The Bahamas unveiled as host of 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games

29 January 2016
News

Commonwealth Youth Games 2017 host will be The Bahamas, the Commonwealth Games Federation has announced.

The host of the next Commonwealth Youth Games, in 2017, will be The Bahamas, the Commonwealth Games Federation has announced.

It is the first time in over 50 years that a Commonwealth Games event has been held in the Caribbean, the last being in 1966 in Kingston, Jamaica.

The Youth Games aims to unite 1000 young athletes aged 14-18 in a Caribbean carnival of impactful competition, personal development and new Commonwealth friendships.

“It gives me the greatest pleasure to announce that the Executive Board of the Commonwealth Games Federation has unanimously voted to award the upcoming edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games to the Bahamas,” said Commonwealth Games Federation President Louise Martin CBE, speaking after announcement of the decision.

“The Commonwealth Youth Games are a unique and empowering opportunity to celebrate and engage young people on the level playing field of sport. I congratulate and commend the Bahamas Bid Committee for their passion, commitment and expertise and look forward to helping realise their dream of an impactful and inspiring Games for the Bahamas, the Caribbean and the Commonwealth.”

The sixth edition of the Games - now just over 500 days away - will take place from 19-23 July 2017 in the capital of The Bahamas, Nassau.

The Bahamas is a former host of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 1985 and the Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in 2015.

Continue reading on the Commonwealth Games Federation website

Note to Editors

Pictured: The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Site Inspection Team for the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) is pictured during a courtesy call with Dame Marguerite Pindling, Governor General of the Bahamas.  From left: Romell K. Knowles, Bahamas CGA Secretary General; Wellington Miller, Bahamas CGA President; Louise Martin CBE, Commonwealth Games Federation President; Dame Marguerite Pindling, Governor General; Hon. Dr. Daniel Johnson MP, Minister of Youth, Sports & Culture; Rachel Simon, CGF Head of Commonwealth Youth Games; Grafton Ifill Jr. MYSC consultant.