Today the FIE announced that Miles Chamley-Watson (USA), reigning World Champion in men’s foil and Olympic Champion Lei Sheng (CHN, also men’s foil) will be the Athletes Role Models for fencing at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Nanjing, China, 16 – 28 August 2014.
Both will attend the YOG and inspire, mentor and engage with young athletes. They will share experiences, answer questions, provide tips on career management and also take part in various cultural and educational activities.
For example, they will be part of the fencing demo in the Youth Olympic Village together with young fencers as well as visit the fencing venue.
Miles Chamley-Watson said about being an Athletes Role Model: “I would like to thank the IOC and FIE for selecting me as one of the athlete role models for the Youth Olympic Games. I’m looking forward to the chance to work with the next generation of athletes as well as the opportunity to showcase the sport of fencing to kids from around the world.”
Lei Sheng commented: “It’s a great honor for me to be an athlete role model for the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games. I would like to thank you all for your trust and support. I will do everything I can for the YOG. As Nelson Mandela said ‘Sport has the power to change the world’, I can deeply feel the great responsibility and the sacred mission which had been given to the athlete role model.
The Olympic movement respects the fighting spirit of ‘faster, higher, stronger’, and pursues for essential doctrine of ‘unity, friendship, peace and advancement’. I believe that those spirits will be more popular support through the YOG. I greatly appreciate that I can act as the Nanjing YOG ambassador and can contribute to the building of ‘a peaceful and better world’.
The stronger the youth are, the stronger the world will be. I sincerely wish all athletes could give their best performance in the YOG, and hope that you, dear friends from all over the world, could spend a great time in Nanjing. Finally, I hope Nanjing Youth Olympic Games a great success!”