Kampar, Malaysia, July 17, 2024: The curtain came down on the OCA World Triathlon/Asian Triathlon Youth Development Camp with an emotional declaration ringing in the ears of all the young athletes: “see you one day at the Olympics”.
This was the moving message from Qatari schoolboy Sultan Yousef Laram to his fellow-athletes as the eight-day residential camp ended on Wednesday, July 17 with all 48 athletes and 25 coaches receiving certificates from the Olympic Council of Asia.
“We are all thankful to the coaches for their dedication. To all my fellow-athletes, all I can say is I hope we can see each other in the future at the Olympics,” said Sultan, who was picked as the athletes’ ambassador on the first day of the camp on July 10.
Jeans Zhou Jian, OCA Director of Media and TV Broadcasting, who oversaw the closing ceremony, gently reminded Sultan “before going to the Olympics you must go to the Asian Games” to which the Qatari replied “Inshallah” or God willing.
In his address at the closing ceremony, Olympic Council of Malaysia Vice President Datuk Kim Fatt Chong, thanked the OCA, especially Director General Husain Al-Musallam, for having faith in Malaysia to host this first-ever youth development camp in triathlon.
“Our NOC is committed to play a prominent role in developing sports and we have to express our gratitude to the OCA, World Triathlon, Asian Triathlon and the Perak triathlon association for holding this event in Kampar,” the OCM Vice-President said.
World Triathlon instructor and development officer Vicente Beltran emphasised the fact that for many of the athletes, this camp was the first opportunity for them to race in an international event – the Asian Triathlon Junior Cup.
“You made history by competing in that race. It is your first international race, now please go back home and inspire your friends to come on board and take up triathlon,” Beltran said.
Speaking on behalf of the OCA, Wissam Trkmani, Special Project and Olympic Solidarity Manager, said: “We extend our gratitude to everyone who made this camp a success and we hope it will be a stepping stone for the athletes as they look at representing their countries on the international stage in the future.”
