Muscat: Oman Sail’s 49er team of Musab al Hadi and Walid al Kindi have arrived home following their historic first ever silver medal at the Asian Games for the Sultanate of Oman. Among those receiving the champions at Muscat International Airport are Oman Sail CEO, Dr Khamis al Jabri and Dr Marwan bin Juma al Juma, Oman Olympic Committee Board Member. Musab and Walid sailed excellently throughout last week and kept their composure in the final intense races to take silver. This achievement means the team has secured automatic qualification to the Asian Qualification Regatta in Chon Buri, Thailand, in December where they will look to confirm their place at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Their remarkable achievement follows a 13-year drought in Asian Games success journey, which began in 1986 at the Seoul Asian Games when Mohammed al Malki sprinted his way to a bronze medal in the 400-metre race, marking a significant milestone. Fast forward to the 1990 Beijing Asian Games, Al Malki once again proved his resolve, this time securing a gold medal in the same 400-metre race. In 1998, during the Bangkok Asian Games, the team's quartet made the nation proud by clinching a bronze medal in the 4x100m relay quartet. More recently, in the 2010 Guangzhou, Oman added another bronze medal to its collection through Barakat al Harthy's exceptional performance in the 4x100m relay quartet’s.
Speaking about the impact of this historic achievement, Dr Khamis al Jabri said, “Winning this medal stands as a testament to the remarkable collective efforts of the Oman Sail team, underscoring years of experience and meticulous planning to earn international recognition. We take immense pride in the outstanding achievement by Musab al Hadi and Walid al Kindi in this Olympic class, and we eagerly anticipate further triumphs in upcoming championships and Olympic qualifiers. Our heartfelt gratitude extends to the entire technical and support team for their commitment, dedication and collaborative spirit in securing this international honour for our beloved nation."
Hashim al Rashdi, Head Coach at Oman Sail, commented, "This accomplishment is the fruit of intense preparation and continuous training preceding the tournament, culminating in the team's unwavering focus and outstanding performance throughout the event. It posed a significant test for our players against the top professionals from across the Asian continent."
Al Rashdi added, ”This achievement adds to Oman's sports legacy and stands as a formidable addition to the records, marking the culmination of years of effort and rigorous training by our sailors. We take immense pride in their achievements on this continental stage."
Musab al Hadi expressed his feeling as he arrives to Muscat International Airport, "Our emotions are beyond words as a team, and we collectively share immense pride in what we have accomplished amidst intense competition against the finest professionals in the 49er class at the Asian level. Throughout the competitions, we aimed to pursue points, prioritised high-performance, meticulous planning, and maintained unwavering morale to make our mark in Omani sports, representing our nation with honour and pride."
Walid al Kindi remarked, "Our journey in sailing spans years, and one of the key factors behind our success is continuous development, unceasing training and fostering synergy among team members. We have also sought to harness international expertise whenever the opportunity arose in international and regional competitions. We wholeheartedly dedicated our skills, and we achieved our objectives. I am immensely proud of our accomplishments, hoping that this milestone serves as inspiration for all athletes in the Sultanate of Oman, demonstrating that winning medals is not an insurmountable feat but an attainable goal through relentless effort and meticulous planning."
The Asian Games are considered the largest sporting event on the Asian continent and the second largest global event after the Summer Olympics. More than 12,000 male and female athletes are currently competing, representing 45 Asian countries in 40 sports.
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