The Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer is due to kick off today (12 February), with its upgraded venues and slopes welcoming 1,071 athletes from 71 countries.

All the venues being used for the Games – which will take place between 12 and 21 February – are upgraded facilities that were built for the 1994 Winter Olympics in the Norwegian city.

Pal Nilsen from the organising team told Sports Management that N600m (£46.1m, US$66.7m, €58.7m) had been spent on revamping the venues with new changing rooms and facilities, while the ski jumping hill had to have its profile changed to adhere to regulations.

The only venue that has been built for the event is the curling and ice hockey arena.

“The concept of the Youth Olympics is reusing venues – we were not suppose to build lots and lots of arenas,” said Nilsen. “We would not have got these Games if we’d had to build them. We’ve built on what we already have and that’s the legacy of the ‘94 Games.”

A Youth Olympic Village, which doubles up as 360 student apartments, has also been built, but Nielsen revealed that all of the facilities would have been built by the municipality even if Lillehammer did not win its bid for the Games.

“The facilities that have been built here are for everybody. All the venues from the ‘94 Games are being used by local people,” he said. “Lots of school children use them everyday, as do local sports clubs. Even the ski jumping hill is in use.”