Ready for Australia
24th November 2004

With the Youth Games Team departing from Glasgow Airport for Australia on Saturday 27th November, Charles Mills and Rebecca Hillis, both students at Glasgow School of Sport, have been doing their homework on the country.

The two athletes are part of a 14 strong squad of swimmers who will compete in the 2004 Youth Games in Bendigo near Melbourne. Sixty nine Scottish athletes will be competing in nine sports (Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Cycling, Gymnastics, Lawn Bowls, Rugby 7's and Weightlifting) in the Games which start on 29 November and run through till 4 December.

For most of these athletes this is their first experience of a multi-sport event and it will be an invaluable learning experience for some who may go on to represent Scotland in Melbourne in 2006 or Delhi in 2010.

At a recent team camp weekend at Inverclyde Sports Centre in Largs, the young athletes (all 18 and under), and their parents, were able to meet team members from other sports and were given valuable information on how to cope with jet lag, acclimatisation, nutrition and hydration. Games team kit was issued and useful practical advice on packing given. The athletes also developed a Code of Conduct which will be adhered to by all team members.

This is the Second Commonwealth Youth Games - the first was held in Edinburgh in 2000. Numbers are restricted to 1000 including staff and coaches and this year, 24 nations will take part.

Newly appointed Minister for Sport, Patricia Ferguson MSP, will be travelling out to add her support to the Scottish team.

The Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland wish all Youth Games Team athletes all the best for a successful Games.