The 5th Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) came to a close on Sunday in Sydney after five days of competition with athletes from more than 25 countries around the world.

Mario Cilenti, Director of International Relations for the Rio 2016 Bid and Marcus Vinicius Freire, Sports Executive Superintendent for the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB), attended the event as Observers as part of an exchange programme with the Australian Olympic Committee.

“Our experience at the Festival was exceptional and inspiring” said Mario Cilenti upon his return to Rio. “The Brazilian Olympic Committee and the Rio 2016 Bid Committee are both very committed to developing young sporting talent in Brazil. Indeed, one of the key aspects of our overall concept for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games is the unification of sport and education. The Games in Rio will be an opportunity to reach more than 65 million youth in Brazil and over 180 million young people in South America and helping the Movement reach out to a new, diverse audience of potential champions.

“Brazil hosts School Olympics every year with over 3000 participants aged 14-18 and our attendance in Australia has been a very valuable learning experience. These youth multi-sport events are a significant part of developing future Olympians as they embrace a high level of competition and offer these young athletes a glimpse of what they can achieve at the Olympic Games” said Cilenti.

“The COB is firmly committed to engaging in ongoing exchanges with other National Olympic Committees to share best practice and experience in preparing teams for the Games and importantly, keeping youth engaged. We have had the privilege of exchanging ideas with a number of NOCs to date and look forward to doing so increasingly in the lead up to the 2012 Games” said Marcus Vinicius Freire.

Both delegates from Rio also took the opportunity to visit the Australian Olympic Committee during their stay as part of an ongoing exchange program undertaken by the COB. In November 2008, COB members visited the Olympic Committees of Germany, Belgium and Great Britain. During their visit to London Sir Clive Woodward, Director of Olympic Performance at the British Olympic Association, committed to visiting Brazil during the first half of 2009.