Covering the Youth Olympics

What I learned in Singapore at the Youth Olympic Games

This summer I was in Singapore to cover the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) for Scholastic. It was the first-ever YOG organized by the International Olympic Committee. How cool is that?

Even after going back to school and getting into the homework routine, I can still close my eyes and be in Singapore. I can still see the opening ceremony with Y-O-G in big, bold letters in the foreground and hear the official soundtrack of the Games: "Raise your hand for our generation, fly the flags of every nation, reaching out for that moment in our lives..."

I know this sounds a little corny, but that moment in my life truly took my breath away. I loved the opening ceremony. I loved seeing kids from every nation compete at the highest level, learn about each other's cultures, and make friends for life.

I loved traveling all the way to the other side of the planet, walking around the city, and feeling its energy. I loved holding on to the pink handlebars in the bus. I remember like it is today my many trips in the Singapore subway. I remember that 'berhati-hati ruang di platform' means 'mind the platform gap' in Malay. I don't know when I'll have a chance to use that again, but it's imprinted in my brain!

Most of all, I loved being in the middle of the action at such an important event. It turns out I may have been the youngest reporter ever to have been officially accredited for the Olympic Games! A few journalists wrote about me because of that, which was a real surprise. But I'm not going to kid you: I'm not a pro! I was goofing up all the time: one time.

Once, I mistook a tourist for an athlete. I showed up at a venue at the wrong time. I started one interview with a long question, only to realize that the athlete understood not a single word of English. I almost got blamed for making another athlete miss his anti-doping testing!

But along the way, I learned a thing or two:

1) Introduce yourself and say who you're writing for: that's the professional thing to do when you're starting an interview, and it'll make you feel special. If you don't, the person you're interviewing is going to spend the first 10 seconds reading what's written on the badge around your neck. That's awkward. And he will forget your first question.

2) Speaking of first questions: prepare a first question, and be ready to scrape it. There's nothing more frustrating for someone who just lost a game than to hear: "So, how much fun was it out there?"

3) If you're interviewing famous people, don't ask them to spell their names. You can look it up later. It wastes time, wears out that person's patience, and you're going to have to double check it anyway to make sure you didn't write it down wrong!

4) If there's a line of reporters waiting to interview someone, stay close to the athlete as he or she is walking from one reporter to another, and listen to the questions and answers. If you then stand at the end of that line, you'll have plenty of ideas to follow up on things others have asked, or go in a totally new direction with your own interview. I got this tip from Jane at the US Olympic Committee. Thanks, Jane!

5) And remain objective: you're there to report, not to cheer too wildly for your home team (something I had a hard time with sometimes).For example, At the opening ceremony, the organizers gave each spectator a goodie bag with all sorts of useful things, like a bottle of water, a muffin, a portable ventilator, a poncho, a dove that lights up, etc. The bag also included a set of balloon clappers. I banged them so hard that they exploded in my hands. I smashed my parents' clappers too. And that was all before the ceremony actually got underway!

You could say that I was cheering too wildly, but then again, I was experiencing the moment!

—Charlotte Samson

NOTE: The Youth Olympic Games took place in Singapore from Aug 13-26, 2010. Check out Charlotte's daily posts from Singapore on the Scholastic Kids Press Corps Blog. For more about the Youth Olympic Games, check out the YOG official website.

PHOTO: The big YOG letters at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, August 2010. (Photo Courtesy Charlotte Samson)

First Youth Olympic Games Ends

Hats off to Singapore for a job very well done.

After 12 days of hard-fought competition, the first ever Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore concluded on Thursday with another spectacular ceremony at Marina Bay.

So much happened in those 12 days! The athletes were spectacular of course, and their stories and achievements will live on forever. But as I step away from the Games and make my way to the airport, what strikes me the most is what went on behind the scenes: all the details, big and small, that made it all possible.

“I did not expect this level of perfection,” said Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee. “Hats off to Singapore for what they’ve done. I now have 22 Olympic Games under my belt and the YOG is ranking at the very top.”

I've walked a lot in the city and I don't think I saw a single street without a banner or billboard advertising the Games. For 12 days, the official buses of the Youth Olympic Games roamed the city. The mascots—Lyo and Merly—have become celebrities. The spirit of the Youth Olympic Games was everywhere!

One point of controversy was that most venues were sold-out long before the finals, and not enough tickets had been set aside for anyone—especially Singapore residents—wishing to attend at the last minute. That should be addressed in future Games, but there are worse problems than to have too much success.

In the end, 370,000 spectators attended the Games.

"We have made Singapore proud," declared Ng Ser Miang, Chairman of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee, during the Closing Ceremony.

