?Ministry of Education’s physical education, scouting and guidance director Essam Abdulla said the School Mini Olympics promotes sport movement within the schools community.
Abdulla noted that the ministry’s cooperation with the event organisers – the Bahrain Olympic Committee, is in line with the directives of minister Dr Majed Al Nuaimi to offer support to distinguished students and develop their athletic skills.
“The Ministry of Education has played a major part in different sporting activities, one of which is our sports competitions head Dr Abdulla Al Abbasi attending a series of meetings with the Bahrain Olympic Committee to discuss ways to ensure a very successful fifth edition of the Mini Olympics this year,” said Abdulla.
Abdulla added that the ministry is also gearing up to launch the Olympic torch, which has been purposely made for this occasion.
“We have been working hand in hand with the Bahrain Olympic Committee by making communications with various schools around Bahrain to invite them for the Mini Olympics and have received a record breaking entries this year,” he said.
On his part, Technical Committee chairman Lounes Madene said the organizing committee has confirmed a record-breaking 3,500 students from 58 government and private schools this year.
Scheduled to run from March 8 to 22, the event will feature 20 sports in total compared to last year’s 14, including six new competitions.
“Team sports – football, 3-on-3 basketball, volleyball and handball, will be organized this year, in addition to table tennis, athletics, cricket, hockey, swimming, water sports, cycling, fencing, tennis, badminton, gymnastics, judo, karate, taekwondo, jiu jitsu and karting,” said Madene.
Rami Al Murbati, head of the Medical Committee, said his committee has started preparations to provide medical services in all venues of competitions, to be presented by a highly-qualified seven-member team.
The Fifth School Mini Olympics is held under the patronage of Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, His Majesty King Hamad Representative for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee president.