HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, and President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, welcomed the platinum sponsorship offered by Gulf Air to the upcoming IRONMAN 70.3 Middle East Championship Bahrain which will be held on December 7, 2019, and becoming the official carrier of the championship.
HH Shaikh Nasser stressed on the significance of the championship, which is directly observed by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who is keen on supporting the youth and sports sector in the Kingdom and pushing it to higher limits, contributing to the many achievements accomplished by Bahraini athletes in different international sports arenas, as well as organising several reputed sports events here on the island.
Underlining the key role played by Gulf Air in supporting national and international events taking place in Bahrain, His Highness expressed pride in the partnership with the national carrier, adding that the company’s sponsorship reflects the wise policies followed by its board of directors to support the youth and sports sector. HH Shaikh Nasser expressed thanks and appreciation to Gulf Air, which His Highness said will surely contribute to the success of the event.
On the occasion, Gulf Air’s Chief Executive Officer Mr. Krešimir Kučko commented: “We are proud to partner yet again with IRONMAN 70.3 Middle East Championship Bahrain. We have been supporting this event for 3 years now and every time we witness how the event is progressing and growing bigger. Gulf Air’s sponsorship strategy focuses on Bahrain and sports as key pillars. We always support events that will put Bahrain on the global map and the IRONMAN 70.3 is definitely one of them. We want to promote sports and healthy lifestyles to all and we urge athletes to fly Gulf Air and utilize our excess baggage offer.”
The iconic IRONMAN series of events is one of the largest sports platforms in the Kingdom and in the world. Taking on the official carrier title for the third consecutive year, Gulf Air’s partnership highlights not only the strategic importance of this global sporting event but also reinforces Bahrain’s position on the international sports stage and its standing as a key sports destination in the GCC and beyond.
Gulf Air has been the Title Sponsor of the FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX ever since it made history as the first Formula 1 Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East in 2004. In addition, the airline has been Official Carrier of the biennial Bahrain International Airshow since it was first held in 2010.
On his part, IRONMAN 70.3 Middle East Championship Bahrain Director Ahmed Al Hajj, pointed out that the number of participants in this year’s edition of the championship has increased once registration was recently opened, confirming that around 1100 contenders have registered so far, clarifying that 78% of the registered are men, while the remaining 22% are women.
Mr. Al Hajj expressed gratitude and appreciation to HH Shaikh Nasser for his endless support to the organising committee and His Highness’s concern on achieving the success of the championship.
He confirmed that the organising committee, along with ‘Faaliyat’; the organisers of the event, will visit the venue of the championship, in the proximity of The Avenues Mall, to complete the related procedures.
Mr. Al Hajj explained that the stages of the championship will include a swimming race for 1.9KM, a cycling race for 90KM and a 21.1KM running race, adding that the special race track will be announced soon.