He, too, recognized that the Games would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of the more than 20,000 volunteers.

"What can I say to you?" he told volunteers. "From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your passion and your total devotion. This is a dream come true for many of us. So dear friends, wherever you are, please stand up, take a bow and be recognized."

And the crowd recognized them! They gave the volunteers a well-deserved standing ovation.

This is my last post from Singapore, and it's been an amazing experience. Being a Kid Reporter and seeing kids barely older than me achieve so much—wow! That was truly inspiring.

I loved it all—even you guys at the Media Accreditation office! Thank you for the opportunity!

—Charlotte Samson

PHOTO: Young athletes enjoy a party on stage during the closing ceremony of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, August 26, 2010. (Photo Courtesy ©2010 Youth Olympic Games)

Olympic Windsurfing Sails!

Champions crowned at the Youth Olympic Games windsurfing regatta.

The conclusion of the windsurfing regatta at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore was thrilling! The competition lasted for nine days. That's really exhausting.

First, it's exhausting mentally, because you have to stay sharp the whole time and handle the distractions.

It is also physically tough. Windsurfing can be done in every wind condition, but contrary to what you might think, it's harder physically with very little wind. That was certainly the case in Singapore this week.

In light conditions, competitors need to continuously move their sail around to propel their board. That’s called 'pumping' and it's a tough test of endurance.

The last race counted double-points, but that didn't change who won the gold medal in either the girls’ or boys’ fleet. Siripon Kaewduang-Ngam from Thailand and Mayan Rafic from Israel dominated the regatta throughout.

The last race did, however, decide the silver and bronze medals. In the girls’ fleet, Italy took the silver, while Singapore won bronze. For the boys’, silver went to Hong Kong and the bronze to Great Britain.

It's always difficult to spot the action from the shore in a windsurfing regatta, but for that last race, groups of people gathered around the few who had binoculars. We were all on the edge of our seats!

When it was over, all the boats—including the officials, technical teams, and coaches—came back honking! It was really loud and playful. Everyone on shore was cheering, especially for Audrey Yong from Singapore, who clawed her way into the medals with that last race. The whole scene gave me goosebumps!

You may remember from an earlier post that my big sister Margot also competed in windsurfing! She didn't finish among the leaders, but learned a lot and raced a great medal race.

She was beaming when she got back to the beach. I asked her about what this regatta meant to her.

“It was absolutely spectacular," she told me. "What we experienced here in Singapore’—the tough competition, the Olympic life, the organization, the friendships we made—I'll remember this forever!"

I talked to some other competitors after the race, asking them to summarize their experience in one word.

Here's a multi-lingual sample of what I heard: Great, Incredible, Amazing, Awesome, Fantastic, Inoubliable, Impressionnant, Fun, Divertida.

The competitor from Estonia summarized his experience as, "Suure parane." My Estonian is a little rusty, so I looked it up online. It means “big improvement.”

Here’s my one word for all the competitors: Bravo!

—Charlotte Samson

PHOTOS: (TOP) Margot Samson (USA) and Audrey Caron (Canada) congratulate each other after windsurfing competition ends. (BOTTOM) Hanna Idziak (Poland) is interviewed by Kid Reporter Charlotte Samson at the windsurfing competition in the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. (Photos by Charlotte Samson)

Olympic Champions

The difference between winning and being a champion.

In the opening ceremony for the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore on Saturday, the President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, had these words of advice for the young athletes competing in Singapore: "You will learn the difference between winning and being a champion. To win, you merely have to cross the finish line first. To be a champion, you have to inspire admiration for your character, as well as for your physical talent."

At the time, I didn't think much about it. It sounded like the polite thing to say to 3,600 competitors—most of whom would go back home after two weeks without a medal.

Since hearing that speech, however, I have witnessed a couple of amazing events that brought those words to life.

First, I attended the finals of the 3M springboard diving competition. It was won handily by Bo Qiu from China. Michael Hixon, from the U.S., came from behind in the last dive of the night to grab the bronze.

I caught up with Michael after his dive and he was glowing.

“It was pretty awesome," he said. "I was a little nervous before the last dive, but I knew what I had to do, and I did it."

However, the competition really stood out for me because of the performance of Tom Daley. Tom, 16, is the reigning world champion from the 10M platform. He represented Great Britain in Beijing in 2008 at the age of 13. Girls were standing outside the venue with 'I Love You Tom' painted on their cheeks. He's a celebrity!

Tom injured himself earlier this year, but rather than missing the Youth Olympic Games altogether, he decided to compete in the 3M springboard event because it hurts a little less. His third jump of the night was horrible. He didn't complete the last rotation and nearly landed flat on his stomach. That must not have happened to him in years. The crowd gasped, and everyone knew right then that he was not going to medal.

