Harlyn Serneche of volleyball and boxer Leo Mhar Lobrido carried the Philippine flag during the lavish opening rites at the Exhibition World Bahrain on Wednesday night.
Bahrain came up with a captivating multimedia stage production, with superb performances by the local artists and mermerizing lighting effects as they welcomed the representatives of the 45 nations.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino commended Bahrain for the excellent hosting so far, from facilities to logistics, especially since it accepted the hosting rights only in December last year.
“Ang galing ng Bahrain. Magaling ang Bahrain in spite of short preparation,” Tolentino said.
Uzbekistan pulled out because the infrastructure—especially the Olympic Village and related facilities—would not be completed in time. Uzbek officials asked for a one-year postponement, but the Olympic Council of Asia declined because the AYG serves as a qualifier for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal.
“Dapat ito Uzbek. Uzbek ito dapat, hindi natapos yung facilities so savior yung Bahrain.”
