectable pin badges she has traded with other athletes.

"I started with 20 pins from Argentina, then I traded the rest with the other athletes," Estarli said.

"I like the Olympic Village best because we get to share it with other athletes from other countries (regions) all around the world."

Local athletes were also sad the Games were drawing to a close.

Shooter Wu Wen Yi, who represented Singapore in the 10m air pistol, believed the first Youth Games had been a success.

"I am very happy with these Games," he said. "Singapore did a really good job hosting it. Our accommodation was good and the food too. Everything has been very well planned."

The first Youth Olympics, held in Singapore from Aug. 14 to 26, is a sporting gala balancing sport, culture and education.

Source: Xinhua