Sports Day activities set for kick off

Manama, Feb. 8 (BNA): The first set of activities of the 2018 Bahrain Sports Day will commence on Friday with more than 4,000 competitors to take part in the Spartan Race at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. This two-day Spartan Race, which tips off at 7am, is organized by the Bahrain Olympic Committee and is one of many programmes lined up for this year’s edition of the Sports Day, scheduled for February 13. Today’s race will see thousands of participants, men and women, of different ages, compete in different category challenges that include 23km race for professionals with 2,000 athletes confirmed to take part. On the second day, two more challenges will be staged, the first of which will be a 5-km Spartan Sprint with 1,500 athletes to battle for victory. This will be followed by a 1km Spartan Kids race, in which 500 kids are expected to race. In an official statement, Organising Committee chairman Abdulrahman Askar said having this event orgnaised on annual basis is in line with the keenness of Bahrain’s sports leaders to promote the culture of sport among the Bahraini society. He said: "We are keen to implement sports programs that contribute to raising awareness to encourage everyone to exercise". "The Bahrain Sports Day is the outcome of the decision undertaken by president of National Olympic Committees in the GCC to allocate a full sports day in February every year, which was approved by Their Majesties and Highnesses leaders of the GCC countries," added Askar. Askar also noted the tremendous interaction of the government and private authorities in Bahrain to prepare their own sports programmes to celebrate this special occasion. He concluded his statement by stressing that the Bahrain Sports Day is an opportunity for everyone of all ages to exercise on this day. All citizens and residents are invited to participate in this national sporting event, which is the starting point for a change for a better future and to enjoy a healthier, more energetic and vibrant life. Meanwhile, the BOC has a coordination meeting with representatives of government and media representatives at its premises in Seef, where the mechanism of uploading the media files from the media centres of the ministries and government authorities to the e-account of the Information Affairs Authority’s Bahrain Sports Channel.