View source for 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games

{{EngvarB|date=May 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2013}}
{{Commonwealth Games infobox
| Name                   = 3rd Commonwealth Youth Games <br> तीसरा राष्ट्रमंडल युवा खेल |
  Logo                   = 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games (logo).png |
  Host city              = [[Pune]], Maharashtra, India| 
  Optional caption       =  |
  Nations participating  = 71 |
  Athletes participating =  1,300|
  Events                 = 9 disciplines|
  Opening ceremony       = 12 October|
  Closing ceremony       = 18 October|
  Stadium                = [[Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex]]|
  Website = [http://www.cygpune2008.com Official website]
| previous                = [[2004 Commonwealth Youth Games|2004]]
| next                    = [[2011 Commonwealth Youth Games|2011]]
}}

The '''2008 Commonwealth Youth Games''' (Hindi: 2008 कॉमनवेल्थ यूथ गेम्स
) were held in [[Pune]], [[India]], a city in the state of [[Maharashtra]]. They were the third [[Commonwealth Youth Games]], which are held every four years;<ref name="commonwealthgames.ca">{{cite web|url=http://www.commonwealthgames.ca/games/index_e.aspx?DetailID=1453|title=2008 Commonwealth Youth Games – Overview|access-date=2008-07-28| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080613163202/http://www.commonwealthgames.ca/Games/index_e.aspx?DetailID=1453| archive-date= 13 June 2008 <!--DASHBot-->|url-status = dead}}</ref> they were the first [[Commonwealth Youth Games]] to be held in Asia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cygpune2008.com/about-games/commonwealth-youth-games.php|title=About The Games|access-date=2008-07-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807065819/http://www.cygpune2008.com/about-games/commonwealth-youth-games.php|archive-date=7 August 2008|url-status = dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The III Commonwealth Youth Games were conducted from 12 to 18 October 2008. Over 1,300 athletes and 350 officials from 71 countries participated in these games.<ref name="commonwealthgames.ca"/>

The III Commonwealth Youth Games is unique for its green theme, which permeates all aspects of the Games. A special drive is being conducted by the game organisers to create a "save the tigers" campaign to promote awareness of the critical state of the [[Indian tiger]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cygpune2008.com/youth-baton-relay/youth-baton-relay.php|title=Green Relay|access-date=2008-07-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908080047/http://www.cygpune2008.com/youth-baton-relay/youth-baton-relay.php|archive-date=8 September 2008|url-status = dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Sports ==

There were nine sports on the programme for the 2008 Games.

Each sport has a unique pictogram to represent it. The pictograms are designed to be, like the 2008 CYG logo, a balance between the cultural heritage of India and the modern India. The pictograms have been derived from the tribal art form of Warli.<ref name="cygpune2008.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.cygpune2008.com/image-look/image-look.php|title=Image and Look|access-date=2008-07-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807003138/http://www.cygpune2008.com/image-look/image-look.php|archive-date=7 August 2008|url-status = dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

{{col-begin}}
{{Col-1-of-3}}
* [[File:Athletics pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Athletics at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games|Athletics]]
* [[File:Badminton pictogram.svg|20px]] Badminton
* [[File:Boxing pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Boxing]]
{{Col-2-of-3}}
* [[File:Shooting pictogram.svg|20px]] Shooting
* [[File:Swimming pictogram.svg|20px]] Swimming
* [[File:Table tennis pictogram.svg|20px]] Table Tennis
{{Col-3-of-3}}
* [[File:Tennis pictogram.svg|20px]] Tennis
* [[File:Weightlifting pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Powerlifting|Weightlifting]]
* [[File:Wrestling pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Wrestling]]
{{col-end}}

== Opening Ceremony ==

The spectacular Opening Ceremony included several performances showcasing Indian culture and tradition. There was also a unique show set up by the [[Indian Air Force]]. [[Abhinav Bindra]], India's gold medal winner at the [[2008 Summer Olympics|Beijing Olympics]], was the final Youth Baton Runner, who poured the water collected from different countries into a kalash. The "Fountain of Youth" was later formed from this water. Veteran actress [[Hema Malini]] performed a beautiful prayer dance. [[Bollywood]] actor [[Saif Ali Khan]] also performed during the event. Singers [[Sunidhi Chauhan]] and [[Shankar Mahadevan]] sang the theme song. There was also a performance by the Indian actress [[Urmila Matondkar]]. The President of India, [[Pratibha Patil]], declared the Games open. The entire event was choreographed by [[Shiamak Davar]]. Various schools from Pune participated in the event.

