AFTER the initial Commonwealth Youth Games in Edinburgh, in 2000, the next Games will be in Bendigo, Australia, between 29 November and 4 December later this year.

Although it has not been confirmed, it is believed that 21 countries will take part, sending between them just over 1,000 competitors in ten disciplines.

Initially the number of countries was 22, but subsequently Guernsey has decided not to send any competitors, although they had indicated they were interested in athletics and swimming.

The actual sports on offer are athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, lawn bowls, rugby sevens, swimming, tenpin bowling and weightlifting.

Jersey will have nine representatives in all, four in swimming, four in athletics and one in cycling.

Australia, the host country, and England, will be the only two countries to send competitors for all sports.

Other countries which will be towards the top of the medals table are South Africa, Canada and New Zealand, while Scotland, following on from hosting the first Games, will be sending a squad to compete in every sport except tenpin bowling.Competing countries are: Australia, Botswana, Canada, England, the Falkland Islands, Ghana, Jersey, India, Kiribati, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Niue, Northern Ireland, Samoa, Scotland, Singapore, Seychelles, South Africa, Wales and Zimbabwe.

No final decision has yet been made as to which nine youngsters, all under-18, will be sent from Jersey.

However, secretary of the Jersey Commonwealth Games Association, Alan Cross said: ‘Although informal approaches have already been made to probable members of the Jersey Team to take part in the 2004 Youth Games in Bendigo, the final decision regarding team selection will not be made until late spring.

‘In the meantime a group involving key officers of the Commonwealth Games Association of Jersey (CGAJ) together with officials from the local athletics, cycling and swimming associations, has already met to discuss arrangements for the Jersey team’s involvement in these Games, and they will be meeting regularly throughout the period leading up to them next November.

‘The group are keen to attract a local sponsor to help off-set the cost of travelling to Australia and would welcome approaches from interested parties.’Alan Cross can be contacted on telephone number 742254 or e-mail at alancross@jerseymail.co.uk