Latest news with #Harbin2025
Daily Tribune
15-02-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
From Harbin to Neom: Saudi Arabia Gears Up for Historic Asian Winter Games in 2029
Email : Saudi Arabia is making a bold move into the global winter sports arena, and the world is taking notice. HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, officially accepted the Asian Winter Games flag during the closing ceremony of Harbin 2025 in China, marking the Kingdom's official takeover as the next host. In 2029, Neom will make history as the first city in West Asia to host the prestigious Asian Winter Games, a testament to the Kingdom's growing influence in the world of sports. Located in the heart of the desert, Neom, with its futuristic design, will host the event in Trojena, a high-altitude region specially designed to offer world-class winter sports facilities and an unforgettable experience for athletes from across the continent. Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal perfectly captured the excitement, saying: "Hosting the Asian Winter Games in Neom is a testament to our commitment to sports, and we're ready to deliver a world-class event and welcome athletes to an extraordinary experience." The Games represent an ambitious milestone for Saudi Arabia, perfectly aligning with the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which focuses on sports, tourism, and innovation as key drivers for economic development. From Formula 1 to boxing mega-fights and the 2034 World Cup, Saudi Arabia's bold move into winter sports is positioning it as a global hub for both sports and innovation.
Leaders
15-02-2025
- Sport
- Leaders
Saudi Arabia Receives Olympic Flag Ahead of NEOM's 2029 Asian Winter Games
Saudi Arabia officially received the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) flag on Friday, marking its role as the first West Asian host of the 2029 Asian Winter Games. The handover occurred during the Harbin 2025 closing ceremony, attended by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, 45 Asian delegations, and global sports icons. Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi Minister of Sport and President of Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, accepted the flag from OCA Vice President Timothy Fok, signaling a new chapter for regional winter sports. Saudi Arabia officially received the flag of the Olympic Council of Asia Trojena: A Visionary Winter Destination NEOM's Trojena, the Games' central hub, will feature 36 km of ski slopes, 3,000 athlete residences, and cutting-edge infrastructure like high-speed rail links. The official NEOM 2029 logo blends mountain motifs with dynamic snow shapes, while the letter 'A' embodies Asian unity and NEOM's futuristic 'Rings of the Future'. Despite environmental concerns over artificial snow and resource use, organizers emphasize Trojena's alignment with Vision 2030 sustainability goals. ثقافتنا .. هويتنا .. فخرنا 🇸🇦 – بالتزامن مع استلام علم #نيوم2029 .. وإيذاناً ببدء العد التنازلي للاستضافة المنتظرة، العروض السعودية تبدع في #هاربن2025 💚 — Team Saudi | فريق السعودية (@TeamSaudi) February 14, 2025 Global Spotlight on Saudi Sports Prince Abdulaziz hailed the Games as a testament to Saudi Arabia's sports transformation under King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Kingdom's 2022 bid victory highlighted Trojena's unique geography and commitment to winter sports innovation. Saudi athletes debuted at Harbin 2025, fielding an eight-member team in curling and alpine skiing, though they left without medals. The Harbin ceremony concluded with a 'See You in Saudi Arabia' montage, showcasing NEOM's futuristic slopes and igniting regional anticipation. With over 1,200 athletes at Harbin 2025, NEOM aims to surpass participation records while fostering winter sports growth in the Middle East. Prince Abdulaziz pledged an 'unforgettable' event, inviting Asia to witness Saudi Arabia's rise as a global sports leader. Short link : Post Views: 13
Arab Times
10-02-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Yamashita claims cross-country 10km free gold at Winter Asiad
HARBIN, Feb. 10 (Xinhua): Haruki Yamashita claimed Japan's first cross-country skiing gold medal at the Harbin Asian Winter Games after winning the men's 10km free event on Monday. A total of 46 skiers competed in the race, with each competitor starting 30 seconds apart. Despite Chinese veteran Wang Qiang holding the fastest pace across the first 6km, Yamashita surged in the latter stages of the race. The 25-year-old Japanese finished in 21 minutes and 6.5 seconds taking gold. Japan's Takatsugu Uda was 10 seconds behind Yamashita to earn the silver, while Kazakhstan's Olzhas Klimin secured the bronze in 21 minutes and 20.3 seconds. China's Bao Lin and Wang finished fourth and fifth respectively. The cross-country skiing competition will conclude on Wednesday with the women's 4x5 km relay and the men's 4x7.5km relay events. China sealed six out of seven golds on offer at the Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games on Monday, with Japan bagging the rest in the cross-country men's 10km free. Speed skater Gao Tingyu, one of the six OCA flagbearers during the Harbin 2025 opening ceremony, pocketed his second gold at the Games in the men's 500-meter, following his triumph in the men's 100m race last Saturday. Wataru Morishige of Japan and South Korean Kim Jun-ho finished second and third, respectively. Yang Binyu led a podium sweep for China in the speed skating women's 3,000m, with Han Mei and 18-year-old Tai Zhien securing silver and bronze. The Chinese skaters maintained the strong momentum, clocking one minute and 19.22 seconds to win the men's team sprint. South Korea trailed 1.26 seconds to take the silver, while Japan settled for the bronze.
Arab Times
08-02-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait set to make mark as the Asian Winter Games opens
HARBIN, China, Feb 8, (Agencies): Chinese President Xi Jinping officially opened the Ninth Asian Winter Games (Harbin 2025) in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, northeast China. The event features nearly 1,500 athletes from 34 Asian countries, including a 65-member delegation from Kuwait. The Kuwaiti athletes are competing in five sports: ice hockey, curling, snowboarding, speed skating, and figure skating. The opening ceremony showcased a vibrant folklore performance themed "Dream of Winter, Love among Asia." Following the lighting of the cauldron and the parade of national flags, Vice-President of the Olympic Council of Asia, Timothy Tsun Ting Fok, delivered a speech welcoming the participants. Ali Al-Merri, head of the Kuwaiti delegation, expressed gratitude for the support from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. He emphasized the Kuwait Olympic Committee's commitment to promoting sports through participation in such continental events, highlighting the significance of the Asian Winter Games as the second-largest multi-sport event in Asia after the Asian Summer Games. Over 8,000 spectators at the Harbin International Conference, Exhibition, and Sports Center burst into cheers as Xi officially declared the Games open in the presence of visiting dignitaries including International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach. A record 34 countries and regions are competing in Harbin 2025, surpassing the previous high set at the 8th Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan in 2017. Over 1,200 athletes are participating in ice events in Harbin and snow events in Yabuli, marking an increase from the previous record of 1,147 at the Sapporo Games. Amid roaring cheers from the venue audience, star speed skater Ning Zhongyan and skier Liu Mengting, who made history by winning the women's big air gold at the FIS Freeski World Cup in January, bore the Chinese national flag during the athletes' parade. The Chinese delegation is composed of 257 members, including 170 athletes. Five Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic champions, Xu Mengtao, Qi Guangpu, Gao Tingyu, Fan Kexin, and Liu Shaoang headline the squad of 85 men and 85 women that cover 64 events across six disciplines.