== Closing Ceremony ==

The Closing Ceremony of the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games included the presence of several dignitaries and [[Bollywood]] stars. The ceremonies began with a special dog show organised by the military of India. This was followed by the official ceremony, when the Secretary of the [[Commonwealth Games Federation]] declared the Games closed. The cultural part included musical performances by some of the finest singers from India, such as [[Shaan (singer)|Shaan]], [[Kunal Ganjawala]], and [[Shiamak Davar]], the choreographer of the event. A few select schools were selected to perform in the closing ceremony, like Kamalnayan Bajaj and St. Ursula's. These dances were also choreographed by Shiamak Davar's group. Various indigenous cultures from Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western India were shown by [[Diya Mirza]], [[Neha Dhupia]], and [[Malaika Arora]]. Bollywood actor [[Ritesh Deshmukh]] also performed with them during the event. Bollywood actress [[Shilpa Shetty]] also performed during the event. The "Fountain of Youth" which was created during the Opening Ceremony was slowly lowered and a "Garden of Youth" was formed. The "Garden of Youth" will remain outside the stadium as a part of the legacy. The hand over ceremony included a seven-minute show from the [[Isle of Man]], who will host the games in 2011. The official mascot of the 2008 Games, Jiggr said good bye to the competitors of the youth Games, after which the mascot for the Delhi 2010 Games, Sheru, welcomed all to Delhi. The closing ceremonies were ended with fireworks.

==Marketing==

[[Image:Jigrr.png|thumb|right|160px|Jigrr, Official mascot of the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games]]<!-- FAIR USE of Jigrr.png: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Friendlies All.jpg for rationale -->

===Logo===

The logo of the Games reflect the heritage of Pune and [[Maharashtra]]. The seal features the city's name 'Pune' in both English script and Devanagari/Sanskrit script. The seal itself is derived from the Maratha seal of the Maratha king, [[Shivaji]]. It is a fusion of the traditional Pune culture and modernity.<ref name="cygpune2008.com"/>

===Mascot===

The name of the official mascot of the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games is "Jigrr". The mascot is a tiger, the national animal of India. Jigrr is the younger brother of '[[Shera (mascot)|Shera]]', the mascot of [[2010 Commonwealth Games]].
Jigrr the name, is an amalgam of the word 'Jigar', which implies courage in Hindi language and also the sound of tiger roar 'grrr...'<ref name="jigrr">{{cite news|title=Commonwealth Youth Games 2008 Opened in Pune |url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=43566 |date=12 October 2008 |agency=[[Press Information Bureau]] |location=New Delhi|access-date=Jul 29, 2014}}</ref>

==Youth Baton Relay==

For the Youth Games 2008, a new concept called the "Youth Baton Relay" (based on the Queen's Baton Relay) has been created by the organizers. For the event, a baton will be carried through nine Indian states, carrying water from around the country.<ref name="http">{{cite web|url=http://www.cygpune2008.com/youth-baton-relay/youth-baton-relay.php|title=Youth Baton Relay|access-date=2008-07-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908080047/http://www.cygpune2008.com/youth-baton-relay/youth-baton-relay.php|archive-date=8 September 2008|url-status = dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The Youth Baton Relay will begin at New Delhi University North Campus and proceed to India Gate on 1 August 2008, at a large cultural festival. The Baton will then travel through nine states, and cover over 8000&nbsp;km. Six thousand athletes have been selected to carry the Baton; an additional 7500 volunteers will help the Baton through 199 cities, towns and villages. Additionally, approximately 80 crew, 25 vehicles and guests, media and VIP's will escort the baton on its trip.<ref name="http"/>

In keeping with the "green games" theme for both the 2008 Youth Games and the [[2010 Commonwealth Games]], the relay will be in support of the 'save the tiger' campaign. The collected water is to symbolise the conservation of natural resources, and will be used at the opening ceremony to create a "fountain of Youth". A "garden of youth" will also be created by the 71 participating nations at Balewadi Stadium.<ref name="http"/>

