In a major first, Soccer NSW will host the prestigious 2007 Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) Football tournament at the federation’s Sydney headquarters at Valentine Sports Park from January 17 to 21 inclusive.
The fourth edition of the festival will feature over 1600 athletes aged 13 to 19 competing in 16 Olympic sports. This will be the first time the Festival has staged a football tournament. Admission is free as teams from Australia, China, Japan and Korea go for Gold in what is expected to be a competitive international event.
The Australian Youth Olympic Festival is fully funded by the Australian Olympic Committee and held biennially. The AOC provides $2.5 million for each edition of the Festival. After three very successful events in 2001, 2003 and 2005 the AOC have committed to another AYOF in 2007.
The main aim of the AYOF is to develop our Olympic stars of the future, and to provide aspiring Olympians an idea of what the Olympics are all about.
The AYOF incorporates many aspects that athletes will experience in an Olympic Games - Opening and Closing ceremonies, medal presentations, athletes’ villages and drug testing. In all, 27 athletes from the 2001 and 2003 Festivals won selection for the Athens Olympics, incredibly they won a total of 8 medals including three gold.
WHAT: 2007 AUSTRALIAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVAL
FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT
WHEN: January 17-21
WHERE: Valentine Sport Park,
235-257 Meurants Lane. Glenwood
Soccer NSW to host Australian Youth Olympic Festival
Moderators: Randoman, BillShankly, arxidi, Forum Admins
