Bahrain on the Brink of a Legendary Asian Youth Games
TDT | Manama
Email: hussainm@newsofbahrain.com
With Bahrain now just days away from welcoming thousands of young athletes, preparations for the 3rd Asian Youth Games are in full swing, and organizers say the Kingdom is ready to deliver an unforgettable event.
Yousif Duaij, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Games, said the scale of operations reflects Bahrain’s ambition and the collective effort behind the scenes. “Hosting more than 4,300 athletes from 45 countries within a nation of just 780 square kilometres is a remarkable undertaking,” Duaij said. “Every element is interconnected, from logistics and team management to international coordination and event branding.”
With just five days remaining before the curtain rises on the 3rd Asian Youth Games (AYG), excitement is building as the nation prepares to host one of Asia’s largest multi-sport gatherings for young athletes.
Among the early arrivals yesterday were officials from Kuwait, Pakistan, Iran, and Kazakhstan. Over the week, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Jordan, Thailand, and the Maldives also arrived. They were part of the first wave of athletes, coaches, and officials expected to compete from October 22 to 31. Larger teams, including China (293 athletes), the UAE (152), Mongolia (135), and Sri Lanka (100), are scheduled to arrive in the coming days, depending on the start dates of their competitions.
Representatives from the Philippine delegation highlighted the importance of the Games for young athletes. “This is a very important tournament for the players, especially the young athletes,” said Roselyn Hung, one of the delegation’s administrative staff. “It builds momentum leading up to the Youth Olympic Games, the Southeast Asian Games, and the Asian Games. Events like this strengthen the grassroots level of sport. Of course, we would love to bring home medals. We train our players to be in good shape, stay healthy, and play our best to capture the gold.”
Record-Breaking Bahraini Delegation
Under the royal patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Bahrain has unveiled its largest-ever delegation for a continental age-group competition: 204 athletes supported by 130 coaches, administrators, and 22 Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) officials.
In total, 356 Bahraini representatives will participate, including 150 boys and a record 54 girls. Futsal leads with 38 players per team, followed by indoor volleyball (36 athletes), equestrian endurance (27), and swimming (24). Boys’ handball, with 23 athletes, will open its campaign on Sunday against Hong Kong-China in Group A, before facing the Maldives, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
Bahrain’s athletes will compete for nearly 2,000 medals across the 26 sports featured at this year’s Games, including athletics, 3x3 basketball, badminton, volleyball (indoor and beach), road cycling, equestrian, futsal, golf, handball, Muay, jiu-jitsu, judo, kabaddi, mixed martial arts, table tennis, E-sports, taekwondo, wrestling, boxing, triathlon, weightlifting, teqball, swimming, camel racing, pencak silat, and kurash.
Group draws for futsal, handball, and volleyball were conducted at the Gulf Hotel, attended by Yousif Duaij and senior OCA officials. Following withdrawals from India, Qatar, and Uzbekistan, a revised draw on October 9 at the Asian Handball Federation HQ in Kuwait created two groups for boys’ handball:
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Group A: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Maldives, Hong Kong-China
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Group B: Kuwait, Iran, China, UAE, Thailand, Kazakhstan
This edition of the Games is Bahrain’s most ambitious sporting commitment yet, and its first time hosting a continental multi-sport event. It also reflects the nation’s growing investment in youth and women’s sport, with female participation at an all-time high. Bahrain has participated in every Asian Youth Games since its inception, winning bronze medals in athletics in both Singapore 2009 and Nanjing 2013.
Venues, Schedule, and Firsts
The Games will unfold across several venues, with Isa Sports City serving as the main hub for athletics, volleyball, badminton, and kabaddi. Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB) will stage combat and emerging sports — including judo, taekwondo, Muay Thai, jiu-jitsu, mixed martial arts, teqball, and E-sports — while Bahrain National Stadium takes center stage for track and field.
Other venues include the Royal Golf Club for golf, the NBH Loop for cycling, Umm Alhassam Sports Hall for handball, and the Bahrain Endurance Village for equestrian competitions.
Although the opening ceremony will be held on October 22 at EWB, several events, including boys’ futsal, handball, volleyball, kabaddi, pencak silat, and kurash, begin earlier. Girls’ futsal, teqball, and beach volleyball follow on October 21, with the rest of the competitions commencing after the official inauguration. The ceremony itself will be a first as the Asian Youth Games’ first-ever indoor opening ceremony.
Leadership and Readiness
Final preparations have been closely monitored by senior leaders, including HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, HH Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, HH Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, Yousif Duaij, and Dr. Abdulrahman Sadiq Askar.
Over the last week, Shaikh Khalid led multiple inspection visits to Isa Sports City and Bahrain National Stadium, reviewing athlete areas, media platforms, spectator facilities, and technical readiness.
"The readiness of venues is one of the key factors for success,” Shaikh Khalid said. “Our goal is to deliver an event that reflects the Kingdom’s sporting stature and the unity of Asia’s youth.”
Rising Anticipation
As athletes continue to arrive in Bahrain, excitement is growing. Across training halls and arenas, Bahrain’s own athletes are stepping up final preparations. The Taekwondo squad, featuring Yousif Hasan Qambar, Yousuf Abdullah Haji, Hassan Saeed Mohsen, Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Amiri, Yousif Ahmed, Shaikha Hamad Al Yaqoob, and Aysha Khalid Abdulkarim, is ready to make its mark. Meanwhile, the U-18 handball team, guided by coach Mohammed Abdulrahman, has balanced home and overseas training to stay sharp.
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Boys’ Volleyball Groups:
Group A: Bahrain, Pakistan, Mongolia
Group B: Iran, China, Qatar
Group C: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia
Group D: Taipei, Thailand, Indonesia
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Girls’ Volleyball Groups:
Group A: Bahrain, Iran, Qatar
Group B: China, Hong Kong, Jordan
Group C: Chinese Taipei, Kazakhstan, Indonesia
Group D: Thailand, Korea, Philippines
Celebrating Youth Through Sport
The 3rd Asian Youth Games were reassigned to Bahrain less than a year ago after previous postponements, making the nation’s rapid preparations even more remarkable.
For Bahrain, the Games are a demonstration of organizational capacity and commitment to youth sport. As rising athletes from across Asia arrive, organizers, volunteers, and the Kingdom’s own young competitors are working together to ensure the Games are a memorable celebration of sport, youth, and cultural exchange.
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