== Participating nations ==

[[Image:2010CWG prelim countries map.PNG|center|300px|Nations expected to compete at the Games]]

A total of 71 nations sent teams to the 2008 Youth Games. Some of the major teams include Australia fielding 102 athletes<sup>[http://www.thesportscampus.com/20081004133/2008-pune-youth-games/team-australia]</sup>, England with 80<sup>[http://www.thesportscampus.com/20081007140/2008-pune-youth-games/team-england]</sup>, Canada fielding 59<sup>[http://www.thesportscampus.com/20081004132/2008-pune-youth-games/team-canada]</sup> & Scotland with 44<sup>[http://www.thesportscampus.com/20081004134/2008-pune-youth-games/team-scotland]</sup>. Some of the other major teams include South Africa, the hosts India, Malaysia and Singapore.

In alphabetical order, the list of participating nations is as follows:

{|
|valign=top width="230px"|
*{{flag|Anguilla}}
*{{flag|Antigua and Barbuda}}
*{{flag|Australia}}
*{{flag|Bahamas}}
*{{flag|Bangladesh}}
*{{flag|Barbados}}
*{{flag|Belize}}
*{{flag|Bermuda}}
*{{flag|Botswana}}
*{{flag|British Virgin Islands}}
*{{flag|Brunei}}
*{{flag|Cameroon}}
*{{flag|Canada}}
*{{flag|Cayman Islands}}
*{{flag|Cook Islands}}
*{{flag|Cyprus}}
*{{flag|Dominica}}
*{{flag|England}}
|valign=top width="230px"|
*{{flag|Falkland Islands}}
*{{flag|Fiji}}
*{{flag|Gambia}}
*{{flag|Ghana}}
*{{flag|Gibraltar}}
*{{flag|Grenada}}
*{{flag|Guernsey}}
*{{flag|Guyana}}
*{{flag|India}}
*{{flag|Isle of Man}}
*{{flag|Jamaica}}
*{{flag|Jersey}}
*{{flag|Kenya}}
*{{flag|Kiribati}}
*{{flag|Lesotho}}
*{{flag|Malawi|1964}}
*{{flag|Malaysia}}
*{{flag|Maldives}}
|valign=top width="230px"|
*{{flag|Malta}}
*{{flag|Mauritius}}
*{{flag|Montserrat}}
*{{flag|Mozambique}}
*{{flag|Namibia}}
*{{flag|Nauru}}
*{{flag|New Zealand}}
*{{flag|Nigeria}}
*{{flag|Niue}}
*{{flag|Norfolk Island}}
*{{flag|Northern Ireland}}
*{{flag|Pakistan}}
*{{flag|Papua New Guinea}}
*{{flag|Saint Helena}}
*{{flag|Saint Kitts and Nevis}}
*{{flag|Saint Lucia}}
*{{flag|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines}}
*{{flag|Samoa}}
|valign=top width="230px"|
*{{flag|Scotland}}
*{{flag|Seychelles}}
*{{flag|Sierra Leone}}
*{{flag|Singapore}}
*{{flag|Solomon Islands}}
*{{flag|South Africa}}
*{{flag|Sri Lanka}}
*{{flag|Swaziland}}
*{{flag|Tanzania}}
*{{flag|Tonga}}
*{{flag|Trinidad and Tobago}}
*{{flag|Turks and Caicos Islands}}
*{{flag|Tuvalu}}
*{{flag|Uganda}}
*{{flag|Vanuatu}}
*{{flag|Wales}}
*{{flag|Zambia}}
|}

==Medal Count==

{{Main|2008 Commonwealth Youth Games medal table}}

This is the partial table of the '''medal count''' of the '''[[Commonwealth Youth Games]]'''. These rankings sort by the number of gold medals earned by a country. The number of silvers is taken into consideration next and then the number of bronze. If, after the above, countries are still tied, equal ranking is given and they are listed alphabetically.

