Sports

Confident Khatri looks for top display

Shooter to conclude Oman participation today

 
Oman’s experienced marksman Hamed al Khatri will conclude the Sultanate’s participation in Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as he will take part in the 50m rifle three position men's qualification round on Monday at Asaka Shooting Range. This is the second successive Games participation for Oman’s top shooter.

Arab Shooting Championship title holder had the official training session at Asaka Range on Sunday under the watchful eyes of national coach Sultan al Rushaidi.

Registering new national record is the top target for the Sultanate’s shooter. “I am pleased to be in Olympic Games for the second consecutive time after being in Rio Olympics 2016. Representing the nation in this showpiece event is historic moment for any athlete. I am proud of myself to be here and I am looking for different show this time. My goals in this Olympic is to break my best record and make my country proud,' the 36-year-old added.

Hamad will target to register better records in his second Olympic presence in Tokyo after taking part in Rio Games in 2016. The flag bearer in Rio 2016 will surely strive to improve his points tally during his competition on Monday against world’s top ranking shooters at 50m Rifle 3 positions competition.

TOUGH CHALLENGE

The Sultanate shooting team in recent years had impressed in various regional, continental and other international participation. The team’s shooters had accomplished many achievements team and individual levels during Islamic Solidarity Games in Azerbaijan in 2017, GCC meets, Arabian shooting championships and the military sports events organised by CISM Council.

Oman Shooting Association (OSA), which was established in January 1984, is very keen on preparing and shaping all the national shooting team members for the top shooting events by implementing competitive preparatory programmes. The OSA is working closely with the sports related entities to register the national shooters in the civil and military shooting events.

Al Khatri rose to form last year when he became the champion of the Arab Shooting Championship in Egypt in January 2020.

In Tokyo, he will compete with 38 top shooters. The qualification will start at 6:30 am (Oman time) and eight shooters will advance to the finals which will begin at 11:50 am (Oman time). All the shooters will get 120 shots and distributed into 40 shots each for kneeling, prone and standing within a duration of one hour and 45 minutes. The existing record of Al Khatri is 1,176 points and he is the holder of the Arab record.