Sheikh Joaan attends opening ceremony of Asian Youth Games 

Manama: President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, attended today the Opening Ceremony of the 3rd Asian Youth Games, currently being held in the Kingdom of Bahrain until October 31. 

HH Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King of Bahrain for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, officially declared the Games open during a grand ceremony held at the Exhibition World Bahrain, in the presence of presidents of Asian National Olympic Committees and senior sports officials from across the continent.

Also in attendance were HE Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, Second Vice President of the QOC, and HE Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Secretary-General of the QOC. 

The Opening Ceremony was a spectacular show that included various segments and artistic performances blending modernity with the rich heritage of Bahrain. It also featured the parade of participating nations, official speeches by the Organizing Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), and the raising of the Games’ flag.  

The 3rd Asian Youth Games features 26 sports, with more than 5,000 athletes from 45 Asian National Olympic Committees, making it the largest edition in the event’s history. The Games also serve as qualifiers for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

 
The state of Qatar is represented by 67 athletes competing in 16 sports, namely: athletics, badminton, 3x3 basketball, equestrian (show jumping), golf, judo, jiu-jitsu, cycling, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, wrestling, volleyball, beach volleyball, and boxing. Female athletes are participating in four of these sports: athletics, badminton, volleyball, and beach volleyball.

On the other hand, Qatar’s youth volleyball team lost to Chinese Taipei today in straight sets (0–3), with set scores of 17–25, 17–25, and 16–25. 

Qatar’s athletes will begin competition tomorrow in 3x3 basketball, athletics, golf, boxing, equestrian, and triathlon. 

Team Qatar aims to make a strong impression at the Games and compete for medals across several sports. This participation is also part of the nation’s long-term preparation for the Doha 2030 Asian Games.