"We are feeling fit, we are feeling confident and we are working a lot" Irrazaval told insidethegames here at the SportAccord International Convention, where he and Pichot are advocating the Argentinean capital's bid prior to the decision at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Extraordinary Session in Lausanne on July 4, where they will face rivals Glasgow and Medellín.

"The other two cities are really good as well, so we are working well and trying to show what Buenos Aires will deliver to the Youth Olympic Movement, to the IOC, and especially to the kids."

"Buenos Aires is this incredible multi-cultural city, and we host more than 10 million people every year that come to visit Buenos Aires"

The bid has received the full backing of the Buenos Aires City Parliament, along with some of its nation's sporting heroes, such as David Nalbandian, the 2002 Wimbledon runner-up, and the former top-ranked tennis player in the world, American Andy Roddick.

Buenos Aires hosts around 10 million tourists a year, according to 2018 bid President Francisco Irarrazaval

But it is also the citizens of the city, and indeed the nation, that have put their weight behind the campaign to bring the Youth Olympic Games to Buenos Aires.

"I was more than surprised, because after we made the shortlist, we made a professional enquiry, and more than 65 per cent of the people knew that we were bidding for the Games and knew what the Games were, and I said 'wow, this is a lot," said Irarrazaval, Buenos Aires Under-Secretary of Sport and chief executive of Buenos Aires 2018.

"But afterwards we thought about it and said 'Buenos Aires and Argentina are very sporting, everyone knows about sports, everybody knows who [Lionel] Messi is and everyone knows who [Juan Martin] Del Potro is'.

"We have sports in our DNA,

"In Argentina, in the Sunday meals when you eat with your family, you don't talk about politics, you talk about football and other sport."

Captaining his Argentina side to third-place in the 2007 Rugby World Cup was one of Pichot's career highlights

And having a man of Pichot's stature in not only national, but worldwide sport on their bid team is a huge coup for the city in which the former Pumas captain was born and bred.

"Agustín is the embodiment of what sport is about and in many ways he put Argentinean and South American rugby on the map." said Irarrazaval, a former Argentina rugby international himself, of his new bid ambassador.

"His career shows what can be achieved when talent is coupled with hard work and dedication.

"To have the backing of a respected and courageous sportsman like Agustín is a truly momentous occasion for our 2018 Youth Olympic Games Bid and it fills us with confidence and excitement as we enter this crucial stage of the campaign."

The scrum-half amassed an impressive 71 caps for his country, with his undoubtedly finest moment on the field coming in 2007 when he led his Argentinian side to a third-placed finish in the Rugby World Cup.

Former Pumas captain Pichot had the honour of being inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2011

After playing for five clubs in three countries, and captaining Stade Francais to the Top 14 Championship title in 2007, becoming the only foreign player to captain a team to the title, he was inducted into the International Rugby Board (IRB) Hall of Fame in recognition of his massive contribution to the game, both in his home nation and across the globe.

The 38-year-old also appeared in seven rugby sevens tournaments for his nation - a sport which is due to make its Olympic debut at Rio 2016.

Pichot hopes that he can be a part of the effort to give children the opportunity to reach the dream that he was never able to realise; competing in the Olympics.

"Like many people in Argentina I have always paid great respect to the values of Olympism and it would have been a dream come true for me to represent my country at the Olympic Games," he said

"This is now something that young rugby players can not only dream about, but aspire towards.

"I'm very proud to be an ambassador for Buenos Aires 2018."

With legacy now being one of the hottest topics in terms of the bid process for the majority of major events, the issue is of course one that is often highlighted, and Pichot believes that hosting the Youth Olympic Games would inspire the next generation of sporting stars to strive for success.

Buenos Aires 2018 have held many events to promote their bid, including the World Tennis Day event, where hundreds of local children played tennis on the streets of the Argentine capital

"Being young and having a Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, that would inspire future generations, and that's what it's all about; the legacy," said Pichot.

"We've achieved - him [Irarrazaval ]- as a sport guy, and myself, playing for my country and winning lots of things, but we're done, we've done our bit, we enjoyed it, and now it's about getting it into the future generations.

"We have to work for the future generations."

Passion and pride are components that are synonymous with the Argentinian culture.

Their fans are renowned for their undying support for their sporting heroes, and after leading his side on numerous occasions on home soil in front of eccentric crowds, Pichot knows all about the energy that the Argentinian fans provide to their sporting stars.

Argentina are famed for their passionate sports fans, especially from football teams such as River Plate, who are based in Buenos Aires

"The passion is a vital component for a successful Games, it's not only about medals and results, this is about celebrating and enjoying sport, and passion has to be there, which I can guarantee it will be.

"In Argentina, we just breathe sport, we love sport, we are born into sport, we celebrate sport, so the Youth Olympic Games, if they are in Buenos Aires in 2018, will be massive."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]