ASIAN YOUTH GAMES – BAHRAIN Olympic Committee (BOC) vice-president and Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) vice-president for the third Asian Youth Games Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa attended the coordination meeting held by the Games’ executive committee with the participating national sports federations.
BOC secretary general Faris Al Kooheji and executive committee chairman Yusuf Duaij Muhoorfi were also present, along with a number of federation presidents and representatives.
Shaikh Isa bin Ali conveyed the greetings of Supreme Council for Youth and Sport (SCYS) first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority (GSA) chairman, and BOC president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and wished the federations success in the Games.
Shaikh Isa emphasised that hosting this significant continental event for the first time constitutes a national responsibility and an historic opportunity to present the kingdom’s distinguished position on the Asian sporting stage. He underscored the importance of enhancing efforts and coordination to ensure its success.
Shaikh Isa noted that the meeting aimed to review the latest preparations of each sports federation and ensure the full readiness of national teams, expressing confidence in their ability to represent Bahrain with distinction.
On his part, Muhoorfi said that the organising committee has made significant progress in preparations and expressed confidence in Bahrain’s representation through commitment, discipline, and sportsmanship, reflecting the kingdom’s values and identity.
He added that the executive committee, in cooperation with the GSA, BOC, government bodies, and the private sector, will continue to provide all forms of support to guarantee the success of the Games.
The meeting concluded with presentations by the national sports federations, outlining their preparations and contributions to the organisation of the event.
The third Asian Youth Games is to be held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad from October 22 to 31.
It will feature more than 5,000 athletes, both boys and girls aged 14 to 18 years old, representing 45 National Olympic Committees from across Asia. They will be vying for medals in 24 sports, while also looking to secure qualification for the Youth Olympic Games 2026 in Dakar, Senegal.
The sports that will be a part of the Games’ exciting multi-day programme are athletics (track and field and cross country), 3x3 basketball, badminton, volleyball (indoor and beach, road cycling, equestrian (endurance and showjumping), futsal, golf, handball, Muay, jiu-jitsu, judo, kabaddi, mixed martial arts, table tennis, E-sports, taekwondo, wrestling (indoor and beach) boxing, triathlon, weightlifting, teqball, swimming, and camel racing.
The Games’ official opening ceremony will take place on October 22 at Exhibition World Bahrain, which is one of the key venues of the event. Notably, it will be held indoors for the first time, diverging from the traditional outdoor settings of previous editions of the Games, which were held in Singapore in 2009 and China in 2013.
The ceremony will feature a variety of performances, details of which will be announced later, and promises to be exceptional, showcasing Bahraini flair to convey a message from the youth of the kingdom to their Asian counterparts.
Seven sports will commence prior to the inauguration. These include boys’ futsal, handball, and volleyball, starting on October 19, followed by girls’ futsal, kabaddi, teqball, and beach volleyball, all beginning on October 21.
The final day of the Games on October 31 will only feature men’s and women’s swimming events and their awards presentation, alongside the official closing ceremony.
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