By Abdellatif Sharaa

KUWAIT: Chairwoman of the Gulf Cycling Initiative Sarah Al-Hubail said the second edition of the initiative to be held in 2024 will include several countries and will conclude in Bahrain. She spoke at the end of the third and final stage of the initiative in Fintas last night. The initiative was held over three days under the theme "March of Gratitude", as 90 athletes from 11 countries participated and covered over 200 km.

Hubail lauded the support of the interior ministry which contributed to the event's success. "We were happy with the organization of the initiative, during which we did not have any injury or accident, while each team presented its humanitarian message in the best way possible," she said, hoping the next edition will add to the success, especially since its activities will be held in several Gulf countries.

Head of the American Women's Society Pamela Khuraibet said the initiative was a success and lauded the efforts of the organizing committee. "My message is to become more active in sports, as health comes first and we must have a sports hobby to maintain our health," she said. She said it is not necessary to cover the entire distance during the initiative, as each participant knows their abilities, and the most important thing is to participate.

Participant from Saudi Arabia Saad Al-Hunaidi was pleased with his participation. He said this is not the first time he has participated, as he participated in the 2019 event too. He said the atmosphere was encouraging and enthusiastic and called for cooperation among participants. He said he did not face any problem in covering more than 200 km in three days, adding "sports for me is a way of life" and that he practices every day.

Bahrain's Saqer Al-Kawari said the three stages were a personal challenge for each participant, and were completed by the majority of participants. Abdallah Al-Bawardi from Saudi Arabia said he participated in several European events covering a total of 900 km, and did not face any problem in the "March of Gratitude". Lebanon's Iman Al-Charief lauded the role of Hubail in holding the initiative. She said she enjoyed participating and representing the women's league in this initiative, hoping for more women's participation in the future.