RIYADH: Events from the World Nomad Games — ranging from archery to wrestling — will be staged in Saudi Arabia as part of the King Abdul Aziz Camel Festival.The events, which showcase the eye-catching skills of Central Asia’s hunters, horsemen and fighters, will be featured over 10 days from March 9-19 as the mountainous Asian region shares its colorful culture and sporting heritage with the Kingdom.A relative newcomer on the international sports scene, the first Nomad Games were held in 2014 in Cholpon-Ata in Kyrgyzstan, with 580 athletes from 19 countries competing in a variety of sports, plus an additional 1,200 people taking part in a cultural program.The games are dedicated to preserving traditional nomadic culture, and have since expanded to become Central Asia’s biggest sporting event, including 3,000 athletes from more than 70 countries.Competition takes place every two years, with the next event scheduled for 2020 as the games move from Kyrgyzstan to Turkey.Described as “the Olympics for nomads,” the games’ 16 events demand strength, intelligence and agility, and include kok boru, a form of polo, with a history stretching back 6,000 years.Bandar Al-Rashid, head of media and communications at the King Abdul Aziz Camel Festival, said the Nomad Games will be included in a cultural village at the event.“The World Nomad Games will take part in the cultural event of the festival with participants from over 75 countries and events such as horseback riding, archery, wrestling and more,” he said.
