Record 114k Participants at 2013 London Youth Games
12th September 2013A record number of young people took part in the 2013 Balfour Beatty London Youth Games it was revealed by the organisation on Tuesday 10 September. Chairman Anthony Kendall revealed the news that 114,598 young Londoners took part in the 2013 London Youth Games competition pathway, the most ever in the event’s 36 year history.
The news was revealed in a speech at the Balfour Beatty London Youth Games Hall of Fame & Annual Awards Evening at BAFTA in London’s West End, where former competitors such as World 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu, Olympic cycling gold medallist Joanna Rowsell, World disability swimming champion Amy Marren, Olympic weightlifter Zoe Smith and European fencing medallist Richard Kruse were among the guests.
In his speech, he said: “Four years ago, we set the ambition to involve 50,000 young people in the London Youth Games before the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“So, I am proud to announce that in 2013 over 114,000 young people began the journey to represent their borough at the London Youth Games, with over 25,000 making it through to the London Youth Games hosted event across 33 sports.”
For the first time ever, an inner London borough picked up the Jubilee Trophy as the London Youth Games overall champions this year. The Balfour Beatty London Youth Games is Europe’s largest annual youth sports event, featuring teams from 33 London boroughs taking part in 85 competitions across 33 sports on 27 event days.