The Summer Youth Olympics get underway in Buenos Aires today and brings together the world's best young athletes between the ages of 15 and 18. The quadrennial event also serves as a testing ground for new sports, and this will be its third edition after the Games in Singapore and Nanjing. The president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, shared his thoughts on the new program. Damion Jones has more.

The 2018 Summer Youth Olympics will feature nearly 4,000 athletes from 206 nations and regions competing for more than 1,200 medals. This event in Buenos Aires might also serve as a glimpse into the future, as several disciplines introduced in the Argentine capital, could find their way onto the program at the 2024 Paris Games.

THOMAS BACH IOC PRESIDENT "The Youth Olympic Games can serve as a kind of laboratory, and we are using it as such, as we do for instance with the World Games. Where we can see how a sport or discipline can contribute to a multi-sport event, whether this sport fits into a multi-sports event, and in which way. So, therefore, we will monitor very closely the performance of these new disciplines and sports in Buenos Aires, and then when it comes to putting the program for Paris 2024 together there, then the results of these Youth Olympic Games will play an important role."

New disciplines reflecting the passions of a younger generation of athletes, such as breakdancing, karate, and sport climbing, will make their debuts over the next two weeks, as the International Olympic Committee makes an effort to keep up with the latest trends.

THOMAS BACH IOC PRESIDENT "You will see futsal, you will see beach handball and many other new sports. And again you will see sports in the center of the city, so these young athletes, they will be open to partner up with the population of Buenos Aires. And there will be initiation programs to sports being offered, and the Opening Ceremony will be in the centre of the city at the Obelisk, therefore drawing the attention of the people of Buenos Aires in a very special way."

The third edition of this multi-sport spectacle includes an equal number of male and female competitors for the first time, while the 32 sports, or 36 disciplines, will also spotlight several mixed gender events aimed at emphasizing the spirit of the Games.

CHAD LE CLOS 2012 OLYMPIC CHAMPION • 200-METER BUTTERFLY "Olympism for me means solidarity. I think for me, the big change came when I went to the Youth Olympic Games in 2010, when I got to experience that for the first time. Different cultures, different countries, different people coming together, and uniting under one roof, for one common cause. The Olympics and everything means so much to me, and my country, and my family, because of the friendships that you make, and because of the meaning behind it. The fact that you get to represent your country at the highest stage of sports in the world."

The Summer Youth Olympics will run until October 18th, with the next two weeks providing a groundbreaking showcase, for the sporting prowess of the up-and-coming generation. DJ, CGTN.