Asian Youth Para Games to be held ?in Dubai

About 750 young athletes will arrive in Dubai from December 10-14 to take part in the Asian Youth Para Games will be held in Dubai.

"750 athletes under the age of 20 years, from 42 countries across Asia, are expected to participate in the first ever Asian Youth Para Games in the UAE," announced Mohammed Al Hameli, Chairman of the Organising Committee and newly elected IPC Governing Board member, at a press conference held on Tuesday.

He added that athletics and swimming will see the most number of participants. "Most of the events will take place at the Dubai Club for the Disabled, which has played host major para-sport competitions in the past," he said.

"Dubai is ready to welcome these young athletes from all over Asia and to provide them with the right environment to compete and test themselves against their peers," he enthused.

"We are grateful for support of the UAE Government in driving the Paralympic movement forward," Al Hameli stressed.

President of the Asian Paralympic Committee, Majid Rashed commented: "At the APC, our vision is to make Asia a leading Paralympic nation. To do this, we need to make sure that Asia's young para-athletes have competition structures in place to help them develop into the Paralympians in the future. This event is a crucial part of our strategic plan. I'm delighted that Dubai is proving to be such an ideal host with the UAE Government and the Dubai Club for the Disabled providing such strong support."

The Games will be held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. The organising committee is a collaboration of the Asian Paralympic Committee and the Dubai Club for the Disabled.

The 10 events are; Athletics, Swimming, Boccia, Goalball, Archery, Chess, Badminton, 10-pin bowling, Powerlifting and Table Tennis.

As part of the event, the Proud Paralympian programme will be run. Funded by the Agitos Foundation's 2017 Grant Support programme and led by established para-athletes, it aims to educate the competitors and thereby create more ambassadors for the Paralympic movement.

Source: Khaleej Times