OLYMPICS – “Paris is ready!” declared French Ambassador to Bahrain Eric Giraud-Telme yesterday as the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) announced details of the kingdom’s highly anticipated participation at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Bahrain is set to be one of more than 200 countries from around the world competing in 32 sports at the French capital, where the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad are expected to be “festive, popular, and spectacular,” Ambassador Giraud-Telme said.
He was speaking alongside Cabinet Affairs Ministry undersecretary and BOC vice-president Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, BOC secretary general Faris Al Kooheji, and BOC executive director Ahmed Abdulghaffar.
The BOC confirmed that a team of 14 athletes will be going for gold at these upcoming Olympics in five sports, including athletics, judo, swimming, weightlifting, and wrestling. And with a number of Bahrain’s Olympians being reigning and former world champions, the BOC is upbeat about making sporting history.
“We have an excellent record in the Olympics and we are confident that this time we have a strong team in the five sports we are participating in,” Shaikh Isa told the GDN.
“We feel confident that our athletes can get the best results. We have world champions in their sports, and we hope that they can translate that success to Olympic medals.
“I am sure that Paris will organise a beautiful Olympics and we are very happy to be taking part in it.”
Al Kooheji highlighted that Bahrain’s participation in Paris 2024 is a testament to the unwavering support the kingdom’s sports movement receives from the wise leadership.
“The work was first placed by His Majesty King Hamad in 1975 after the creation of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports; His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, then put Bahrain on the international map with Formula 1,” Al Kooheji said.
“His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa then led the BOC for 10 years and placed the correct infrastructure from which we are bearing the fruit today. And it is no coincidence that we have qualified in wrestling and judo under the leadership of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who specialises in combat sports and MMA.
“We are very excited for these Olympics, and we are expecting an historic Games for Bahrain.”
Bahrain’s athletes are all currently in the final stages of their overseas training programmes with less than 20 days to go before the official opening ceremony on July 26. The national team features eight hopefuls in athletics, two apiece in swimming and weightlifting, and one each in judo and wrestling.
“We have an extensive group and our athletes are literally all over the world training,” said Abdulghaffar, who is also Bahrain’s Chef de Mission to Paris 2024. “We have athletes who are in Hong Kong, Budapest, Africa, Asia, and in Europe conducting their camps.
“Some of them are doing high-altitude training and the plan for them is to go to Paris as the Olympics inch closer in order to optimise their performance levels.”
Ambassador Giraud-Telme voiced full support for the Bahrain delegation at Paris 2024 and was all praise for the kingdom’s Olympic hopefuls.
“I congratulate the BOC for the flawless preparation of its athletes, which has paid off with the excellent qualifying results,” said the French Ambassador. “Bahrain has performed exceptionally well in recent international competitions – rising to the top of the rankings – and I have no doubt that once we get to Paris, Bahraini athletes will showcase their excellence to the world. I wish them every success and I hope they return to Bahrain with medals.
“You really embody the bold determination of your country; we are proud of you and the French Embassy in Bahrain is behind you.”
Also in attendance at yesterday’s conference was International Olympic Academy director Makis Asimakopoulos and other high-ranking sports officials.
Bahrain have medalled in each of the last three Olympic Games – each time in athletics. Now-retired Maryam Yusuf Jamal captured the kingdom’s first-ever Olympic medal – and first-ever Olympic gold – in the women’s 1,500m at London 2012. She was originally the bronze-medallist in her final but was promoted following doping offences by her other medal-winning rivals. Jamal’s medal was also the first won by a woman athlete from a Gulf state.
In Rio 2016, Ruth Jebet clinched a women’s 3,000m steeplechase gold and Eunice Kirwa a women’s marathon silver; and then in Tokyo 2021, Kalkidan Gezahegne captured a silver medal in the women’s 10,000m.
Bahrain’s 14 athletes will be part of a delegation of around 25 members that includes officials and staff who will be flying to Paris 2024. This year’s Summer Olympics will feature 10,500 athletes in all. Competition will continue until August 11.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))