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Bahrain 11 opens in superb style

MANAMA - At an official opening ceremony on Tuesday night at the National Stadium in Isa Town, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa officially gave his permission to the First GCC Games – Bahrain 11 to commence, with the lighting of the cauldron from the flame of a torch that has travelled the length and breadth of the Kingdom, heralding the start of the First GCC Games, Bahrain 11.

Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, was also present.

The ceremony was followed by a glittering firework display that lit up the night and resonated over the stadium and surrounding areas, thrilling the audience, including invited guests, dignitaries, ministers, sports personalities, celebrities, local and international media, sports fans from across the GCC, and the public.

Following the lighting of the cauldron, the audience was treated to performances by well known Arab and international stars including Abdulla Al Ruwaished and Aseel Abu Bakr Salem.

The ceremony followed the arrival at the stadium yesterday of the final torchbearer from the torch relay that began in Bab Al Bahrain on Friday.

At the ceremony, Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, chairman, Supreme Council for Youth and Sport and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee and head of the First GCC Games, delivered a speech thanking King Hamad for his patronage of the event and untiring support for the First GCC Games, and for his role in securing Bahrain as the first venue.

Shaikh Nasser touched on Bahrain’s proud sporting history, first as hosts of the first GCC Football Championships in 1970 and hosts of the GCC Beach Games last year.