AUG 27 — The torch of the first-ever Youth Olympic Games that has towered over Marina Bay has been put out, marking the end of the inaugural Games which have enthralled Singapore and the world for the better part of two weeks.

And as the dust settles from the whirlwind of athletic competition, the Singapore sporting fraternity is contemplating just what the legacy of the YOG will be.

There is no doubt that there have been many benefits that extend far beyond medal tallies or athletic records.

Having attended the opening and closing ceremonies, and interacted with volunteers at different sporting venues, what struck me was the sincere warmth and passion with which the young volunteers carried out their roles.

The brickbats online aside, I personally witnessed young cheerleaders bopping along for almost two hours during the opening ceremony with scant rest yet never once failing to smile and exhort audiences to get into the swing of things.

Friends who visited the volleyball competition were stuck in a long queue to get out of the venue. Instead of long faces they were greeted by volunteers who lined the passageway to cheer and high-five the exiting crowd, which left many of them with smiles on their faces despite the inconvenience.

Foreign visitors have told me stories of cabbies working in the YOG pool of vehicles who went the extra mile to make sure the visitors got to their desired destinations, even if it was outside of their predetermined routes and drop-off points.

One of the drivers told his guest that this was because he wanted the visitors to know "this is what we Singaporeans are like, and we want you to have the best experience here possible".

With more than 20,000 young Singaporeans volunteering to be part of the Games organisation team, the YOG is likely to have a long-lasting impact on the youth of this country.

Regardless of whether they eventually become athletes, administrators, volunteers, officials or even parents of young athletes themselves, the message that has been ingrained in them — that sport is inherently good and should be shared with all — will continue to resonate for years to come.

Besides the action on the sporting field, and the positive impact on volunteers and athletes, there has also been a slightly more intangible benefit taking place away from the public eye.

Top sporting dignitaries, administrators and officials have been conducting discussions and negotiations that will shape the direction of global sport in the years ahead, at informal meetings at various discreet locations around Singapore.

Such backroom dealings may never be documented or reported in mainstream media, but can have a major impact on the development of sport, and also on the status of Singapore as a sporting nation hosting major events like the YOG.

As with any major sporting event, the quality of the parties and social events can also help to boost the success, and YOG 2010 was no exception.

I was tasked with organising a party at a popular watering hole at Clarke Quay, and I remember trying to count the number of Olympic medals the attendees had in total. I lost track after 80. After the event, a member of the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes Commission told me that he had never attended a party where so many Olympic champions had been present, and that they had enjoyed themselves tremendously.

YOG organising committee chairman and vice-president of the International Olympic Committee, Ng Ser Miang, said that Singapore’s successful hosting of the 2005 IOC session had smoothed the way for our subsequent bid to host the YOG.

And being able to welcome 3,600 athletes and more than 2,000 officials and coaches over the past two weeks will continue to enhance Singapore’s reputation as a sporting powerhouse that punches far above its weight as a relatively small nation.

As the organisers of the inaugural YOG, Singapore’s place in Olympic history is secure. Now it remains to be seen how far Singaporeans can go, both in terms of winning medals and in terms of sports administration.

Perhaps it’s time for the IOC to be helmed by a president from Asia, and Singapore has definitely thrown its hat into the ring as a possible contender.

As we bid farewell to the YOG, a key challenge for the local sporting scene will be to capture the lessons that have been generated by the massive event.

Singapore’s sporting authorities and national sports associations will need to review the performances of their athletes, officials and volunteers, and also their preparation processes.

More importantly, we also need to ensure that the passion and sporting spirit shared by all Singaporeans who took part or came down to support the Games continue to burn bright. Only then will we be able to change traditional mindsets and continue towards our vision of becoming a truly sporting nation.

That will be an invaluable legacy. — Today

* The writer is a former national fencer and triathlete, and the president of the Singapore Modern Pentathlon Association and the Fencing Singapore national sports associations.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or newspaper. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.