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The Singapore Youth Olympic Festival was held on Sunday to commemorate the first anniversary of the republic's hosting of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
One of those present at the festival, held at the Singapore Expo, was Ino Menegaki, who played the role of the High Priestess of the Olympic Flame Lighting Ceremony.
She was the priestess for the Lighting Ceremonies for the Beijing Summer Olympics, Winter Olympics of Vancouver and the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.
Four athletes from Japan's tsunami-affected region were also invited to the event.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said: "In time to come, I hope that the Singapore Youth Olympic Festival would grow and like the Australian Youth Olympic Festival and the European Youth Olympic Festival, become an international sporting event for young people to compete, learn about one another's culture, and make new friends from around the world."
Celebrations aside, the festival's highlights included competitions involving five sports -- table tennis, badminton, basketball, futsal and Taekwondo.
International Olympic Committee vice-president Ng Ser Miang said: "We are looking at every alternate year, (to) invite international athletes. For the second year, the timing could also be shifted to enable more schools to take part, so (it will move) away from August."
About 1,200 athletes from all age
