2010 Summer Youth Olympics torch relay

Host city	Singapore
Countries visited	Greece, Germany, Senegal, Mexico, New Zealand, South Korea
Start date	July 23, 2010
End date	August 14, 2010

The torch relay in northeast Singapore on August 10, 2010

The 2010 Summer Youth Olympics torch relay was run from 23 July until 14 August 2010, prior to the

round the world tour across five cities, namely Berlin, Germany; Dakar, Senegal; Mexico City, Mexico; Auckland, New Zealand; and Seoul, South Korea. Following the international leg, the torch arrived in host city Singapore on 6 August 2010 for the domestic leg.^[3]

The torch traversed the five cities, representing the five continents of the world: Europe, Africa, Americas, Oceania and Asia, in the given order. A number of famous athletes, leaders, and media personalities were involved the torch relay. Notably, a schoolboy, Low Wei Jie, who was not part of the torch relay was given the opportunity to bear the torch after local newspaper reports of him having following the torch in the rain throughout the day earlier.

The organisers felt that as the games were the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG), it was significant for the spirit of Olympism to reach out to as many youth as possible across the world. The torch relay was held as "the link that connects the youth of the world to the Olympic movement". While there was active community participation in the torch relay, some were reserved about the event and the games itself. However, there were no major disruptions or protests throughout the torch relay, unlike the earlier Beijing Olympics torch relay. The torch relay was brought to an end on 13 August, when Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew lit the cauldron at Marina Bay. However, the Youth Olympic flame was to last till the closing ceremony of the games.

Concept

Supporters cheering on an open-top coach in the mobile column, ahead of the torchbearer, along Bras Basah Road.

Although the IOC had scrapped any further international legs of the

Olympic torch relay due to problems encountered during the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay, the executive board approved an exception for Singapore. The plan however was different from the traditional Olympics; the flame was to visit one city from each continent, where community celebrations would take place.^[4]

The five cities, dubbed the celebration cities, selected for the torch relay were Berlin, Germany; Dakar, Senegal; Mexico City, Mexico; Auckland, New Zealand; and Seoul, Korea. These five cities each represented the five continents of the world — Europe, Africa, Americas, Oceania and Asia — respectively. The inaugural Youth Olympic Games would commence when the Youth Olympic Flame lit the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony on 14 August 2010, marking the commencement of the games. The opening ceremony was held at the main venue of the games, The Float@Marina Bay.

Relay elements

Torch

Compared to the two most recent Olympic torches for the

canister and 740g with it. The torch measured about 60 cm in length, and had a width from 5 to 8 cm. It was designed to incorporate the elements of fire and water, and was constructed using aluminium and polymers. The reflective surface of aluminium, covering the top part of the torch body, was meant to act as a mirror, reflecting images of its surroundings as it went along the relay route. The handle was coated with non-slip material.^[7]

According to the organisers, fire represented youths' passion and "burning desire to learn and excel, blazing the trail in life" (Blazing the Trail was the tagline of the games). Water represented Singapore, which is an island country surrounded entirely by water bodies and which had its origins as a seaport; it also reflected the "vibrant and dynamic nature" of the city-state.^{[citation needed]}

When the flame was not being carried by a torchbearer, it was kept in a safety lantern. At the beginning of each day of the torch relay, the flame from the safety lantern would be used to light the Youth Olympic torch. At the end of each day, the flame would be returned to the safety lantern. The safety lantern was also used to keep backup flames lit, allowing the main torch to be re-lit should it go out. At least three safety lanterns were kept lit throughout the duration of the relay.^[7]

Cauldron

The cauldron, not to be confused with the Olympic cauldron lit during the opening ceremony, was lit at each community celebration site. These were found at the last location of activities during the relay at the 5 cities visited, as well as at the end of each day during the domestic leg.^[7]

Aircraft

A specially chartered

G550 was painted with a special livery

for this purpose.

