Table tennis player Lily Zhang, who represented the US at the London 2012 Olympic Games, is among those taking part.

The 18-year-old is the first American to compete at the Olympic Games prior to competing at the Youth Olympic Games, and she heads a team which features 28 high school graduates.

The 13-day competition for athletes between the ages of 15 and 18 will showcase all 28 sports featuring at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

The US team will compete in 21 of these sports and USOC chief executive, Scott Blackmun, has expressed his excitement for the Games in China.

"The Youth Olympic Games help further the Olympic Movement, and will offer young athletes the opportunity to learn about the Olympic values, explore other cultures and develop the skills to become true ambassadors of their sports," Blackmun said.

The United States came 13th in the medals table at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympics ©AFP/Getty Images



The US team is made up of athletes from 30 of the 50 states, with California leading with 26 of these athletes followed by Florida (eight) and New Jersey (seven).

A number of athletes heading to Nanjing are related to former Olympians, including men's 800 meters runner Myles Marshall, son of John Marshall, who represented the US in the same event at Los Angeles 1984.

Swimmer Courtney Mykkanen, who is also Nanjing-bound, is the daughter of Olympian John Mykannen, who at 17 won silver in the men's 400m freestyle at Los Angeles 1984.

The Youth Olympic Games, due to be held from August 16 to 28, will see more than 3,800 athletes from all 204 National Olympic Committees compete in 222 medal events 

It is the second to be held, after the inaugural event in Singapore four years ago, at which the US came 13th in the medals table with four gold, nine silver and eight bronze.