GCC Women's Games: Oman aim for all-round success as hosts

Timesofoman.com - Full Article

BYA. SESHAGIRI RAO | JANUARY 21, 2015

Muscat: The Sultanate is aiming for both on field and off field success as the hosts of the forthcoming GCC Women's Games.

The fourth edition of the Gulf region's women's sports extravaganza is scheduled to be organised here in Muscat from March 8 to 18.

The Ministry of Sports Affairs and Oman Women's Sports Committee officials on Wednesday declared their readiness to host a successful event during the launch ceremony of Games logo and website.

During an impressive ceremony organised at the Diplomatic Club, the official Games logo — depicting the colours of all the participating nations, their culture and the sports — was unveiled by Dr Muna Fahad Mahmood Al Said in the presence of Minister of Sports Affairs Sheikh Saad Al Saadi, Undersecretary Rashad Al Hinai, Oman Women's Sports Committee Chairperson Sayyida Sana Al Busaidi and the women sports bodies' representatives of the participating nations.

Speaking on the occasion, Undersecretary Rashad Al Hiani said: "We are ready for the Games. Come March, we will be welcoming all the athletes and officials from the participating nations."

"We are happy to bring together the sportswomen from our friendly Gulf countries. We want to host a very great and successful Games," he added.

Two new sports

Meanwhile, Oman Women's Sports Committee Director Saada Salim Al Ismaili said they are aiming for host a memorable Games while hoping for all-round success.

"Obviously we want the Games to be very successful. And I think we have already began the process of achieving that goal today, with this impressive ceremony to launch the logo and the Games website," she said.

"All of us have been working hard. And we will continue with the same enthusiasm to make the Games a grand success."

"The GCC Women's Games are a great opportunity for us to showcase our organisational abilities as well as the talent of our Omani sportswomen. And more importantly it is a great opportunity to bring all these women athletes together and also know more about our cultures," she added.

Stating that the fourth edition of the Games will be bigger and more challenging, she said: "Compared to the previous editions, this is going to be a bigger challenge as there will be more sports. This time the Games will comprise a total of ten games, including two new desciplines which are tennis and handball."

"We will be hosting more than seven hundred athletes, accompanies technical and administrative officials from all GCC nations with the exception of Saudi Arabia. In addition there will be VIPs and other delegates and the number may go beyond thousand. So obviously it is going to be a big challenge and we will surely be ready for it," she added.

Aiming to improve
The sports include athletics, bowling, basketball, handball, tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, shooting, endurance horse racing and wheelchair athletics...

Read more here:
http://www.timesofoman.com/News/46131/Article-GCC-Womens-Games-Oman-aim-for-all-round-success-as-hosts