The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Team Bhutan has officially arrived in Bahrain to take part in the 3rd Asian Youth Games (AYG) 2025, marking the country’s third participation in the continental event. The young athletes are set to represent Bhutan with pride, determination, and the spirit of sportsmanship on the international stage.
The delegation, consisting of nine athletes, will compete in six sporting disciplines; athletics, boxing, judo, taekwondo, swimming, and Muay Thai. The event, organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), will take place from 22nd to 31st October in Manama, bringing together around 4,000 athletes from 45 Asian nations to contest in 259 medal events across 26 sports disciplines.
Leading the athletics team are Kinley Dawa Tshering and Chimmi Pelden, who will race in the men’s and women’s 800m events. In boxing, Sangay Peldon will compete in the women’s 54kg category, while Pema Namdol will enter the men’s 50kg category. Sangay Thinley will represent Bhutan in judo (men’s 50kg), Lasang Dolma Tamang in taekwondo (women’s 49kg), and Thuksey Jigmi Wangchuk in swimming (men’s 50m and 100m freestyle). In Muay Thai, Sonam Dorji and Pema Tsokye Dorji will showcase their skills in the Solo Wai Kru and Mai Muay categories.
Though most of the athletes will be competing at the international level for the first time, they expressed confidence and excitement about representing Bhutan. One of the athletes said that the experience of competing internationally is a dream come true, and that their main goal is to perform to the best of their abilities and make Bhutan proud.
Another shared that training for the Games has been a rewarding challenge, balancing schoolwork and intensive practice sessions. “This is a great opportunity for us to learn and grow as athletes while carrying our country’s name with pride,” said one of the participants.
Sonam Namgyal, Chef de Mission to the Asian Youth Games, said the final team was selected after a careful evaluation process. “We had a pool of around 40 to 50 young athletes nominated by different federations. Each went through a general and sport-specific fitness test, which helped us identify the best performers in their age groups,” he explained.
The Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC) stated that Bhutan’s continued participation in the AYG reflects the nation’s growing investment in youth sports development and its balanced focus on endurance, combat, and aquatic disciplines. The Committee added that the Games provide a vital platform for young Bhutanese athletes to gain international exposure, build confidence, and foster a deeper sense of teamwork and sportsmanship.
Since its debut at the Asian Youth Games in 2009 in Singapore, Bhutan has been a consistent participant. The 2013 edition, held in China, featured 24 sports, and the upcoming 2025 Games have expanded to include new events such as camel racing, esports, futsal, teqball, and triathlon.
