(ATR) Medals in six sports will be contested in a jam-packed six-hour climax for the inaugural ANOC World Beach Games. All will be held at the Katara Beach cluster running from Wednesday afternoon into the evening.
It all starts with the men’s kitefoil final to decide gold and silver. In rapid succession come finals for beach tennis and handball at Katara Beach.
The final rounds of beach volleyball are also at the venue.
The AWBG competition closes at Katara Beach just after 2100, with finals for 3X3 basketball and beach soccer ending minutes apart.
Among those enjoying the final night of this cavalcade of sports in the sand will be IOC President Thomas Bach. He arrived Tuesday night in Doha.
He’ll take his place in grandstands of the compact collection of temporary venues. Colorfully wrapped, the line of mini-arenas was assembled in the week before the games.
Economy was key, says Haider Farman, technical director for the ABWG.
"We want to be sure this is not a big, expensive event. Wait to hear our final report on the project," he says.
Oldest, Youngest Athletes
While most competitors in the AWBG range in age from teens well into their 40s, there are two notable exceptions.
The oldest athlete is U.S. beach tennis player Mark Bonfigli, 50.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the youngest is a skateboarder. Alexander Gusev from the Russian Federation turned 10 in April.
Olympic Channel Sends AWBG to Global Audience
Live streaming coverage of the AWBG is bringing the action from Doha to the world via the Olympic Channel.
"We’re happy and excited to be a part of this new venture with ANOC, and believe it is the first milestone in a long history between ANOC and the Olympic Channel," says general manager Mark Parkman.
"The ANOC World Beach Games are the first time the event has been organized. The short notice in the change in location from San Diego to Qatar a few months ago has presented a few challenges, but despite these changes, the organization has been pretty efficient in bringing the event to fruition," he continued.
Parkman says Olympic Channel staff at the headquarters in Madrid are handling the production for Doha. He says this "greatly contributes to cost and operational efficiencies".
While the 2019 ANOC World Beach Games are the first of this event, the Olympic Channel covered the African Beach Games in June 2019 and Mediterranean Beach Games in June 2018.
Parkman says the appeal of beach games to younger sports fans fits the Olympic Channel’s demographics.
"One of the objectives of the Olympic Channel is to appeal to all sports within the Olympic Movement, which includes those featured in this year’s World Beach Games. The multi-day event is dynamic and fun, and the sports featured have a great appeal to our youthful demographic," he concluded.
Written by Ed Hula in Doha, Qatar
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