2023 Commonwealth Youth Games

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2023 Commonwealth Youth Games
2023 Commonwealth Youth Games logo.svg
Logo
Country Trinidad and Tobago
MottoOne Heart, One Nation, One Spirit
Nations68
Athletes1000
Events93 in 7 sports
Opening4 August 2023
Closing11 August 2023
Opened byPresident Christine Kangaloo
Main venue Hasely Crawford Stadium, Trinidad (athletics, opening ceremony)
Pigeon Point, Tobago (closing ceremony)
Website Trinbago 2023
←  2017
2027  →

The 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games, officially known as the VII Commonwealth Youth Games and informally as Trinbago 2023, were a youth sporting event for members of the Commonwealth that was held in Trinidad and Tobago. [1] They were the seventh edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games. The games were initially scheduled between 1 and 7 August 2021 [2] but were postponed and held from 4 to 11 August 2023 as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic and scheduling issues with the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2022 Commonwealth Games. [3]

Contents

The 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games were the first to be held since the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of King Charles III as Head of the Commonwealth and the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth Realms on 8 September 2022. They were also the first to be held in the Caribbean, and the first to include para-sports.

This was the last Commonwealth Games to take place under the CGF presidency of Dame Louise Martin.

Host selection

The 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games went through three extensive host selections.

First selection

Accepted bid

With the backing of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Commonwealth Games Council for Northern Ireland, [4] Belfast submitted an official bid for the games. On 29 November 2015, it was confirmed that Northern Ireland was the only official, and thus the preferred, bid. [5] They were named the official hosts in January 2016, with the Games originally scheduled for 27 July to 1 August 2021. [6] [2] Robert McVeigh, the Chair of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council, said he was "delighted" that the bid was successful. [7]

In June 2018, Belfast was stripped of the Games due to uncertainty surrounding funding for the event during the absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Executive. [8] [9] [10] This was as £3 million of grants had not been signed off by the Executive before it collapsed in January 2017, meaning the Games had a significant funding gap. [11]

Withdrawn bids

The Botswana National Olympic Committee stated it was preparing a bid for the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games, [12] but later withdrew from consideration. [13]

Jersey was considering a bid in early 2015 but pulled out of the bidding process in June 2015. [14] [15] The withdrawal came as Botswana and Northern Ireland placed bids - Paul du Feu, Jersey's Commonwealth Games Association leader commented that "when you're up against opposition with a bigger population and totally different infrastructure you have to be realistic". [12]

Second selection

Following the stripping of the games from Belfast, a new selection process has been initiated, which lasted for six months. [8] Trinidad and Tobago was announced as new host on 21 June 2019. [16]

Accepted second bid

Other bids

Third selection

Following the postponement, Trinidad and Tobago were elected host of the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Birmingham, England at the Commonwealth Games Federation general assembly.

Accepted third bid

Postponement

Since the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games were moved to 2021 during the original dates of the Commonwealth Youth Games, the CGF considered the best alternative options and time frames for holding the event in the future, potentially in 2023, to avoid clashing with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, with Trinidad and Tobago having the first option to hold the event. [3] [22] [23] On 26 July 2022, it was announced that the 7th Commonwealth Youth Games will be held in 2023 in Trinidad and Tobago. [1] [24]

Marketing

Mascot

On 16 March 2023, the Minister of Sport and Community Development, Shamfa Cudjoe, revealed the games' mascot, Cocoyea, a Leatherback sea turtle. The mascot was designed by Djibril Annisette, who won a design competition that was run for children. [25] [26]

Participation

68 of the 72 Commonwealth Games Associations participated in the games. [27] Maldives, Norfolk Island, Sierra Leone did not compete, along with Gabon and Togo, new members of the Commonwealth which had not yet joined the Commonwealth Games Federation. Gambia was scheduled to compete but withdrew due to not getting visas in time.

Participating Commonwealth Games Association * [28] [29] [30] [31]

*As confirmed by 1 August 2023.

Ceremonies

Opening ceremony

The opening ceremony took place on 4 August 2023 in Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad. It was themed as a Trinidad and Tobago carnival.

The traditional parade of nations was led by the Bahamas (as the host of the previous games), followed by the rest of the nations from the Americas. Following this, nations entered by region in order from Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and lastly the Caribbean. The host nation, Trinidad and Tobago, entered last. Each nation was preceded by a placard bearer carrying a circular board containing the respective nation's flag.

