Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Third edition of the Saudi Games will be kicked off in Riyadh on Thursday under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman. Hundreds of Saudi athletes will compete in 52 individual and team items, including seven Paralympic sports, 10 demonstration sports, and 15 youth sports.

Minister of Sports, President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) and Chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee for the Saudi Games Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal expressed his gratitude to King Salman for sponsoring the third edition of the Saudi Games.

He noted that this patronage reflects the leadership’s strong interest in the sports sector and its generous support for developing sports in the Kingdom, empowering athletes to be the future’s nucleus and to represent their country in international forums.

In a press statement, Prince Abdulaziz said that Saudi Arabia is steadily moving towards achieving the aspirations and goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which has propelled sports in our beloved homeland to continue to excel and develop, making the Kingdom a hub for sporting events.

“Hosting the Saudi Games for the third consecutive year puts Saudi sports in the position it deserves both locally and globally. We are working hard to elevate the level of Saudi sports competitions to develop a promising generation of athletes who will represent the Kingdom in various regional and international events,” he said.

The Saudi Games is the largest national sporting event in the Kingdom’s history. Participating athletes compete for prizes totaling over SR200 million. Gold medalists will receive SR1 million, silver medalists SR300000, and bronze medalists SR100000. In the youth category, gold medalists will receive SR100000, silver medalists SR50000, and bronze medalists SR25000.

It is noteworthy that Emir of Riyadh Prince Faisal bin Bandar was handed over this year's Saudi Games torch at Al-Hukm Palace on Sept. 25. The handing of the torch is part of a promotional tour for the Kingdom's largest national sporting event.