Saudi Arabia preparing for future Asian Winter Games hosting

 

Saudi Arabia debuts at Asian Winter Games in China 

Saudi Arabia made its debut at the Asian Winter Games in China this week, marking a significant step as it prepares to host the next edition of the event in 2029. 

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) unanimously approved Saudi Arabia’s bid in 2022, selecting its $500 billion megacity NEOM as the host. The event will be held in Trojena, a planned year-round winter sports complex in the mountainous region of NEOM.

 

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Learning from Harbin

Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdul Aziz, vice president of the Saudi Olympic Committee, was in Harbin this week to observe and gather insights on organizing a winter sports event.

“Of course, it would be a first for us, organizing such an event,” Prince Fahd said in an OCA statement. “But I can assure everyone that we will put on a good show.”

NEOM executive Denis Hickey provided updates at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, stating that Trojena is “deep into construction,” including a man-made lake and key infrastructure for the Games.

Saudi Athletes' Performance in Harbin

Saudi Arabia fielded eight athletes at the Asian Winter Games, including a five-man curling team and three alpine skiers. While they did not secure any medals, they embraced the experience enthusiastically.

 

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The men’s curling team, despite being eliminated in the round-robin stage, remained optimistic. Curler Hussain Hagawi highlighted their near-win against Japan, saying, “So far, we’re doing great!”

Training for the Games began in November, with athletes practicing on indoor ice rinks in Saudi Arabia. Hagawi acknowledged the challenges of training without competition-level ice but remained hopeful.

Teammate Suleiman Alaqel, a full-time data engineer, adapted his training to fit his busy schedule, sometimes practicing in front of his television.

“We do have some limitations with having competition-level ice, obviously, but we do train a lot,” Alaqel said. “As long as the team has passion, we can use anything to prepare.”

Looking Ahead to 2029

Saudi Arabia aims to significantly expand its participation by the 2029 Games. Plans include adding mixed doubles and women’s curling teams, as well as launching more intensive local training programs.

“We will be trying our best to have athletes in every sport by 2029,” said the Saudi Olympic Committee’s vice president.

 

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Despite concerns over hosting winter sports in the desert, Alaqel remains optimistic about the climate. “I think it’s maybe minus five degrees (Celsius), not minus 30,” he said. “So hopefully, it’s a little nicer, weather-wise.”

As Saudi Arabia prepares to host the Asian Winter Games, its delegation is keen to learn from this year’s experience in China, ensuring a smooth and successful event in 2029.

Source: https://www.news-expressky.com/