Third Mini Olympics starts with 3,000 students

Manama: The Third School Mini Olympics gets underway today with 3,000 students from 24 government and private schools in the fray and runs until May 5.

There are nine sports being played - football, basketball, volleyball, athletics, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, aquathlon and disability sports.

It is being organised by the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) in cooperation with the Ministry of Education with the action starting today at 9.30am at the Bahrain Volleyball Association gym, located at Isa Sports City in Riffa.

BOC board member and Woman’s Sport Committee chairwoman Shaikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa will deliver the opening remarks. It will be followed by special shows by students from the Indian School and Abdulrahman Kanoo International School.

The organising committee has put the final touches on the opening ceremony of this year’s Mini Olympics, while invitations were sent out to top officials from the Education Ministry and schools taking part to attend the event.

On this occasion, BOC general secretary Abdulrahman Askar stressed the committee’s commitment to the Mini Olympics, which is in line with the directives of His Majesty the King Representative for Charity Work and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports chairman and BOC president HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to activate school sports and promote sports in Bahrain.

Askar added the tremendous success of the two previous editions which saw the participation of a large number of students from different schools across Bahrain, was a major incentive for organisers to bring this event every year.

Askar also noted that the Mini Olympics aims to expand the foundation of athletes in the kingdom and provide them with the necessary experience as well as promoting their performance in different areas.

It also aims to promote the concept of public health and creating a competitive sports environment among students, spreading knowledge.