2023 Commonwealth Youth Games

The 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games, officially known as the VII Commonwealth Youth Games and informally as Trinbago 2023, was a youth sporting event for members of the Commonwealth that was held in Trinidad and Tobago. They were the seventh edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games. The games were initially scheduled between 1 and 7 August 2021 but were postponed and held from 4 to 11 August 2023 as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic and scheduling issues with the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games were the first to be held since the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of King Charles III as Head of the Commonwealth and the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth Realms on 8 September 2022. They were also the first to be held in the Caribbean, and the first to include para-sports.

Host selection

The 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games went through three extensive host selections.

First selection

Accepted bid

• Belfast, Northern Ireland

With the backing of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Commonwealth Games Council for Northern Ireland, Belfast submitted an official bid for the games. On 29 November 2015, it was confirmed that Northern Ireland was the only official, and thus the preferred, bid. They were named the official hosts in January 2016, with the Games originally scheduled for 27 July to 1 August 2021. Robert McVeigh, the Chair of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council, said he was "delighted" that the bid was successful.

In June 2018, Belfast was stripped of the Games due to uncertainty surrounding funding for the event during the absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Executive. This was as £3 million of grants had not been signed off by the Executive before it collapsed in January 2017, meaning the Games had a significant funding gap.

Withdrawn bids

• Gaborone, Botswana

The Botswana National Olympic Committee stated it was preparing a bid for the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games.

• Saint Helier, Jersey

Jersey was considering a bid in early 2015 but pulled out of the bidding process in June 2015. The withdrawal came as Botswana and Northern Ireland placed bids - Paul du Feu, Jersey's Commonwealth Games Association leader commented that "when you're up against opposition with a bigger population and totally different infrastructure you have to be realistic".

Second selection

Following the stripping of the games from Belfast, a new selection process has been initiated, which lasted for six months. Trinidad and Tobago was announced as new host on 21 June 2019.

Accepted second bid

• Trinidad and Tobago

Other bids

• Gibraltar City, Gibraltar

Third selection

Following the postponement, Trinidad and Tobago were elected host of the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Birmingham, England at the Commonwealth Games Federation general assembly.

Accepted third bid

• Trinidad and Tobago

Postponement

Since the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games were moved to 2021 during the original dates of the Commonwealth Youth Games, the CGF considered the best alternative options and time frames for holding the event in the future, potentially in 2023, to avoid clashing with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, with Trinidad and Tobago having the first option to hold the event. On 26 July 2022, it was announced that the 7th Commonwealth Youth Games will be held in 2023 in Trinidad and Tobago.

Marketing

Mascot

On 16 March 2023, the Minister of Sport and Community Development, Shamfa Cudjoe, revealed the games' mascot, Cocoyea, a Leatherback sea turtle. The mascot was designed by Djibril Annisette, who won a design competition that was run for children.

Participation

68 of the 72 Commonwealth Games Associations participated in the games. Maldives, Norfolk Island, Sierra Leone did not compete, along with Gabon and Togo, new members of the Commonwealth which had not yet joined the Commonwealth Games Federation. Gambia was scheduled to compete but withdrew due to not getting visas in time.

*As confirmed by 1 August 2023.

Ceremonies

Opening ceremony

The opening ceremony took place on 4 August 2023 in Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad. It was themed as a Trinidad and Tobago carnival.

The traditional parade of nations was led by the Bahamas (as the host of the previous games), followed by the rest of the nations from the Americas. Following this, nations entered by region in order from Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and lastly the Caribbean. The host nation, Trinidad and Tobago, entered last. Each nation was preceded by a placard bearer carrying a circular board containing the respective nation's flag.

The games were opened by President Christine Kangaloo and were attended by Commonwealth Games Federation President Louise Martin, Prime Minister Keith Rowley, and his wife. A smaller ceremony was held in Tobago the same day.

Closing ceremony

The closing ceremony took place on 11 August 2023 in Pigeon Point, Tobago. In addition to the opening ceremony, the closing ceremony was also carnival themed.

The Games

A total of 93 events over seven sports was contested.

Calendar

Medal table

  *   Host nation (Trinidad and Tobago)

Source:

Venues

References

External links

• 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games - Commonwealth Games Federation
• TTCGA on Twitter
• TTNOC on Twitter