{{Medals table
 | caption        = 
 | host           = IND
 | flag_template  = 
 | event          = 
 | team           = 
 | gold_IND = 33 | silver_IND = 26 | bronze_IND = 17 | host_IND = yes 
 | gold_AUS = 24 | silver_AUS = 18 | bronze_AUS = 23
 | gold_ENG = 18 | silver_ENG = 9 | bronze_ENG = 14
 | gold_SAF = 7 | silver_SAF = 14 | bronze_SAF = 9
 | gold_CAN = 6 | silver_CAN = 11 | bronze_CAN = 9
 | gold_WAL = 5 | silver_WAL = 5 | bronze_WAL = 6
 | gold_MAS = 3 | silver_MAS = 4 | bronze_MAS = 6
 | gold_SCO = 3 | silver_SCO = 3 | bronze_SCO = 12
 | gold_NZL = 3 | silver_NZL = 1 | bronze_NZL = 3
 | gold_KEN = 3 | silver_KEN = 0 | bronze_KEN = 3
 | gold_SRI = 3 | silver_SRI = 0 | bronze_SRI = 0
 | gold_SIN = 2 | silver_SIN = 5 | bronze_SIN = 4
 | gold_UGA = 1 | silver_UGA = 3 | bronze_UGA = 1
 | gold_SAM = 1 | silver_SAM = 1 | bronze_SAM = 2
 | gold_ZAM = 1 | silver_ZAM = 1 | bronze_ZAM = 1
 | gold_FIJ = 1 | silver_FIJ = 1 | bronze_FIJ = 0
 | gold_BAR = 1 | silver_BAR = 0 | bronze_BAR = 0
 | gold_GRN = 1 | silver_GRN = 0 | bronze_GRN = 0
 | gold_GUE = 1 | silver_GUE = 0 | bronze_GUE = 0
 | gold_NIR = 0 | silver_NIR = 4 | bronze_NIR = 5
 | gold_PAK = 0 | silver_PAK = 2 | bronze_PAK = 1
 | gold_NGR = 0 | silver_NGR = 1 | bronze_NGR = 2
 | gold_BOT = 0 | silver_BOT = 1 | bronze_BOT = 1
 | gold_CMR = 0 | silver_CMR = 1 | bronze_CMR = 1
 | gold_CYP = 0 | silver_CYP = 1 | bronze_CYP = 0
 | gold_GUY = 0 | silver_GUY = 1 | bronze_GUY = 0
 | gold_MLT = 0 | silver_MLT = 1 | bronze_MLT = 0
 | gold_NAM = 0 | silver_NAM = 1 | bronze_NAM = 0
 | gold_GAM = 0 | silver_GAM = 1 | bronze_GAM = 0
 | gold_BAN = 0 | silver_BAN = 0 | bronze_BAN = 1
 | gold_NRU = 0 | silver_NRU = 0 | bronze_NRU = 1
 | gold_SKN = 0 | silver_SKN = 0 | bronze_SKN = 1
 | gold_TAN = 0 | silver_TAN = 0 | bronze_TAN = 1
}}

== See also ==

* [[2010 Commonwealth Games]]
* [[Commonwealth Youth Games]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090521102212/http://www.thecommonwealthgames.org/delhi-2010/ Commonwealth Games News]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070715032400/http://cygpune2008.com/ Official Commonwealth Youth Games Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060316170158/http://in.sports.yahoo.com//060312/43/62xv8.html Venue Shift – Delhi to Pune]
* [http://www.thesportscampus.com/2008-pune-youth-games/introduction-to-the-youth-games/ Sports & Youth go Hand-in-Hand]{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{Commonwealth Youth Games years}}
{{Pune topics}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=India and the Commonwealth of Nations, Sports competitions in Pune, Youth sport in India, Multi-sport events in India, 2008 in youth sport, Commonwealth Games in India
|description=
}}

[[Category:India and the Commonwealth of Nations]]
[[Category:2008 in multi-sport events|Commonwealth Youth Games]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Youth Games|2008]]
[[Category:International sports competitions hosted by India|C]]
[[Category:2008 in Indian sport|Commonwealth Youth Games]]
[[Category:Sports competitions in Pune]]
[[Category:Youth sport in India]]
[[Category:Multi-sport events in India]]
[[Category:2008 in youth sport]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games in India]]