UNDER the patronage and presence of First Deputy President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, Honorary President of the Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the National Day Festival organised by the BDSF for people with disabilities from December 9 to 12 has concluded.
The festival comes as part of the National Day Celebration on Friday and the Anniversary of His Majesty King Hamad’s ascensions to the throne on Saturday.
Shaikh Khalid watched the activities of the festival with the attendance of Minister of Youth and Sports Hisham bin Mohamed Al Jowder, BOC Secretary General Abdulrahman Sadeq Askar, the Bahrain Olympic Committee Secretary General Shaikh Mohammed bin Daij Al Khalifa and President of the BDSF and several members of the federation.
The festival included participation from 110 male and female athletes competing in nine competitions: badminton, ping-pong (hearing disabilities and mental disabilities), shudan (blind disabilities), bocce (cerebral paralysis), sitting volleyball (hearing impaired), bocce (special Olympics), penalty shots (hearing impaired), athletic games “sitting throws” and weightlifting “movement disabilities).
“I was very happy with the organisation of the festival which showed the overflowing feeling of love for the nation and their leaders, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The festival was an example of what this beautiful category has showed in expressing love towards the wise leadership and our previous country,” Shaikh Khalid said.
“I was filled with joy with meeting and participating with my brothers and sisters in this festival, which reflected on the abilities that qualify them to reach their goals in sport. We will continue our support to Bahrain’s youth, especially people with disabilities, to create the ideal atmosphere for them to unleash their talents that will help them achieve their goals and aspirations,” he added.
Efforts
Shaikh Khalid expressed his appreciation of the efforts of Shaikh Mohammed and all BDSF members, in organising programmes and activities aimed to integrate people with disabilities in the Kingdom’s National Day celebrations, giving them a chance to express their patriotism and love to the nation and love to the wise leadership.
He stressed that the festival gives people with disabilities the opportunity to show their sports abilities, which contributes to the development of this game.
“The festival reflected on the efforts aimed at supporting youth with disabilities energies, through holding competitions that encourage them to showcase their sports abilities, and aimed at the development of this sport, which achieves the aspiration towards foreign participations to achieve positive results and raise the flag of Bahrain up high at various international gatherings,” Shaikh Khalid concluded.
His Highness wished luck to the Bahrain Wheelchair Basketball team in their upcoming participation in the GCC championship hosted by the UAE.
Shaikh Khalid was keen on following up on all of the festival’s competitions, meeting the athletes and taking pictures with them. His Highness crowned the first-place winners and wished luck to the rest in upcoming participations.