?Bahrain yesterday (Wednesday) claimed two more awards in Doha on the sidelines of the 21st Association of National Olympics Committees (ANOC) General Assembly.
The Bahrain Olympic Committee was one of nine organisations presented with the Breakthrough National Olympic Committee award, while Bahraini runner Ruth Jebet received the sport achievement for winning Bahrain’s maiden gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil.
Ruth Jebet, who won gold for Bahrain in the women’s 3,000 metre steeplechase, said she was honoured to accept the award.
“I’m so happy that my first attempt at an Olympic medal was successful and to win Bahrain’s first ever Olympic gold medal was a true honour,” she said.
“I was surrounded by so many incredible athletes this evening and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this wonderful event”.
Bahrain was honored along with five other Asian National Olympic Committees at the ANOC Awards ceremony at the National Convention Centre in Doha on Tuesday.
The awarding of both prizes was witnessed by Supreme Council for Youth and Sports deputy general secretary and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) general secretary Abdulrahman Askar, who is heading the Bahrain delegation to the ANOC event.
Askar said he was pleased with the achievements of Bahrain sports, thanks to the unlimited support of Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports Chairman, and BOC President.
Shaikh Nasser also received a special medal on Tuesday for his contribution to the Olympic movement at a gala dinner attended by more than 1,000 delegates and featuring some of the star athletes from the Rio Olympics.
Qatar Emir HH Shaikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in addition to National Olympic Committees of Jordan, Singapore, Tajikistan and Vietnam – also won awards after capturing their first ever Olympic gold medals in Brazil, recognising their breakthrough achievements.