GLASGOW can carry the international sporting baton for another four years by bringing the Youth Olympic Games to the city, according to Olympic boss Lord Coe.

The Chairman of the British Olympic Association was in Glasgow this week and spoke exclusively to the Evening Times on the city's bid to host yet another international sporting event.

The two-time Olympic Gold medal winner said Glasgow and the Youth Games were a perfect fit and praised the city for its use of prestigious international events to bring benefits to its citizens and communities.

When Sebastian Coe was competing in the 1970s and 80s there were few athletic tracks worthy of hosting sportsmen in his league, and the major international stars that came to the city's venues were mainly football and boxing.

Now with the Emirates Arena, Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, a new hockey centre, Tollcross Pool and improved facilities across the city, Glasgow is looking to win the third Youth Games in 2018.

The Youth Games is a relatively new concept with only Singapore having hosted the inaugural event in 2010 and Games taking place next year in Nanjing, China.

Lord Coe said Glasgow was an ideal fit for the event.

He said: "We had one Youth Olympic Games, in Singapore, so it is relatively new. That in itself is a challenge. Because it is in its infancy, it will need time to bed in.

"Which is why Glasgow offers a good opportunity for the Youth Olympics. It ticks the boxes on both counts in terms of youth and sport.

"I don't need to remind anyone this is a city steeped in sport and not just the big events.

"Sport has played an integral part in the fabric of Glasgow for a long time, far longer than my lifetime.

"Glasgow is also a city that connects with young people."

The man credited with much of the effort to ensure London won and delivered a successful Olympics said Glasgow can carry on the work and benefit from what is being planned now.

He said: "It is an extraordinary opportunity for Glasgow.

"It puts the city at the heart of this decade of sport, from the Olympics in London to the Commonwealth Games here, and we can continue it with the Youth Games.

"The last time we had Olympics and Commonwealth Games in the same country was in 1976 and 1978 in Canada."

Like London and the east end of the capital, and the Commonwealth Games and Glasgow's East End, Glasgow 2018 plans to use the event to regenerate Sighthill in the north of the city, with new housing and community facilities.

Lord Coe said: "I like the way Glasgow has aligned its core strategic ambitions with the sports events.

"Glasgow has answered the question, why are we doing this? How does it tie with regeneration, deprivation and ill health?

"There is a clear understanding here of what can be achieved. Sport can be the bridge to that achievement."

Lord Coe emphasises the opportunities the Youth Games offers Glasgow to carry the momentum from 2014 both internally and externally.

He said: "The potential regeneration to spin that legacy for another four years is extraordinary.

"The Commonwealth Games will have a massive impact. The great thing about the Olympic movement is it gives the opportunity to showcase the city."

Glasgow will find out next month at a meeting in Lausanne in Switzerland, if it has been successful in its bid.

It has competition from Medellin, in Colombia and Buenos Aries in Argentina to stage the event.

The Olympic legend, who knows a thing or two about races going to the wire, said the bids from the others will be strong, but was confident Glasgow could finish in front.

He has been keeping a close eye on Glasgow's Commonwealth Games preparations

He said: "I have been coming here since the bid for 2014 was won.

"We were watching in London and were celebrating when the announcement was made and I was here within weeks.

"There are teams in the other two cities doing what we are doing and putting all the right preparations in place."

The Games will offer the elite youth athletes the chance to take part in events and will improve their development giving them Games experience, but not all are guaranteed to go on to the main event.

While competition and sport is at the heart of the event, he said it was about the Olympic ideals and transferring that into the population as well.

He said: "The question Jacques Rogge (President of the IOC) posed was Youth Olympic Games is not just about sport.

"It is a about sport, culture and education. Opportunities for young people to have a mile marker along the Olympic journey.

"It is not only about the events. Like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

"Others will have a chance to take part.

"In Singapore we had young people working with he media and in other areas related to the Games."

Lord Coe was clear about who the Olympic events were about.

He said: "London Barcelona Sydney were all fantastic Games, but the is not a one size fits all.

"The difference between a good games and a great games is the work done in advance to involve the communities .

"The most demanding stockholder is not government or the IOC. It is the people who live in the city."