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Sporting stars of the future
10/10/2008
Scottish athletes will compete in the Commonwealth Youth Games in India next week.
The games will be a "pathway to success" for Scotland's sporting stars of the future, Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell said today.
44 athletes will fly the flag for Scotland in Pune, India where, for the first time, all 71 Commonwealth countries will participate in the Youth Games.
Mr Maxwell said the young athletes had demonstrated "outstanding effort and dedication in pursuit of personal excellence" to get selected.
It is hoped that many of the athletes who compete and win medals in Pune will go on to compete for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi 2010, London Olympics in 2012 and Glasgow in 2014.
Speaking before leaving for India where he will support the Scottish team, Mr Maxwell said:
"The Commonwealth Youth Games will give our sporting stars of the future a pathway to success in Delhi 2010, London 2012 and Glasgow 2014.
"This experience should help them to maximise their performance when attempting to qualify for future Commonwealth Games.
"Our young athletes have demonstrated outstanding effort and dedication in pursuit of personal excellence to get to this stage.
"We want them to enjoy the spirit of the Commonwealth Youth Games and come away from Pune with good performances, lifelong memories and friendships.
"The Scottish Government, through sportscotland, is proud to back with cash Scotland's athletes and sports governing bodies. It will help our athletes and coaches perform at the highest level.
Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) is the organisation responsible for selecting and preparing the team to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games.
CGS is funded through sponsorship and fundraising activities, grant support from sportscotland (£110,000 for 2008) and an Endowment Trust Fund established by the Scottish Government following the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
The Endowment fund has contributed £50,000 to Pune preparations.
The 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games Team is also being supported by Clydesdale Bank.