Four Australian sports stars were today announced by the International Olympic Committee as part of a long list of Singapore 2010 Athlete Role Models (ARMs) for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games.

The list features many legendary names from the world of sport. The role models were appointed by the International Federations taking part in the Youth Olympic Games and by the IOC Athletes’ Commission.

The Athlete Role Models will be in Singapore to mentor the 3,600 young athletes who are expected to attend the Youth Olympic Games. Among other activities, the ARMs will spend time with the athletes and will participate in activities during the Culture and Education Programme, which will focus on five themes: Olympism and Olympic values, skill development, well-being and healthy lifestyles, social responsibility and expression through digital media.

Athletes at the Youth Olympic Games will be encouraged to engage in conversation with the ARMs, who will attend the competitions, visit the Youth Olympic Village and feature in “Chat with Champions” forums designed to inspire and educate the participants with personal accounts of their own dreams and experiences, and the challenges they have overcome.

Sergey Bubka, an Olympic gold medal-winning pole vaulter and Chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the 1st Summer Youth Olympic Games, said he is delighted to be an Athlete Role Model and is impressed by the line-up put together by the International Federations and Athletes’ Commission.

“These are not just great athletes the International Federations have chosen, these are also inspirational people. I am sure the young athletes will enjoy being around them, and they will learn a great deal about what it takes to be a top athlete and live by the Olympic values.”

Archery - Wietse van Alten (NED)
Athletics - Wilson Kipketer (DEN)
Badminton - Poul Erik HoyerLarsen (DEN)
Badminton - Xu Huaiwen (GER)
Basketball - Andrew Gaze  (AUS)
Basketball - Oscar Schmidt (BRA)
Basketball - Alexandar Djordjevic (SER)
Basketball - Michelle Timms (AUS)
Boxing - Domenico Valentino (ITA)
Canoe/Kayak - Tony Estanguet (FRA)
Cycling - Frédéric Magné (FRA)
Equestrian - Lisen Bratt (SWE)
Fencing - Valentina Vezzali (ITA)
Football - TBC
Gymnastics - Jani Tanskanen (FIN)
Judo - Ruben Houkes (NED)
Handball - TBC
Hockey - Andrew Smith (AUS)
Modern Pentathlon - Georgina Harland (GBR)
Rowing - Lenka Wech (GER)
Sailing - Michael Gebhardt (USA)
Shooting - Matthew Emmons (USA)
Diving - Guo Jingjing  (CHN)
Table Tennis - Jean-Philippe Gatien (FRA)
Taekwondo - Daniel Trenton (AUS)
Tennis - Ai Sugiyama (JPN)
Triathlon - Hamish Carter (NZL)
Weightlifting - Pawina Thongsuk (THA)
Wrestling - Daniel Robin (FRA)
 
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Robert Balk  (USA)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Claudia Bokel (GER)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Sergey Bubka (UKR)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Charmaine Crooks (CAN)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Rania Elwani (EGY)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Frank Fredericks (NAM)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Barbara Kendall (NZL)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Yumilka Ruiz Luaces (CUB)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Dae Sung Moon (KOR)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Adam Pengilly (GBR)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Alexander Popov (RUS)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Angela Ruggiero (USA)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Rebecca Scott (CAN)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Peter Tallberg (FIN)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Pedro Yang (GUA)
IOC Athletes’ Commission - Yang Yang (CHN)