Under the generous patronage of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Works and Youth Affairs, and in the presence of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of the General Sports Authority, and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, along with His Excellency Dr. Hussein Ali Al-Musallam, President of the International Aquatics Federation and Director General of the Olympic Council of Asia, the opening ceremony of the High Diving World Championship was held on Friday, September 20, 2024, organized by the Olympic Committee in collaboration with the Bahrain Aquatics Federation at Bahrain Harbour.
The ceremony was attended by numerous dignitaries, including members of royal families, ministers, diplomats, sports federation presidents, senior officials, and invited guests.
On this occasion, His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa expressed his heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa for his generous patronage of this event. He also extended his sincere thanks to the Bahrain Aquatics Federation, led by Dr. Hussein Al-Musallam, for their trust in the Kingdom of Bahrain to host the championship for the first time.
His Highness affirmed that hosting this event is an extension of the efforts made by the Olympic Committee in organizing major sporting events, including high diving, which is among the most popular sports. This aims to enhance sports tourism, contribute to the national economy, and strengthen Bahrain’s position as a distinguished destination for the largest sports championships in the world.
His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa praised the expressive segments of the opening ceremony that highlighted Bahrain’s history and its deep connection to the sea. He commended the efforts of the Olympic Committee and all the committees involved in organizing this event, wishing all participants success.
The opening ceremony began with the national anthem, followed by a speech from the Olympic Committee delivered by His Excellency Mr. Fares Mustafa Al-Koheeji, who thanked the wise leadership for their unwavering support for sports, praising the generous sponsorship of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and the support of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
During his speech, he highlighted the leap in sports following the achievements at the Paris 2024 Olympics and the interest of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa in preparing for the Los Angeles Olympics to enhance accomplishments, thanking all ministries, government agencies, and private sector institutions for their support.
This was followed by a speech from the President of the International Federation, Dr. Hussein Al-Musallam, who thanked the Kingdom of Bahrain for its hospitality and organization, emphasizing the importance of this championship in qualifying for the World Aquatics Games in Singapore 2025, wishing all participants success.
The ceremony featured a film about Bahrain’s relationship with the sea and diving, followed by a dramatic artistic performance on the shores of Bahrain Harbour that tells the story of a young boy who grows up loving swimming, encouraged by his family. He takes on the responsibility of overcoming his fears, inspired by his father and grandparents, ultimately jumping from the diving platform amidst the applause of the audience, concluding the event with the arrival of jet skis.
At the end of the ceremony, His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa honored all supporting and sponsoring companies in appreciation of their contributions to the success of the event.
