Three-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt Thursday became the latest high-profile athlete to sign on as a Youth Olympic Games ambassador, joining a star-studded list that also includes Olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps and pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva.

Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter who holds the World and Olympic records in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m-relay events, will encourage young people around the globe to become more active in sport in his role as Ambassador for the Youth Olympic Games, the inaugural edition of which is scheduled to take place from 14 to 26 August in Singapore.

"I know how important it is to have mentors and role models when you are young to help give you focus and dreams to aspire to. I couldn't be happier to be an Ambassador for the first Youth Olympic Games and to provide inspiration and encouragement to the young athletes participating in Singapore this summer and to kids everywhere," said Bolt.

"We are very pleased that Usain will now join Michael and Yelena as Youth Olympic Games Ambassadors. These athletes are at the very top of their respective sports and they know the importance of having inspirational figures in their lives. Children around the world look up to Usain and it is wonderful that he has decided to motivate young people to become more active by joining the Youth Olympic Games team," said IOC president Jacques Rogge.

The mission of the Youth Olympic Games is to inspire young people around the world to participate in sport and adopt and live by the Olympic values. The first edition of the Youth Olympic Games will be held this summer in Singapore, with the first winter edition to take place in Innsbruck, Austria, in 2012.