The Google doodle on Saturday marked the beginning of the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The Youth Olympics are organised every four years for athletes aged between 15 and 18 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This year about 200 countries are participating in the event.
"An elite sporting event for young people from all over the world,” the Youth Olympics might be a scaled down version of the Olympic games but the spirit of the event is similar. This year the event's mascot is Pandi the teen jaguar, a sport-loving native Argentinian.
The IOC describes the event as, "distinct from other youth sports events, as they also integrate a unique Culture and Education Programme (CEP), based around five main themes: Olympism, Social Responsibility, Skills Development, Expression and Well-being and Healthy Lifestyles... The CEP gives the participating athletes the opportunity to learn about the Olympic values, explore other cultures and develop the skills to become true ambassadors of their sport."
The event is preceded by a medal designing competition, also organised by the IOC. This year's winners in different categories will receive gold, silver and bronze medals designed by 18-year-old Muhamad Farid Husen from Indonesia.
The sporting event held between October 6 and 18 will feature new sports like breakdancing, sport climbing, roller sports and karate, and many new disciplines and events such as BMX freestyle, kiteboarding, beach handball, futsal and acrobatic gymnastics.
