Central Asia Tashkent Tashkent was the host of the stage where OCA Vice President to Central Asia Otabek Umarov received the flag of the Asian Youth Games of 2029 in Bahrain and the hosting rights were officially handed over to the venue of the multi-sporting event so popular a decade on. It also signaled the termination of the 3 rd Asian Youth Games which was a success and was held in Manama, Bahrain, October 18 to 31, 2025.

The Bahrain Games came to an end in a spectacular manner

It culminated in the closing ceremony that was in Khalifa Sports City and marshalled together athletes, officials and dignitaries who had the 45 National Olympic committees (NOCs) the entire Asia. Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) acting President, Timothy Fok, praised Bahrain, on how it managed to host a wonderful event.

We have enjoyed a wonderful performance, which will have a lot to do with the development of our sportsmen and women, which can say some day, It all started with me in Bahrain, Fok remarked.

The event was attended by more than 4,051 players in different sports and China was at the top in claiming medals in the 14 days. Medals were not the only reasons why the Games were held but also to foster friendship between young athletes and a need to inspire upcoming generations of athletes to excel in sporting competencies.

These are the Legacy and Vision that the organizers emphasized

Yousef Duaij, the Chairman of the Bahrain Asian Youth Games Organising Committee talked of the Games as not just being competitive.

We trust the Games will be a generation maker, and when they can also forge greater bonds among the nations, and awaken the young generation with ambition, we will have reached our objective he said.

The Games also assisted in exposure of young sports men to international experience besides showcasing their talent on the continental level.

Nominal Surrendering to Tashkent

The ceremony was marked by the OCA flag handover which was the most significant.The Olympic Games flag was received on behalf of the Bahraini Olympic Solidarity Committee by Timothy Fok, president of the Olympic Committee of Hong Kong by his Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and President of the Olympic Committee of Bahrain. The flag was a symbolic transfer, but it was used to officially announce that the city of Tashkent, Uzbekistan would host the 2029 Asian Youth Games. 

Otabek Umarov’s Remarks

When Umarov was presented with the flag, he was proud and also excited by the prospects of hosting the next edition.

I am honoured and have a responsibility to be awarded with the OCA flag.I have said Strides Tashkent should be ready to welcome the young sportsters of Asia in 2029 and roll out the finest sporting amenities in the world and memories for a lifetime. 

He stressed that all Uzbekistan government services would do their best to continue and carry the legacy of the Games forward to support and inspire youth sports in the country and to work with the rest of the world. 

Looking Ahead to Tashkent 2029

The continuity and the long term spirit of the Asian Youth Games that united the long run was symbolic in the handover ceremony. The preparations of Tashkent 2029 will be founded on the development of infrastructure, non-discriminatory participation of the youth athletes, and cultural exchange.

Uzbekistan will go on with the vision of OCA with Otabek Umarov in the limelight and Asian Youth Games will bring new participants and this will last lifetime memories.