INQUIRER Sports

SINGAPORE?Japan's Yuka Sato wrote her name in the history books on Sunday by becoming the first gold medal winner of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games when she won the triathlon.

The 18-year-old triumphed in Singapore with a commanding display ahead of Australia's Ellie Salthouse and Kelly Whitley of the United States.

Sato was one of the favorites as the only triathlete in the field to clock a top-10 finish at last year's World Junior Championships.

She lived up to expectations in the 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike ride and 5-kilometer run discipline, eventually winning in 1 hour 49.69 seconds.

"I made it," said an ecstatic Sato. "I knew this would be the first contest in the Youth Olympic Games, which really got me motivated to go for gold. I really wanted to drive Team Japan."

"I thought I was dreaming," she added about standing on the podium.

While Sato was celebrating, South Korea's Kim Hee-Sun was under observation in hospital after a nasty crash in the cycling leg.

Kim collided with Puerto Rico's Cristina Luizzet Betancourt de Leon on a sharp bend and after being carried from the track on a stretcher was taken to hospital, where her condition was described as stable.

Betancourt de Leon was unable to complete the race after sustaining injuries to her forehead, right hand and leg.

The Youth Olympics, which run from August 14 to 26, are being held for the first time and feature 3,600 athletes aged 14 to 18 competing in the 26 Olympic sports.

The event is designed as a stepping stone for youngsters striving to compete at an Olympics proper, with some of the competitors expected to feature at London in 2012.

As well as the competition, they also benefit from a simultaneous cultural and education program that plans to teach them about Olympic values, global issues and how to deal with the pressures of being a top athlete.

Addressing the competitors at the glitzy official opening ceremony on Saturday, International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said the Games would help them "learn the difference between winning and being a champion".

"To win, you merely have to cross the finish line," he said.

"To be a champion, you have to inspire admiration for your character, as well as for your physical talent."

For Singapore, the event is more invaluable exposure in its drive to prove it can compete on the global stage, despite budgets reportedly tripling to 387 million dollars (US$284 million).