Tom had two more jumps to go, but rather than giving up, he smiled at the crowd and nailed them both! He knew he had lost any chance for a medal—he ended up 9th—but he finished it off in style.

It must have hurt a lot physically as well, because immediately after the last dive, he had an enormous ice pack on his arm and shoulder. You know what he said to me afterward?

"I'm very disappointed,” he said, “but it was an amazing experience."

Sign me up to Tom's fan club!

The second amazing event was in the finals of the girls' 2000m steeplechase, which took place under a steady rain. Anastasiya Puzakova from Belarus fell hard on one of the jumps after only one lap. She crashed on the track, and it took her so much time to get up that we all thought she had broken her wrist, or her ankle.

Anastasiya stood up and continued the race. It hurt me just to watch, because we all could see she was limping. We could also hear her screams of pain as she made her way around the track. She finished a minute and a half behind winner Virginia Nyambura from Kenya, but for her last stretch, the crowd was on its feet and cheering her on.

She collapsed after the finish line and was escorted from the track by the medical staff under a shower of applause. Anastasiya didn't give interviews after the race because she was being treated—she injured her knee pretty bad—but I saw her in a wheelchair before catching a bus back to the Olympic Village.

Even though I could see the pain in her eyes, she held her head high. She showed us all what it really meant to compete and do your very best. She showed me what it meant to be a champion.

—Charlotte Samson

PHOTO: Anastasiya Puzakova from Belarus is escorted from the track after the 2000m steeplechase finals. (Photo by Charlotte Samson)

Fast and Furious at the YOG!

Kid Reporter—and table tennis teams—finally get into the games!

After a week in Singapore, I've finally received my official media accreditation for the Youth Olympic Games! Yes!

First stop: table tennis. What an experience! Stepping into the National Indoor Stadium, hearing the rapid-fire clatter of the hollow celluloid balls, the cheers of the crowd. I never imagined how intense this sport can be!

The players are grunting, shouting, pumping fists... They're sweating so much that they have to wipe their hands on the tables between points.

You've surely heard people refer to this sport as 'ping-pong,' which is cute, but did you know that it was once called 'whiff-whaff?' Nothing whiffy or whaffy about it, let me tell you—this is fast and furious.

It just happens that I showed up on the first day of the tournament. Like me, the competitors in table tennis had to wait one full week before getting into the action. I asked some of them how they handled the wait.

“It was confusing at first, but I practiced every day and I adapted well to the situation," said Ojo Onaolapo from Nigeria after his first win. Ojo came out on top of his group in the first stage. He came through the second stage as well to reach the Quarterfinals.

Simon Bauzy, from Toulouse, France, and the 3rd seed at the beginning of the tournament, thought that the one week wait was frustrating.

“We couldn't take part in some of the fun activities at the Olympic Village," he said. He used the time preparing for the competition, which paid off. He’s playing in the semi-finals today.

Celine Pang, also from France, thought that "the wait was tiring" and was disappointed not to come out of her first stage group. But she was fantastic today in the consolation bracket and won all of her matches.

These players are young, but already they're professionals. They know how to handle a difficult schedule and use it to their advantage.

For me, waiting for my accreditation was very frustrating. Honestly, I was a nervous wreck! But I'm learning from these top competitors. Patience is a virtue. Good things come to those who wait.

I'm super excited that I now have access to the venues, and I'll be rushing to cover as many events as I can!

—Charlotte Samson

PHOTOS: (TOP) Fast and furious table tennis action at the National Indoor Stadium at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. (Photo Courtesy Charlotte Samson)

Spain Wins Bronze in Taekwondo

Bumping Into Athletes While Awaiting Media Accreditation

My adventure at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore continues. I am still waiting for my media accreditation, but I've been assured that my application is being fast-tracked. I should be able to gain access to the venues and athletes very soon!

For now, I have to rely on luck to catch up with athletes outside of the venues. Of course, it helps that the athletes are often dressed head to toe in his or her country's uniform!

That was how I nabbed an interview with Nagore Irigoien of Spain in the lobby of the Marina Bay Sands hotel. Once I spotted her, I scrambled to get my notebook and pen from my dad's backpack. I then ran after her and introduced myself.

Nagore, 17, comes from Bilbao, Spain. She placed 3rd in the 63kg Taekwondo competition the night before—a bronze medal at the first-ever Youth Olympic Games! Not too shabby! No wonder she and her family were smiling so big when I snapped their picture!

