Oldham expected to deliver more medals at Youth Olympics

Posted: Tuesday 13th July 2010 | 7:02

TWO years Sam Oldham travelled to Beijing to witness first-hand Louis Smith make British gymnastics history - now he's looking to join him.

MEDAL HOPE: Sam Oldham (far left) who won team gold at last year's Australian Olympic Youth Festival is named in the Great Britain team for the Youth Olympics in Singapore

Smith became the first British male gymnast to win an Olympic medal in 100 years when he won pommel horse bronze.

Oldham, who was named as the BBC's Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2009, will now look to go even better after being named in the Great Britain team for the first-ever Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

And he will travel as one of the top medal hopes in Team GB's 40-strong squad, having claimed the junior European all-around and high bar in Birmingham earlier this year and won double gold at last year's European Youth Olympic Festival in Tampere.

"Having gone to the Beijing Olympic Games as part of the BOA's Britain's Olympic Ambition Programme, I had the opportunity to experience what it might be like to be an Olympian," said Oldham,

"Being there in Beijing when Louis Smith won the first individual gymnastics medal for Great Britain in 100 years gave me a lot of motivation, and even more desire to compete at an Olympic Games.

"I was really happy to qualify for the first Youth Olympic Games by winning the Junior European Championships in Birmingham in April. I am very proud to represent British Gymnastics and I am ready for the entire experience in Singapore."

The new event is the brainchild of International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge, aims to replicate the Olympic Games, with young athletes between the ages of 14 and 18 competing in all 26 Olympic sports.

Lloyds TSB, proud partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and supporter of Team GB on their journey to the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games. Visit LloydsTSB.com/London2012

National sports agency Sportsbeat and morethanthegames.com will be reporting from the Singapore and syndicating words and pictures to their network of regional and local newspapers across Great Britain.