Her Royal Highness Princess Azeemah Ni’matul Bolkiah, Royal Patron of the Special Olympics Brunei Darussalam and Chairperson of the Pusat Ehsan Board of Trustee, last night consented to attend the final event of the completion of the sponsored torch run of the Bocce Special Olympics Asia-Pacific 2005. Her Royal Highness was welcomed upon arrival at the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien in the capital, by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Awang Haji Jemat bin Ampal and other members of the organising committee. Also present was Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzillah Lubabul Bolkiah. One hundred and thirty-two special athletes of the Pusat Ehsan, Special Education Unit and Community Development Department successfully completed the one hundred and twenty-one kilometre run from the Belait District to Bandar Seri Begawan.
Accompanying the runners along the route were a number of personnel of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, staff and families with the Army’s band in the lead. The torch was subsequently handed over to Her Royal Highness by the last torch bearer, Awangku Abdul Rahman. The last lap of the run comprised of twenty-four special athletes who will represent the country to the Asia-Pacific Special Olympic Bocce Competition 2005 which will be held in Brunei on the 12th of this month. The final lap a distance of fourteen kilometres was from the Pusat Ehsan in Kampung Bengkurong.
The committee chairman of the event, Awang Haji Maaruf bin Haji Murni in his address lauded on the strength and high spirit of the special athletes for their determination in contributing to the success of sports in the country. The sponsored torch run also received contributions as of last night totalling more than thirty thousand dollars from the government and private sectors, various education institutions and staff and families of Pusat Ehsan. The donations were presented to Her Royal Highness Princess Azeemah Ni’matul Bolkiah. Her Royal Highness also received contributions from the Baiduri Bank, Kingston and Beverage and Jasra Harrison Sendirian Berhad - three major sponsors for the upcoming competition.
Among the objectives of the Special Olympics are to introduce the bocce game widely to all intellectually disabled athletes in the country as well as to provide an opportunity of sports and recreation for them to play, participate and compete. Brunei Darussalam has been accepted as a member of the International Special Olympic incorporated since last year. Twelve countries will be taking part in the bocce competition - the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, Myanmar, New Zealand, Indonesia and Bangladesh.
(1st August 2005)
