BOC

Every athlete dreams of glory. Every athlete faces failure. But not every athlete finds someone who helps them turn that failure into a stepping stone. That is the power of mentorship.

Spend enough time around sport in Bhutan and a certain familiarity begins to settle in, not in the passion of the players or the commitment of the organizers, but in the structure of it all, in the way events unfold, conclude, and quietly disappear before the next one takes their place.

At 72, Professor Emeritus Araki Tatsuo from Nippon Sports Science UniversityNippon Sports Science University continues to live and breathe his lifelong passion for gymnastics. He is in Thimphu for a week working with Health and Physical Education teachers and school instructors to introduce Gymnastics for All, a program he has nurtured for more than fifty years.

This spirit of continuing the dream lies at the heart of the work carried out by the Bhutan Olympic Committee, which has been steadily investing in the development of young athletes across the country. One of the most important initiatives in this effort has been the Sports in School Program, a program designed not only to introduce students to sports but also to nurture a culture where young people grow through discipline, teamwork, creativity, and healthy living.

Team Bhutan will depart tomorrow to take part in the 8th edition of the NECOS National Judo Association Tournament in Nepal, a major competition that brings together many of the strongest judo clubs from across the country.

More than fifty years after it was first crafted, this trophy continues to carry forward a story that began during a historic moment in Bhutan’s journey.

Leong Wai Leng is not simply coming to Bhutan to run. She is coming here carrying a story of courage, survival, and an ascent that goes far beyond mountains.