Torchbearers

For the domestic leg, members of the public were invited to sign up to be one of the 2400 torchbearers.[8] A large number of torchbearers were youths, with the youngest being just 11 years old^[9] and the oldest, an ex-Olympian, being 82 years of age.^[10]

Sequence of events

International leg

Flame lighting ceremony in Greece

In Olympic tradition, the flame was lit at the ancient site of the first

Olympic games^[13]^[14] where the flame was only handed to the Organising Committee in Athens

.

Berlin, Germany

The Youth Olympic flame made its first stop in Berlin, Germany, home of the

2010 Winter Olympics flagbearer, were present as well.^[15]

The Singapore Showcase, which was to be held at the other cities as well, was presented by Singapore's

Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts and SYOGOC to give the audience an insight into life in Singapore. There were four segments in the performance; the dance segment, the music segment, the sport segment, and a music, dance and sporty extravaganza. Singaporean singer Erick Guansing performed a local song, Bunga Sayang, during the music segment. Chairman of the SYOGOC and vice-president of the IOC Ng Ser Miang commented on the celebrations, expressing his "thrill" in seeing "the level of enthusiasm for sports displayed by youths here in Berlin as well as Germany". Ng accompanied the flame throughout its journey across the world.^[15]

Dakar, Senegal

The continent of Africa was represented by Dakar, capital of Senegal. The flame made its arrival on 25 July 2010, one day after its stop in Berlin.

city hall, the Hotel De Ville, and the presidential palace, the Palais de la Republique, of the country.^[16]

It was transported through water to

UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the City Celebrations took place. Local performances by the Senegalese, as well as Singaporean performances were put up; the song Singapore Town was played there by Singaporean band Supernova. A Senegalese music group performed a local folk song in Walof about "hope and passion for the future", with SYOGOC chairman Ng commenting that Dakar had "embraced the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect in everyday life".^[17]

Mexico City, Mexico

Youths from various

Pan American Sports Organization welcomed the Youth Olympic Flame when it arrived at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, Mexico. The city, which hosted the 1968 Summer Olympics, was the only one among the five which had celebrations spanning two days, from 27 to 28 July. Around 6,000 spectators accompanied the flame during its journey in Mexico City.^[18]

The flame visited a number of places in the city, including a community center for less privileged children in

Zocalo, the main square in the heart of the historic centre of Mexico City. The City Celebration in Mexico City took place on the night of 28 July. The Singapore Showcast involved the percussion groove of Ethnicity, an ethnic fusion pop band, as well as singing performances by Singaporean Erick Guansing as well as Singapore Idol finalist Gayle Nerva.^[18]^[20]

Auckland, New Zealand

The Youth Olympic flame arrived in

International Dateline. The city was the penultimate stop on the international leg of the torch relay. The flame was greeted by the Pōwhiri, a traditional Maori welcoming ceremony, at the Manukau Civic Centre Gallery. Following the Powhiri, the flame visited the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club. Present there were athletes Barbara Kendall and Elise Beavis, who was bound for the YOG a few days later. YOG athlete Mohammad Ali (different from boxer Muhammad Ali) and Olympic gold medallist Yvette Corlett welcomed the flame at the Pakuranga Athletics Club.^[21]

The City Celebration was culmination of the flame's tour in Auckland, held at the

folksong.^[21]

Seoul, South Korea

The flame arrived at Seoul, South Korea, the last stop in the international leg, on 4 August. It marked the third city the Youth Olympic Flame visited to have hosted the senior Olympic Games before, with the other two being Mexico City and Berlin. Stops were made the Cheong-Gye Square, the Olympic Park and Gwanghwamun Plaza, where the City Celebrations were held.^[22]^[23]

In Seoul, the Youth Olympic flame revisited the city's

fusion pop band Ethnicity performed once again; so did singer Erick Guansing as well as Gayle Nervas, who sang Home, a Singaporean song, completing a medley of Singapore songs.^[23]

Domestic leg

The domestic leg of the torch relay covered most of Singapore's residential areas ending at Marina Bay on 13 August 2010. Due to Singapore's small size and road limitations and organisers wanting as many people to have a chance to be a torchbearer at the same time, each torchbearer carried the torch for a distance of about 100 m before handing it to the next bearer.^[8]

