Nasser bin Hamad attends Spartan Race

Manama, Apr. 1 (BN): HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and President of Bahrain Olympic Committee attended the 7km XDubai Spartan Race which is organised for the first time in the Kingdom of Bahrain in coordination with Nasser Bin Hamad Foundation (NBHF). The race was held at Bahrain International Endurance Village and witnessed the participation of 3000 local and international contenders. It included several sports such as running, climbing, steeplechase and other activities that require high physical endurance. HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa said: "The Speartan Race is considered a modern sport and is newly entering the Kingdom of Bahrain. It’s a set of challenging games that require contenders to distribute their energy and concentration on the different stages of the race before they could reach the finish line." HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa pointed out that the participation of a large number of local and international contestants predicts a bright future of endurance sports in the Kingdom of Bahrain such as the Spartan race, Ironman and triathlon sports. He announced that he didn’t participate in the race due to his involvement in several events abroad that he’s preparing for. HH Shaikh Nasser added that many programmes are set to increase the momentum of hosting such sports in the Kingdom of Bahrain, with the focus of placing the kingdom as a hub for organising different international sports events and promote the culture of sports among the Bahraini youth. The winners of the race were honoured by HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Rashid Al Qubaisi from the UAE came first with a 43:31 minutes score, while Emirati Lahajj Abdulkarim and Bahraini Mohammed Al Qaisi came second and third respectively after finishing in 43:37 and 43:38 minutes. American contender Elaine Moore came first in the women’s category, finishing in 58.52 time. The organising committee expressed its gratitude to HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa for supporting the race, adding his patronage had motivated the Bahraini youth to participate and take the challenge.