(Riffa, Bahrain) - The American University of Bahrain (AUBH) concluded the third edition of its Annual AUBH President’s Run, under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of the General Sports Authority and President of Bahrain Olympic Committee, marking the beginning of the academic year. The event was attended by senior officials in the Kingdom, youth from national high schools and universities, and the AUBH Community.

The Run’s Opening Ceremony kicked off with welcome speeches by AUBH Founding President Dr. Susan E. Saxton, together with the President of the Bahrain Schools & Collegiate Athletics Association, Dr. Sh. Sager Al Khalifa, highlighting the University’s ethos of a “Sound Mind, Sound Body” and emphasizing that the AUBH Community is vested in each student’s unique journey. This yearly sporting event underscored the confidence, positive thinking, and resilience, necessary for a lifetime of success.

His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa who attended the event, praised AUBH for leading the way by endorsing sports as a part of the learning experience.

The Annual AUBH President’s Run has rapidly grown over the past few years, with the 2021 event being the largest, under the motto #OneTeamOneRun. The AUBH President and AUBH Students were also joined with fellow faculty members, staff, parents, and supporters who cheered on the runners and enjoyed the festivities surrounding the event. Runners wore their AUBH t-shirts and caps along the 5K route, culminating in the distribution of finishers’ medals to all and a selection of prizes through a lucky draw. Following the Run, the festivities continued with live entertainment, wellness market, kids’ activities and a “Meet & Greet” with the AUBH Community.

Dr. Saxton who crossed the finish line with the AUBH Students commented: “My favorite part of the event was being with our students and seeing our campus safely back to life with a dynamic student spirit! It was such an honor and source of pride for us to have our Patron, His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa endorsing this symbolic, youth-oriented event, and this is one of many community events we aim on hosting every year in the fall, after term start.”

Student Council President, Ali Al Toblani, and other members of the Student Council participated in the run. Mr. Al Toblani commented: “As the Student Council President, it was an honor for me to see the student body and the other runners from diverse backgrounds come together for our event. Crossing the finish line with President Saxton was a proud moment, celebrating teamwork between the AUBH administration and students, and building momentum for all our future campus activities.”