The games were opened by President Christine Kangaloo and were attended by Commonwealth Games Federation President Louise Martin, Prime Minister Keith Rowley, and his wife. A smaller ceremony was held in Tobago the same day. [45] [46]

Closing ceremony

The closing ceremony took place on 11 August 2023 in Pigeon Point, Tobago. In addition to the opening ceremony, the closing ceremony was also carnival themed. [47]

The Games

A total of 93 events over seven sports was contested. [48] [49]

2023 Commonwealth Youth Games

Calendar

OCOpening ceremony●Event competitions1Event finalsCCClosing ceremony
August4
Fri		5
Sat		6
Sun		7
Mon		8
Tue		9
Wed		10
Thu		11
Fri		Medal events
Ceremonies (opening / closing)OCCC—
Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics 8871134
Volleyball (beach) pictogram.svg Beach volleyball ● ● ● ● ● 22
Cycling
Cycling (road) pictogram.svg Road224
Cycling (track) pictogram.svg Track14712
Netball pictogram.svg Fast5 Netball ● ● 11
Swimming pictogram.svg Swimming 999835
Rugby sevens pictogram.svg Rugby sevens ● ● 22
Triathlon pictogram.svg Triathlon 213
Total Medal events2111921192193
Cumulative total21332537293—
4
Fri		5
Sat		6
Sun		7
Mon		8
Tue		9
Wed		10
Thu		11
Fri		Medal events

Medal table

  *   Host nation (Trinidad and Tobago)

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 26172164
2Flag of England.svg  England 16231049
3Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 1211528
4Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 76720
5Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 6208
6Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 5409
7Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago*45615
8Ulster banner.svg  Northern Ireland 4228
9Flag of Wales 2.svg  Wales 36615
10Flag of the Cayman Islands.svg  Cayman Islands 2136
11Flag of Guyana.svg  Guyana 2114
12Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 2103
13Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 2024
14Flag of Jersey.svg  Jersey 1225
Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 1225
16Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 0369
17Flag of India.svg  India 0235
18Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas 0224
19Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 0123
Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 0123
21Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka 0112
22Flag of Barbados.svg  Barbados 0022
Flag of the Isle of Man.svg  Isle of Man 0022
Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia 0022
Flag of Saint Lucia.svg  Saint Lucia 0022
26Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg  Antigua and Barbuda 0011
Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus 0011
Flag of Grenada.svg  Grenada 0011
Totals (28 entries)939394280

Source: [50]

Venues

EventVenueNo. of events
MenWomenMixedTotal
Athletics Trinidad Hasely Crawford Stadium [51] 1313228
Para athletics33—6
CyclingRoad Brian Lara Cricket Academy Cycling Track 22—4
Track National Cycling Velodrome 66—12
Swimming National Aquatics Stadium 1616335
Beach volleyball Tobago Courland Beach Sports Arena 11—2
Netball Shaw Park Cultural Complex —1—1
Rugby sevens11—2
Triathlon Tobago Buccoo Beach 1113
4344693

