What Are the Asian Youth Games? A Journey Through History
When the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) envisioned the Asian Youth Games (AYG) more than a decade ago, it wasn’t just another sporting event being added to the calendar it was an investment in the continent’s future. The idea was simple but powerful: create a platform exclusively for Asia’s next generation of athletes, where competition, culture, and camaraderie intersect long before they reach senior-level sport.
In 2025, that vision takes a fresh leap forward. The 3rd Asian Youth Games, scheduled from October 22 to 31 in Manama, Bahrain, will mark a historic return for the event after a twelve-year hiatus.
The last edition was held in Nanjing, China, in 2013, making Bahrain 2025 not only a revival but also a redefinition of what youth sport in Asia can look like.
The Origins: Singapore’s Bold Beginning
The story begins in Singapore in 2009, when the island nation hosted the inaugural Asian Youth Games. The event was created under the direct guidance of OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who wanted to prepare Asia’s young athletes for the upcoming Youth Olympic Games (YOG), which were to debut the following year also in Singapore.
That first edition brought together over 1,400 athletes from 43 countries, competing across 9 sports. It was modest in scale but monumental in impact. The Games offered a glimpse into Asia’s sporting future: future Olympians like Kazakhstan’s Ilya Ilyin and China’s Sun Yang emerged from similar continental youth setups, setting the tone for how early exposure on the Asian stage could shape champions of tomorrow.
Singapore’s success was not just in execution but in symbolism it proved Asia could create a youth-centric multi-sport event of Olympic standards.
The Second Chapter: Nanjing 2013
Four years later, Nanjing, China, hosted the second edition. The scale expanded significantly 45 nations took part, and the Games featured over 2,400 athletes across 16 sports. Nanjing treated the AYG as a testing ground for its infrastructure and management capabilities ahead of the 2014 Youth Olympic Games, which it would go on to host.
The Nanjing edition cemented the Games as a breeding ground for talent. It was here that several Asian athletes who would later shine at senior levels in athletics, swimming, and badminton first wore their national colors on an international stage. Yet, despite its success, the AYG went into dormancy soon after.
Following Nanjing 2013, the Games were slated to move to Shantou, China, for 2021. But delays and the global pandemic disrupted plans. Eventually, the OCA was forced to cancel the Shantou edition entirely. This long gap over 12 years without a Youth Games left a void in Asia’s youth development structure.
That’s why Bahrain 2025 carries such profound importance. Officially designated as a “Rescue Games”, Bahrain stepped in after Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the original host, withdrew due to construction delays. With less than 10 months to prepare, Bahrain’s organising committee has pulled off a remarkable logistical turnaround confirming venues, drawing up team schedules, and registering over 4,300 athletes from 45 nations.
The Asian Youth Games hold more than just symbolic value. They act as the qualifying platform for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal. For young athletes across Asia, Bahrain 2025 is the gateway to the world stage.
But the Games are not solely about medals or qualification slots. They are about shaping sporting identities. For many participants aged 15 to 18 years this will be their first international experience under the national flag. The pressure, the anthem, the sense of belonging it all begins here.
Beyond Competition: A Cultural Convergence
The AYG has always been designed as more than just an athletic event. Each edition integrates educational and cultural exchanges, ensuring athletes not only compete but also learn from each other. In past editions, sessions on sportsmanship, anti-doping awareness, and Asian heritage were integral parts of the schedule.
Bahrain has embraced that legacy, planning a youth village model to bring all athletes under one community. Beyond the stadiums, they’ll live, train, and interact together learning to celebrate diversity, discipline, and shared passion.
When the flame is lit at Exhibition World Bahrain on October 22, it will symbolize more than the start of another sporting event. It will mark Asia’s collective effort to reignite a tradition that bridges generations.
From Singapore’s early experiment to Bahrain’s ambitious comeback, the Asian Youth Games tell a story of resilience of a continent committed to nurturing its youth not only as athletes but as ambassadors of unity.
As Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Sabah, OCA President, once said, “The youth are not the future they are the present.”
And come October 2025, that present will take center stage in Bahrain.
