Sustainable youth sports talent cultivation is essential for balancing athletic performance with educational and social development. Within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), sports-education integration has become an important strategy for promoting sustainable youth sports systems. This study examines youth sports talent cultivation in China from a multi-governance perspective using a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design combining surveys and interviews. The results show that sports-education integration significantly supports balanced athlete development, including athletic sustainability, academic balance, and psychological well-being. Multi-governance coordination further enhances these outcomes by improving stakeholder collaboration and policy implementation. This study demonstrates how sports-education integration and collaborative governance contribute to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), providing theoretical and policy insights for sustainable youth sports development.