References

  1. 1 2 "Trinidad and Tobago named host of 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games". insidethegames.biz. 26 July 2022.
  2. 1 2 "SEVENTH COMMONWEALTH YOUTH GAMES - BELFAST 2021 EDM #1263". UK Parliament . Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Commonwealth Youth Games To Be Rescheduled". The Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 20 August 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  4. ↑ "Commonwealth Youth Games 2021". TheyWorkForYou . Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  5. ↑ Beacom, Steven (29 January 2016). "Belfast set to host Commonwealth Youth Games extravaganza in 2021". Belfast Telegraph . Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  6. ↑ "Northern Ireland to Host 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games". iSport Connect. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  7. ↑ "Belfast to host the 7th Commonwealth Youth Games in 2021". Visit Belfast. 10 April 2017. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  8. 1 2 "Media Statement on 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games". Commonwealth Sport. Archived from the original on 10 March 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  9. ↑ Palmer, Dan (22 June 2018). "Belfast stripped of 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games". Inside the Games . Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  10. ↑ "NI loses right to host 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games". BBC . 22 June 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  11. ↑ Fullerton, Gareth (22 June 2018). "Commonwealth Youth Games blow for Northern Ireland as Belfast loses out in bid". Belfast Live. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Commonwealth Youth Games: Jersey pull out of 2021 bid". BBC Sport . Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  13. ↑ Sarah Scott (1 February 2016). "Northern Ireland picked to host Commonwealth Youth Games in 2021". Belfast Live . Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  14. ↑ "Jersey to host Commonwealth Youth Games in 2021?". Jersey Evening Post . 4 March 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  15. ↑ "Jersey pulls out of Commonwealth Youth Games bid". itv.com . 4 June 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  16. ↑ Mackay, Duncan (21 June 2019). "Trinidad and Tobago awarded 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games". Inside the Games . Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  17. ↑ Pavitt, Michael (23 June 2018). "Trinidad and Tobago consider bid for 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games". Inside the Games . Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  18. ↑ Pouchet, Mark (31 August 2018). "TO BID OR NOT Clock ticks away on C'wealth Youth Games decision". Trinidad Express . Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  19. 1 2 "Trinidad and Tobago contends to host 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games". Panam Sports . 26 October 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  20. ↑ "CGF receive bids from Gibraltar and Trinidad and Tobago for 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games". Commonwealth Games Australia. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  21. ↑ "Trinidad and Tobago signs host contract for 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games". 28 August 2022.
  22. ↑ Pavitt, Michael (1 May 2020). "Commonwealth Youth Games to be rescheduled with Trinidad and Tobago given "first option" to host". Inside The Games . Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  23. ↑ "Commonwealth Youth Games future to be decided before Birmingham 2022". 18 February 2022.
  24. ↑ "Commonwealth Sport". Commonwealth Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2023.[ permanent dead link ]
  25. ↑ "Cocoyea the turtle named 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games mascot". www.insidethegames.biz. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  26. ↑ "Minister unveils Trinbago 2023 mascot at Commonwealth Day celebration". Commonwealth Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  27. ↑ "Trinidad and Tobago ready to host 2023 commonwealth Youth Games". www.panamsports.org/. Panam Sports. 31 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  28. ↑ "Beach Volleyball". Commonwealth Games - Trinbago 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  29. ↑ "Fast5 Netball". Commonwealth Games - Trinbago 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  30. ↑ "Rugby Sevens". Commonwealth Games - Trinbago 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  31. ↑ Fraser, Narissa (27 July 2023). "Caricom teams to arrive for Commonwealth Youth Games from Monday - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday". newsday.co.tt. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  32. ↑ "Bangladesh set to participate in 7th Commonwealth Youth Games".
  33. ↑ "Cycling Federation of Belize sends Delton Rojas, Jaylen Briceño, Gabrielle Gabourel to Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago". 18 July 2023.
  34. ↑ "Brunei national swimmers leave for world meet in Japan » Borneo Bulletin Online". Brunei national swimmers leave for world meet in Japan. 20 July 2023.
  35. ↑ "Team Gibraltar heads to Commonwealth Youth Games".
  36. ↑ "Eight athletes to represent Guyana at Commonwealth Youth Games". 29 July 2023.
  37. ↑ Indranil Das (30 July 2024), "Indian contingent for Commonwealth Youth Games", Indian Express
  38. ↑ "2026 Commonwealth Games decision 'particular blow' to Manx athletes".
  39. ↑ "Commonwealth Youth Games Team Announcement".
  40. ↑ "Namibia: Commonwealth Youth Team Ready". New Era. 28 July 2023.
  41. ↑ "April performances seal Ellie's inclusion for Commonwealth Youth Games". 2 July 2023.
  42. ↑ "PSB approves participation of Pakistan contingent in CW Youth Games". August 2023.
  43. ↑ "Commonwealth Youth Games update | Loop PNG". Loop PNG. 29 July 2023. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023.
  44. ↑ "Five athletes from Seychelles heading for Commonwealth Youth Games".
  45. ↑ "Exclusive: Switzerland examining "national" bid for 2030 Winter Olympics". 26 July 2023.
  46. ↑ "Trinidad and Tobago President Kangaloo opens Commonwealth Youth Games". 4 August 2023.
  47. ↑ "Trinbago 2023 closes with carnival style beach ceremony". 11 August 2023.
  48. ↑ "Sport Programme confirmed for Trinbago 2021". The Commonwealth Games Federation. 2 March 2020. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  49. ↑ "Seven sports to feature at 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago". 21 September 2022.
  50. ↑ "Commonwealth Games - Trinbago 2023 Web Result". Commonwealth Games - Trinbago 2023 Web Result. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  51. ↑ "Commonwealth Youth Games athletics venue switched". www.insidethegames.biz. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
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