Olympic Day set to commence today

Manama : The 2016 Olympic Day is all set to commence today with hundreds of athletes and volunteers expected to take part in the first of five walkathons lined up this year.

Today’s walkathon is at 5pm at the Budaiya Coast Park in the Northern Governorate and is organised by the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) in cooperation with the Bahrain Road Runners.

Four more walkathons will also be staged, with the fifth and concluding race scheduled for May 27 at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir to mark the end of this year’s Olympic Day celebrations as Bahrain joins other countries from around the world to celebrate the occasion.

Olympic Day is celebrated all over the world on June 23 every year, but the BOC decided to hold it earlier as it clashes with the Holy Month of Ramadan.

BOC is bringing a set of programmes with the slogan “Move… Learn… Discover.”

Various physical activities as well as workshops, handcrafts and meeting national athletes who have competed at the Olympics, in addition to the walkathon events are scheduled to take place during this two-week fun and family event.

Northern Governor Ali Al Asfoor asserted the readiness of his governorate to embrace this international occasion and has made all necessary arrangements to ensure its success.

“This year were are bringing a set of programmes for the entire family, including children’s activities and gifts, corner for productive Bahraini families, a medical section providing services to measure diabetes, weight and blood pressure, in cooperation with Health Ministry and Bapco,” he said.

BOC general secretary Abdulrahman Askar stressed the importance of celebrating this occasion for its noble objectives and to promote the Olympics values. These values are friendship, respect and excellence - along with the four Paralympic values - determination, inspiration, courage and equality.