Bahrain GCC Update

DIRECTORS of the GCC delegations fleeting to Bahrain next month for the Third GCC Women's Games yesterday visited the venues hosting the competitions.

Representatives of five GCC teams toured the sports facilities and inspected its readiness ahead of the third edition Games, scheduled from March 3 to 13.

These visits summed up a two-day programme as a build up to the 11-day event, to be held in Bahrain for the first time.

Yesterday's programme started with Khalifa Sports City in Isa Town, where they toured its athletics track.

They then moved on to Isa Sports City in Riffa, which will host the volleyball, basketball and table tennis events.

Their third field visit was to the Bahrain Shooting Association's shooting range in Sakhir, then concluded the tour with a visit to the Sitra Mall Ozone Entertainment Centre that will host the bowling competitions.

Following the visits, the delegations directors showed relief and admiration for the facilities and equipment available in all four venues, especially the indoor sports gyms at Khalifa and Isa Sports Cities.

They were accompanied by General Organisation for Youth and Sports facilities section head Ali Janahi, Mohammed Al Zayed of the Bahrain Olympic Committee International Affairs and Executive Committee members.

Five teams – Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, the UAE and hosts Bahrain are in the fray for this edition Games, featuring nine sports.

Competitions include football, volleyball, basketball, athletics, table tennis, bowling, shooting, taekwondo and disabled athletics.

The table tennis, taekwondo and basketball will all take place at Isa Sports City premises in Riffa. Khalifa Sports City sports facilities, based in Isa Town, are to embrace football, athletics and disabled athletics.

Shooting competitions will be held at the shooting range in Sakhir, while Sitra Mall's Ozone Entertaining Centre is scheduled to hold the bowling event.

The tournament logo, mascot and official website were unveiled at the GCC delegations directors meeting, which also took place at the Regency Hotel last Sunday.

Media Committee head Mohammed Lori revealed the logo and mascot, which were both invented by BOC graphics designer Khalid Janahi.

As for the tournament website (www.gwg13.bh), Secretary Committee head Mohammed Al Belooshi made a presentation describing the content of the website and the link related to the teams registration.

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