KUALA LUMPUR - KUALA Lumpur has entered the race to host the first ever World Youth Olympics in 2010, Malaysia's news agency Bernama reported on Tuesday.

The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) told Bernama that it had submitted the application on August 21 at the government's request - but reluctantly, as it believed the money for the bid could be better spent.

'OCM believes the money that will be spent on bidding be wisely used for sports development or preparations for our youths participating in the upcoming games,' OCM president Tunku Imran Jaafar said.

'It will be very competitive as there are 10 other cities wanting to host the Youth Games. A few of them are strong challengers,' he added.

The summer event for 14 to 18-year-olds was the brainchild of International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge, and will take place in August 2010.

IOC members will vote to decide the host city in January.

Kuala Lumpur will be up against Algiers, Athens, Bangkok, Belgrade, Debrecen in Hungary, Guatemala de la Asuncion, Moscow, Poznan in Poland, Singapore and Turin, Italy. -- AFP