Britain sends 33 athletes to Nanjing Youth Olympics

Britain will send 33 athletes across 14 disciplines at the second Youth Olympic Games to be held in Nanjing, China, the British Olympic Committee (BOC) announced here on Tuesday.

It will be "the most number of sports the country has ever competed at during an Olympic youth event," the BOC said in its official website.

The British delegation will be headed by Olympic rowing bronze medallist and BOA Athlete Commission Chair Sarah Winckless.

Winckless, a three time Olympian, (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008), said earlier: "The Youth Olympic Games offer our talented young athletes a fantastic platform to gain first-hand experience of competing in an Olympic Games environment along with learning more about Olympic values, the benefits of sport for a healthy lifestyle and the social values sport can deliver.

"I am sure that Nanjing will be instrumental to their development as aspiring Olympians both on and off the field of play."

At the first Youth Olympic Games four years ago in Singapore, Britain won one three gold, one silver and five bronze medals.

Nanjing is the capital of the Jiangsu province in Eastern China and its name means "Southern Capital". Asia's longest river, the Yangtze, flows through its center.

Nanjing has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of six different dynasties since 3 AD and is recognised as one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China.