2014 Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony Tomorrow in Populous Designed Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre

China’s most successful sports precinct, the Nanjing Sports Park, is once again hosting a world-class event. The 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games begins tomorrow (16th August 2014) in China with the Opening Ceremony taking place in the Populous designed Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre, the centrepiece of the Nanjing Sports Park. The Sports Centre will also hold the Closing Ceremony and all Athletic events.

The Youth Olympics, which are held every four years, brings together 3,778 athletes, aged between 15 and 18, from 204 countries. The Games will showcase 28 events including diving, swimming, archery, athletics and gymnastics over the 12 days of the event.

Nanjing Sports Park was one of the largest athletic venue projects ever completed in Asia. It includes a Gymnasium and Natatorium, which are also being used during the games, as well as an arena, tennis centre, media centre and a range of outdoor facilities. The Sports Park was originally designed to host the 10^th China National Games in 2005 and two years later won the IOC/IAKS Gold Award.

Populous was also successful in winning the original Masterplan competition for the 2014 Youth Olympics. The design was intended to unite the city through green infrastructure utilising lanterns to light up the host city and be used as portals to the games. The Masterplan was designed with the long term development of the city in mind with the Youth Olympic Games carefully positioned to inhabit the new city rather than retrofit a legacy.