Taekwondo is an ancient art. Its origins can be traced back 2000 years in Korea. Its name literally means "The Way of Kicking and Punching," which sounds sort of random and wild. However, the practice of Taekwondo involves an enormous amount of technique that takes athletes years to develop.

"I've been doing Tawkwondo for 10 years," Nagore said. "I’ve been competing for the last five years. Of course Taekwondo isn't as popular as football or basketball in Spain, but it's a great success nonetheless."

Nagore competed in Mexico earlier this year to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games. With her final competition now over, she can relax a little. I asked her what she was able to do in Singapore so far besides competing. She was quick to mention the Singapore Flyer, the tallest Ferris Wheel in the world! It’s nearly 550 feet tall.

Her spirits are also flying high after her Bronze medal win. Congratulations, Nagore!

—Charlotte Samson

PHOTO: Nagore Irigoien (center) of Spain celebrates her bronze medal win in Taekwondo with her family and friends. (Photo Courtesy Charlotte Samson)

Situated in Singapore

While the athletes compete, this Kid Reporter eats!

Singapore is a big city, and I spent my second day here getting oriented. I didn't sign up in time to get press credentials for the Youth Olympic Games (the deadline was way back in May), so I filled out some paperwork today and hope that soon I'll be able to go behind the scenes to get really close to the action and interview the athletes. The person in charge of the media accreditation here was very encouraging, so wish me luck!

In the meantime, everywhere I turn there's something going on. I've got a sense of where the venues are now and a good game plan for the next few days, so don't despair, I'll bring you some sports-related coverage soon.

That doesn't mean that I don't have anything spicy to report! I visited Chinatown here in Singapore, and “spicy” doesn't even begin to describe the experience! Food stalls can be found at every street corner. You can also eat at giant food courts, called “hawker centers,” which feature foods from different cultures such as Malay, Indian, and Chinese, Peranakan. The Peranakans are descendants of early Chinese migrants in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Apart from eggrolls and samosas, I was not familiar with any of the dishes available there! I'm probably not the only one, because every little food stall has pictures of their specialties on display. Even then, many of the dishes remain a mystery. Take a look at the picture above! Pretty extreme, don't you think?

I hear that four big local specialties are: fish-head curry, sambal stingray, chilli crab, and durian milkshake. I tried the durian a long time ago and I'm not going anywhere near that one again (no offense to those of you who love it, it's just... not my taste). A durian is a fruit. One web site described its smell as "tear-inducing, oniony, fetid stench." Need I say more?

But before this trip in Singapore is over, I'm going to try one of the other specialties and give you a report. I must admit I'm not totally enthusiastic, but my parents say I've got to at least try.

—Charlotte Samson

PHOTOS: (TOP) A hawker center in Singapore's Chinatown. (BOTTOM) Kid Reporter Charlotte Samson tries out some new foods while deciding against others. (Photos Courtesy Charlotte Samson)

Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

Kid Reporter covers the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

This is it. The long wait is over. After two and a half years of preparations and anticipation, the first ever Youth Olympic Games (YOG) are finally here. And if the Opening Ceremony in Singapore is any indication of what we might get to see in the next 12 days, we're in for something spectacular.

Singapore is buzzing with energy. YOG signs, banners, and flags are just about everywhere. From the moment I stepped out of the plane on Saturday to the time I arrived at Marina Bay for the Opening Ceremony that evening, I bumped into 736 volunteers. The volunteers are everywhere in their neon-purple outfits I'm sure can be easily spotted from space! I talked to all of them—well, nearly all—and they're super nice and eager to help.

Check out these numbers: 3,600 athletes from 204 countries are competing; 20,000 volunteers are helping keep things organized; 7,000 dancers performed in front of 27,000 spectators for the opening ceremony; and more than 2 billion watched worldwide on TV. (You can watch online at http://www.youtholympicgames.org/)

The stage for the opening ceremony was set on the water, which reflected the city and the fireworks all around. It gave me goosebumps to be there watching.

Singapore has a proud history—one that was told beautifully in the Opening Ceremony. The games are sure to add a fascinating new chapter to that history—a chapter rooted in the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect.

A prominent song at the Opening Ceremony had this chorus: "Today, our story has begun." That's how highly the citizens of Singapore hold these games.

With the opening ceremonies over, competition is now in full swing. I am working hard to cover everything I can, including my sister’s competition in wind surfing. Yes, my older sister, Margot, is on the U.S. wind surfing team!

Stay tuned to this blog for more reports from Singapore!

—Charlotte Samson

PHOTO: Fireworks explode during the opening ceremony marking the start of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games on Saturday August 14, 2010 in Singapore. (Photo: Wong Maye-E/AP Images)