The 2nd Asian Beach Games kicked off in Oman on 8th December 2010 and will continue until 16th December 2010. The opening ceremony was attended by His Royal Highness Prince Sufri Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam.
The sports being competed in are as follows: Beach Handball, Beach Kabaddi, Beach Sepaktakraw, Beach Soccer, Beach Volleyball, Beach Waterpolo, Beach Woodball, Bodybuilding, Jetski Sport, Marathon Swimming, Sailing, Tent Pegging, Triathlon and Waterski.
Swimmers compete in the Men’s and Women’s 5 km Open Water Swimming at Qantab Beach, Hui-Min Chang of Taipei competes in the Beach Volleyball against Japan. The sport of Beach Sepaktakraw is a cross between gymnastics, beach volleyball and handball. Oman takes on Myanmar, Shahbaz Qamar of Pakistan puts his steed through its paces in the Individual Lance Tent Pegging at Barkah Equestrian Grounds.
The FIFA President Joseph Sepp Blatter took time out to watch the Uzbekistan and Qatar Beach Soccer with Shaikh Rashid bin Ahmed al Hinai OCCI Board member at Al-Musannah Sports City.
The first games were held in Bali, Indonesia in 2008. Oman won the bid for the second round owing to its 3,000km of unspoilt coastline and a young population “that loves sport”.
(Photos: Robert Prezioso, Bryn Lennon, Ryan Pierse, Jamie McDonald, Ian Walton /Getty Images).