Manama: The third Asian Youth Games are set to begin in Manama, with Yemen joining 5,000 athletes and officials from 45 Asian countries from October 22-31. Yemen's Olympic Committee will send a delegation of 35 athletes, coaches, and officials to compete in 10 sports disciplines, including 3x3 basketball, table tennis, judo, wrestling, boxing, taekwondo, swimming, weightlifting, athletics, and camel racing.
According to Yemen News Agency, this participation marks Yemen's largest contingent in terms of sports and athletes compared to previous editions. The delegation is hopeful of delivering performances that reflect the spirit of Yemen and its sports community. Yemeni athletes aim to achieve notable results, having previously won two medals in past editions. Walid Al-Alayah secured a gold in the 1,500-meter race at the inaugural edition in Singapore (2009), while Mohammed Rajeh clinched a bronze in the 2,000-meter steeplechase in China (2013).
Most of the Yemeni athletes are graduates of the Olympic Committee's youth training centers, marking their first international participation. The first teams, including 3x3 basketball, boxing, taekwondo, and athletics, arrived in Manama on Monday evening, with the remaining teams scheduled to arrive according to the event timeline. Technical meetings for several sports will commence on Wednesday, signaling the start of Yemen's involvement in the Games.
Yemeni teams will compete across different dates:
- Athletics: October 23-26
- 3x3 Basketball: October 23-27
- Boxing: October 23-30
- Taekwondo: October 23-26
- Table Tennis: October 26-30
- Weightlifting: October 26-30
- Camel Racing: October 27
- Swimming: October 27-30
- Wrestling: October 28-29
- Judo: October 29-30
The Games will feature over 5,000 participants aged 14-18 from 45 countries, including 4,000 athletes competing in 253 events across 24 sports. This edition is the largest in terms of participants and sports disciplines, with previous editions in Singapore and China hosting significantly fewer athletes and events.