OLYMPIC YOUTH CAMP:TRACK ATHLETE Noel Collins (17) and swimmer Gráinne Murphy (15) have been chosen to represent Ireland at the Olympic Youth Camp at the Beijing Olympic Games in August.
Collins, from Omagh, in Co Tyrone, and Murphy, from Foulksmills, in Co Wexford, were chosen from hundreds of entrants in a nationwide competition.
The Olympic Youth Camp will welcome 420 participants for 12 days from August 6th. Each country participating in the 2008 Olympics is sending one boy and one girl to the camp.
Collins and Murphy will have all expenses paid, including for flights, local transportation, accommodation and meals.
They will have a ringside seat at the opening ceremony of the games as well as at some Olympic events. They will also attend themed forums and workshops on topics such as "green Olympics", "cultural Olympics" and "high-tech Olympics".
The competition to select the Irish youth representatives was run by Lifestyle Sports. Collins said he entered the competition as his dream is to become an Olympic medallist. He has competed as a track athlete for the past five years.
Murphy has competed in swimming events at an international level.
The overall theme for the Olympic Youth Camp is "youth create future"; the 12-day programme will focus on how the creativeness and participation of the youth can contribute to a better world.