The 17th Gymnasiade 2018 organised by International School Sport Federation in Morocco is still ahead of us, but the preparations for the 18th Gymnasiade have already started. As this event is being more and more recognised on the worldwide level as a major and prestigious sport event and also as a great opportunity to support young people, there are three countries that showed a significant interest in hosting the Gymnasiade 2020 – China, Chinese Taipei and Hungary. Gymnasiade - School Summer Games, is the biggest ISF event. Next year in Morroco, young athletes from all around the world will measure their strengths in 16 disciplines: Fencing, Archery, Chess, Judo, Wrestling, Karate, Golf, Tennis, Taekwondo, Boxing, Surf, Mountain Bike, Athletics, Gymnastics (Artistic, Rhythmic, Aerobic), Swimming and Petanque. The ISF delegation, in the lead with the ISF President Laurent Petrynka, is going to visit the bidding countries to meet the highest authorities. The journey will begin in China, from 8th to 13th of July 2017 and it will continue in August – Chinese Taipei is getting ready for the ISF visit from 17th to 22nd August and Hungary from 25th to 28th August. The mutual competition of the bidding countries has a positive impact on the event in terms of both preparation and overall organisation. We can already see that the competition between Los Angeles and Paris, bidding for 2024 Olympics, raises the level and status of the sport event even higher. Having three countries bidding for Gymnasiade 2020 is an evidence of the changing perception of the school sport – more frequent tendencies to develop the worldwide youth sport together with the education. It is also an opportunity to bring together and stimulate the high-level youth sport together with the grassroots sport. No matter what country will be elected the host of the 2020 Gymnasiade – a great spirit is already felt from all of them. We may not know where the youth will gather in 2020, but it’s certain that each country will make its best to deliver the unforgettable event for the young aspiring athletes.
