Oman invites Asia to celebrate one year countdown to 2nd ABG Muscat 2010

Oman invites Asia to celebrate one year countdown to 2nd ABG Muscat 2010

Muscat, OMAN: The Asian Olympic Family will join Oman in celebration of the one year countdown to the 2nd Asian Beach Games Muscat 2010 on December 8, 2009 in Muscat. During the Muscat 2010 One Year Countdown Celebration, which will be endorsed by H.H. Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Minister of Heritage and Culture and Muscat Asian Beach Games Organising Committee (MABGOC) Chairman, the official Games Invitation will be presented to the 45 Asian National Olympic Committees welcoming their participation in the 2nd Asian Beach Games.

Dignitaries, sports leaders and VIP guests including OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, and representatives from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Family, local government officials, National Olympic Committee representatives, international and Asian federations will join MABGOC to reveal the Countdown Clock. The design for the clock has been kept in confidence since a public competition was held earlier this year. Ideally located between Sultan Qaboos Road and the Ministries Road, the clock will count-down the days to the kick-off of the 2nd Asian Beach Games. Following the Games the clock will remain as a legacy marking the special milestone.

MABGOC Director General expressed the organisers’ excitement in welcoming guests to the One Year Countdown celebrations and to the Games to be held in December 2010.

"We are eager to present to Asia and to the world, what Oman has to offer as we host the continents' athletes in December 2010. Oman has been preparing since 2006 to welcome Asia in the spirit of sport, and the One Year Countdown is a major milestone in our preparations as we lead up to Games-time. Our recently announced Games slogan denotes our anticipation in welcoming Asia to Oman's shores to participate in the 2nd Asian Beach Games - Together We Shine – expresses how we are ready to greet the 45 Asian countries and regions to this festival of culture and sport," he said.

The 2nd Asian Beach Games is a multi-sport event sanctioned by the Olympic Council of Asia and will be held December 8-16,2010.The Games encourage Asia's youth to participate in sport and celebrate the vast and varied cultures found across the continent. It works to uplift national pride and create a festival of cooperation and camaraderie. The Asian Beach Games are composed of a variety of modern sports as well as variations on traditional sports.12 sports are on the Muscat 2010 programme: beach soccer, beach handball, beach kabaddi, beach sepaktakraw, beach volleyball, beach woodball, bodybuilding, jetski, marathon swimming, sailing, tent pegging and triathlon.