TABUK: The torch of the Saudi Games 2022 arrived in the northwestern city of Tabuk on Tuesday, as part of its third promotional tour for Olympic sports in the Kingdom.
The torch was received by Undersecretary of the Tabuk region, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Haqbani, on behalf of Prince Fahd bin Sultan, governor of Tabuk, with the participation of members of the Tabuk Youth Council, and a number of local volunteers.
The torch was paraded on the streets of Tabuk on Tuesday morning, from the historic Tabuk Castle and Ain Al-Sukkar, to Al-Raya Square, and then to the city, where it was carried by fencing champion Adel Al-Mutairi, boxer Lamis bint Faisal Al-Balawi, diver Mohammed Hammad Al-Balawi, camel sports commentator Nayef Al-Balawi, and architect Khalaf Al-Balawi.
The torch had set off from the capital, Riyadh, on Sunday to reach Madinah, passing through Tabuk, on a 3,500-kilometer trip that includes visits to 57 famous landmarks throughout the Kingdom, in preparation for the launch of the largest Saudi sporting event, which will be hosted in Riyadh from Oct. 27 to Nov. 7.
The event will feature participation of more than 6,000 athletes representing 200 clubs and competing in 45 sports.
The Saudi Games, in its first session, constituted a qualitative leap in the sports sector, and a first step to establishing a generation capable of competing in the Olympic Games, and providing the Saudi national teams with distinguished players and talents.
The session provides the opportunity for more than 20,000 male and female athletes to participate through qualifiers and performance trials.
It will include five events dedicated to Paralympic sports.
In addition to the awarded medals, the athletes participating in the tournament will compete for the highest prizes in the history of the region, with a total of more than SR200 million ($53 million). The winner of the gold medal in any game will receive SR1 million, the silver SR300,000, and the bronze SR100,000.
