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The International Children's Games, staged for the first time in the kingdom, brought together youngsters from around the world with the aim of building relations and creating ties through their love of sport, writes Mai Al Khatib.
The 44th Games - backed by the International Olympic Committee and hosted by Bahrain's General Organisation for Youth and Sports (GOYS) - took place at the Shaikh Khalifa Sports City in Isa Town and other venues across the kingdom.
More than 1,300 children aged 11 to 15, representing 31 countries, attended the five-day event along with their coaches and some parents. They stayed at the Bahrain University in Sakhir and were joined by local youngsters to savour the flavour of an Arabic way of life.
ICG executive committee president Torsten Rasch encouraged the competitors to take full advantage of the opportunity they had been given, not only learning from the sporting activities but also learning from all the different cultures around them.
Mr Rasch also reminded the children that hard work and participation were as important as track, field or court success. The youngsters quickly made new friends and enjoyed exploring the kingdom.
Swimmer Jessica Orteva, 14, from Mexico, with teammate Benjamin Rodriguez, 15, were overwhelmed by what the island had to offer. Jessica said: "I had never heard of Bahrain before and after being here I think it's a beautiful place to visit. The people are very friendly and there are so many amazing attractions to see. It was definitely not what I expected and the first thing that I saw leaving the airport were two tall buildings that later someone told me formed the Bahrain World Trade Centre.
"I am making a lot of friends and meeting so many different people from different countries. I can't wait to show my family all the pictures and convince them to come here on a proper vacation."
Aisliad Dwyer, 13, from Ireland, said: "I think Bahrain is really cool and really hot! We got to see the Tree of Life and particularly enjoyed visiting the Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park. We had tonnes of fun and I already added loads of people onto my Facebook page. We aren't all about winning here - we love the experience and the sights."
Laura O'Sata, 14, from the same town in Ireland, added: "The food is really nice. I thought it would be odd but it was delicious. I love Bahrain and can't wait to come back again."
Bahrain's Omar Yousef Jassim, 19, who set a new national record during the men's 50m freestyle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, assisted GOYS with the organisational aspects of all the swimming competitions. He said: "The children had a good time and were really happy to be here. There is a lot of good sportsmanship and teamwork displayed.
"I think this has proved to be a brilliant opportunity for the young people involved. I think GOYS has done a great job organising everything. I would like to thank them for all their efforts as well as all the coaches, officials and volunteers that have taken part.
"Everyone made this an amazing experience for the children and at the end of the day that's what it was all about.
"They now know how to behave at international sporting events and will be well prepared for the future. It has made me eager to take part in the next Olympics. That's my goal now!"
Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, GOYS president and Manama ICG organising committee chairman, said: "The Games have truly put Bahrain on the international sporting map - it was the biggest gathering ever hosted by the kingdom in terms of the number of participants."
The event cost around BD150,000 to stage in Bahrain. The 2011 games will be hosted in Lanarkshire, Scotland.