Flame arrival celebrations, 6 August

The

S R Nathan, along with the Amanda Lim and Silas Abdul Razak.^[25]

Day 1, 7 August

The first day of the torch relay in Singapore started in the heart of Singapore, at

CHIJ Toa Payoh in Toa Payoh. The relay continued through the estates of Toa Payoh, Bishan and Ang Mo Kio, before ending the day at Nanyang Polytechnic.^[26] Notable torchbearers for the day include celebrities Joanne Peh,^[27] Randall Tan,^[28] Elim Chew^[29] and Zheng Geping

.

Day 2, 8 August

The second day saw the torch relay visit the south-eastern areas of Singapore, made up of

adventurers David Lim, Khoo Swee Chiow and Sophia Pang.^[30]

The relay then took a break on 9 August, for Singapore's National Day celebrations. However, it made a surprise visit at the National Day Parade, 2010 held at the Padang, where the nation celebrated its 45th year of independence.

Day 3, 10 August

The third day had the relay resume in the north-eastern part of Singapore, going through

dragonboat to reach Temasek Polytechnic.^[31] The youngest torchbearer, Nurhidayah Rahmat, ran in the morning of the day.^[32]

In the morning, Low Wei Jie, 12, followed the relay in the morning showers for more than 2 hours, catching the attention of relay official and the media.[33] His efforts and enthusiasm did not go unappreciated, as relay officials gave him a slot on the last day of the relay.^[34]

Day 4, 11 August

The fourth day of the relay covered the north-western part of Singapore, visiting

Singapore's Women's Everest Team

and Ajit Singh, the oldest torchbearer for the relay at 82 years of age then. In the morning, a flypast by the Singapore Youth Flying Club helped start the relay for the day. The torch also made a stop at the Singapore Zoo in the afternoon.^[35]

Day 5, 12 August

The industrial heartland in south-western Singapore was covered in the fifth day, covering

athletes were invited as torchbearers for that day.^[36]

Day 6, 13 August

The last day of the relay saw the torch going through the shopping and commercial districts of Singapore, visiting

chef de mission James Wong and Day 3 star, Low Wei Jie held the torch during the relay as well.^[37]

The relay was brought to an end by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew at Premontory@Marina Bay, after the second boat crossing of the relay from the Merlion.^[38]^[39]

Complete route

The tables below show the route taken by the torch during the international leg^[40] and the domestic leg.^[7]

International torch relay route
Date	City	Represented continent	Major landmarks
23 July	Ancient Olympia, Greece	—	Temple of Hera
24 July	Berlin, Germany	Europe	Spree River Haus der Kulturen der Welt
25 July	Dakar, Senegal	Africa	Goree Island Place de l'Obélisque
27 July — 28 July	Mexico City, Mexico	Americas	El Ángel de la Independencia Zócalo
2 August	Auckland, New Zealand	Oceania	Manukau Civic Centre Gallery Telstra Centre
4 August	Seoul, South Korea	Asia	Cheonggye Square Gwanghwamun Square

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Domestic torch relay route
Date	Region	Neighbourhoods/Areas covered	Celebration sites
6 August (Flame arrival celebrations)	—	—	National University of Singapore
7 August	Central (North)	Bishan, Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio	Nanyang Polytechnic
8 August	South East	Joo Chiat, Marine Parade, Simei	ITE College East
10 August	North East	Punggol, Sengkang, Hougang, Pasir Ris, Tampines	Temasek Polytechnic
11 August	North West	Bukit Timah, Holland, Bukit Panjang, Yishun, Sembawang, Woodlands	Republic Polytechnic
12 August	South West	Jurong, Boon Lay, Bukit Batok, Choa Chu Kang, West Coast, Clementi, Dover, Buona Vista	Singapore Polytechnic
13 August	Central (South)	City Hall, Shenton Way, Marina Bay	Marina Bay Promenade