Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Para athlete poster boy Hussain Ibrahim Al Rashid is training from the confines of his home in A’ali to stay strong in preparations for the 2021 Asian Youth Para Games that will be hosted in Bahrain.
The 12-year-old Saudi-Bahraini, who was born without limbs, has captivated hundreds of thousands of people on Instagram with his inspiring video posted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs about his endeavours.
He is also delighted to be the face of a design competition aimed at drawing attention to the kingdom’s paralympic movement.
“I am honoured,” he said. “The Bahraini Paralympic Committee is determined to raise awareness and I’m happy to play my part. And, as the 2021 Asian Youth Para Games are coming up in just over a year’s time, I need to prepare and stay fit.”
The Bahrain Paralympic Committee (BPC) is calling on creatives to design a new logo and mascot for the 2021 Asian Youth Para Games and the competition is open until October 15.
To motivate participants, the committee used a photograph of Hussain competing and crossing the finish line during the IRONKIDS Aquathlon in 2018.
Hussain, who is studying at A’ali Primary Boys School, said: “I was really happy to see that picture used!”
According to BPC chairman Shaikh Mohammed bin Duaij Al Khalifa, winning the bid to host next year’s event was a testament to the mission of providing an infrastructure for people with impairments to continue integrating into society. The aim was also to nurture their abilities and position the nation at the forefront of the Paralympic movement.
An estimated 800 athletes under 20 are expected to compete in nine sports in the Games next December which consists of athletics, badminton, boccia, goalball, para taekwondo, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis and wheelchair basketball.
