The competition is open for entries from all over the world and provides further evidence of the event's ability to encourage participation from talented young people beyond merely competitive sport, it is claimed.

The competition is now open for entries and will remain so until November 30 - with a winner and two runners up to be selected thereafter by an IOC judging panel in Lausanne.

The winning design will feature on the face of the gold, silver and bronze medals to be awarded throughout the nine day competition beginning next year on August 16.

Nanjing will host the second Summer Youth Olympics after an inaugural event in Singapore in 2010 and confidence will be high after the successful completion of the recent Asian Youth Games in the Chinese city which served as a test event.

Last month saw the one year anniversary to Nanjing 2014 which was celebrated by the unveiling of a special countdown clock in the city



As well as providing huge competitive experience youth events such as these also serve to enhance experience and development at a more general level.

By providing opportunities for talented young people in areas outside purely sport the medal designing competition is the latest example of this, it is claimed by the IOC.

As well as having their design on all of the medals the winning designer will attend the Games, including the Opening Ceremony, and also receive a full collection of medals.

The decision will be made by an IOC judging panel including Britain's world-renowned designer Thomas Heatherwick, creator of the London 2012 Olympic Torch cauldron, as well as the double Olympic short track speed skating gold medallist Yang Yang of China and France's Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic gold medal winning 400 metre hurdler Aurélie Chaboudez.