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From the Youth Olympic Games to the London Olympics 2012 Christchurch born Eve Macfarlane, named as the youngest member of the Olympic Rowing Team to London last week says her experience at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games will pay off. Macfarlane attended the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010 where she finished seventh in the coxless pair but now has her eyes set on an Olympic medal in the womens quadruple sculls with which shell compete in London. Macfarlane is the first athlete named to the Olympic Team that has also competed in the Youth Olympic Games. Speaking after the rowing team selection event, Macfarlane said she was delighted to have made the Olympic team. Its a dream come true and although I can see our hard work paying off, we are not done yet, there is still much more work to come. My Youth Olympic Games experience has made me reaslise that I will have to focus with our task at hand and not get caught up in all the hype that comes with the mulit-sport Olympic games. I cant wait to get over there and start racing. The Youth Olympic Games was really an eye-opener into what a prestigious competition is like, Eve said. Like always, Im just trying to make improvements here and there and Ill see where it takes me. The Youth Olympic Games are providing an ideal pathway to the Olympic Games according to Secretary General, Kereyn Smith. The Olympic environment is unique, said Smith. The Youth Olympic Games are a way to provide our athletes with the experience they need to progress in the competitive sports world. The level of competition is extremely high but it is great to see some of these athletes go on to London 2012 and Rio 2016. Other Youth Olympic Games athletes include Athletics shot put star Jacko Gill and boxer Joseph Parker. Both these young athletes have their sights set on the Olympic Games. Macfarlane began rowing just four years ago at well-known rowing school Rangi Ruru Girls School in Christchurch. An outstanding athlete, she won silver at the World Rowing Junior Championships in France in 2009 competing in the eight, and then onto win Gold at the World Junior Championships 2010 in Czech Republic, where she stroked the four. In December 2011 Macfarlane was crowned Athlete of the Month by the World Rowing Association
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