To mark the partnership extension, Olympic judo silver medallist Gemma Gibbons and Commonwealth and European weightlifting medallist Zoe Smith joined current London Youth Games athletes at the London Aquatics Centre, a venue constructed and refurbished by Balfour Beatty,

Both Gibbons and Smith began their competitive careers at the London Youth Games with Gibbons, who took silver at London 2012, inducted into the Games' Hall of Fame in 2013.

"I competed in the London Youth Games for years, and then the London Olympics," said Gibbons

"I have been back to the ExCeL Centre since and actually it is a bit depressing, because there is nothing there about the London Olympics whatsoever, it could be a hall that anything had happened, it is just an empty shell where I competed in, so to come back here to see the Olympic Park where some of the events were is really nice.

"I never actually came to the Aquatics Centre at the Olympics but to come in and see what a world-class facility it is is really nice.

"It's really special to hear some of the young kids that we've met here today saying they've been here quite a few times since the Olympics, doing different events, doing different swimming events.

"So it's really good to see that it's being used and that everyone's getting to see it."

Olympic judo medallist Gemma Gibbons and European and Commonwealth weightlifting medallist Zoe Smith were joined by current London Youth Games athletes at the Aquatics Centre to mark the extension ©LYG


Smith, a bronze medallist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and who also took bronze at the European Championships in Tel Aviv earlier this year, added: "To think back, being in the Olympic Park is pretty nostalgic.

"It's fantastic that the London Youth Games is getting involved in the Olympic Park as well.

"It is part of the legacy.

"It's worth its money really isn't it, if the kids who are competing in the London Youth Games are getting to see venues like this that are a world class stage.

"It's a really valuable experience."

Since Balfour Beatty began its support of the London Youth Games, the number of participants at what is now Europe's largest annual youth sports event, has more than quadrupled from 27,045 in 2007 to 114,295 in 2013.

With this new deal, the company has now invested more than £4 million ($7 million/€5 million) in the development of grass roots sports since signing on as title sponsor in 2006.

The London Youth Games is Europe's largest annual youth sports event with its focal point being a Finals weekend at the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace ©Photofusion/Universal Images Group/Getty Images



Following the announcement, Anthony Kendall, chairman of London Youth Games Foundation, said: "We have been able to fulfil many of our ambitions for youth sport in London in recent years thanks to our partnership with Balfour Beatty.

"Without their support we would have been unable to drive up the number of young people from every community now engaged in sporting and volunteer activity.

"With Balfour Beatty's continued support, we can now look towards 2016 with even greater ambitions as we strive for young people from every school in London to be involved in our competition, volunteering or cultural programmes."

The London Youth Games is an annual multi-sport event held in London, England that offers competitive opportunities for young participants aged seven to 18 across 30 sports.

It is contested between the 32 London Boroughs, as well as the City of London, and takes place at venues around the capital all year round, with the focal point being a finals weekend at the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace.

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